New Delhi, July 2 -- The Centre is deliberating a crack-down on cosmetic makers using mercury in their formulations after a government committee recommended a ban, according to officials and documents reviewed by Mint.

A panel set by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has recommended that the use of mercury in cosmetic formulations be banned, documents showed.

The Centre plans to identify cosmetics containing mercury and phase out their sale from the $20-billion Indian cosmetics market and from online platforms this year. Cosmetic manufacturers will have to provide self-declarations about their products being mercury-free. The products will then be put to rigorous laboratory tests for verification, officials said.

A sub-commi...