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Pacific island to introduce first sun protection ban "toxic for reefs"
In an attempt to protect the coral reefs that divers so admirably call the underwater Serengeti, the peaceful nation of Palau will soon ban many types of sunscreen.
Anyone who imports or sells sunscreen banned from that date will be fined $ 1,000, while tourists who bring it into the country will be confiscated.
A spokesman for Palau's president, Tommy Remengesau, said there was ample scientific evidence indicating that most sunscreens currently on the market are extremely toxic to corals even when they are administered. Minute.
The main problem is the dive sites in Palau, which can see four boats per hour taking tourists to see the reef.
"Every day, that equates to gallons of sunscreen penetrating the ocean in the famous diving and scuba diving sites of Palau," he said.
"And the levels observed in the environment are definitely toxic," he said.
In a law passed this week, Palau defines banned sunscreens "toxic to the reef" as containing one of the 10 chemicals, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, present in the majority sunscreens sold in the United States, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. .
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The ban will prevent sunscreens containing a range of harmful chemicals from being manufactured, imported or sold in Palau. The problem has led the government to create the new law, which follows a similar law passed in Hawaii in July.
Palau has always been a pioneer in the protection of the marine environment, introducing the world's first shark sanctuary in 2009, in a largely imitated movement.
According to a news report from Channel NewsAsia, the country – located halfway between Japan and Australia – is considered one of the world's top diving destinations, a reward that is responsible for promoting the country's tourism industry.
"They do not want to be like Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, where they had to close beaches".
"There have also been close to a dozen articles dealing with the concentration of these chemicals in the ocean, along coastal areas, as well as in some coral reefs".
Scientists have discovered that certain chemicals found in sunscreens can be toxic to coral reefs, which are a vital part of the ocean ecosystem and are a popular attraction for tourists. Some fear that these chemicals make corals more susceptible to bleaching and could delay their growth and that sunscreen pollution can affect reefs up to 5 km away.
He added that some sunscreens containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide were not toxic to the reefs, but he added, "The other alternative we advocate is wearing a sun suit: cover yourself, wear a sun vest ".
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