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Söderhavsön Palaus korallrev is threatened with toxic chemicals. Many of them are found in sunscreens and now a ban is imposed on them.
Tourists who defy the law will have their sunscreens confiscated.
The island of Palau, located in the eastern Philippines and north of Indonesia, is a major component of the tourism and fishing industry. The beautiful beaches attract many visitors each year. But now, the coral reef threatens the island with dangerous chemicals that kill living organisms.
These are poisons that are found in common sunscreens, which are the biggest ones. It is mainly the oxybenzone chemical that will be banned and that poses the greatest threat to the environment.
High fines
Ö State President Tommy Remengesau Jr. signed a bill last week to ban creams that poison corals from 2020. Prohibited creams will be confiscated from tourists who try to bring them into the country . And sellers of sunscreens can be fined up to SEK 10,000 if they continue to sell their products. The bill also means that vendors are obliged to offer customers cups, straws and food containers that can be recycled.
Photo: Getty
The island of Paulu wants to ban toxic sunscreens.
Tons of sunscreen on the corals
Paulu is not the first island paradise to limit the use of dangerous sunscreens. Last spring, Hawaii authorities suggested banning harmful sunscreens from 2021. High concentrations of toxic chemicals have been detected on popular beaches such as Waimea Bay, Waikiki Beach and Honolua. Bay. The researchers found that 14,000 tonnes of sunscreen were collected each year on the coral reef.
Critics against the bill argue that climate change and exploitation around the coast are at least as high as corals. Others say that it is more dangerous for people to stop using sunscreen when they stay in the sun.
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