Palau to ban 'toxic' sunscreen as it tries to save its coral reefs

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – In a bid to protect the coral reefs that so many admire they have dubbed the underwater Serengeti, the Pacific nation of Palau.

President Tommy Remengesau Jr. last week signed legislation that bans "reef-toxic" sunscreen from 2020. Banned sunscreens will be confiscated from tourists who carry them into the country, and merchants selling them will be fined up to $ 1,000.

Remengesau said in a statement that the penalties find the right balance between "educating tourists and scaring them away."

The law defines the substance of toxic chemicals, including oxybenzone, and other chemicals that may also be banned.

The legislation also includes reusable cups, straws and food containers.

Remengesau said that it was a big issue for the world, and that it has been widely reported that Palau's famed Jellyfish Lake, which was closed for declining jellyfish numbers before being recently reopened.

The president noted that "plastic waste, chemical pollution, resource overconsumption, and climate change are all the threats of our pristine paradise."

Palau's ban comes after Hawaii in July 2046, in an attempt to protect its reefs. In Hawaii, however, tourists will still be able to have a doctor's degree if they have a doctor's prescription.

Scientists have found that some of these chemicals can be toxic to coral reefs, which are a vital part of the ocean ecosystem and a popular draw for tourists. But they are not enough independent scientific studies on the issue.

Some manufacturers, meanwhile, have already started selling "reef-friendly" sunscreen.

Palau, located east of the Philippines and north of Indonesia, is home to 21,000 people and has an economy that links to tourism and fishing. It has a compact of free association with the U.S.