No more sunscreens in Palau, which is a much sought after tourist destination for divers. With the Palau government banning toxic sunscreen creams and lotions in its beaches, the country has become the first in the world to have taken such a decision against the toxic elements.
The ban has come into vogue and the sunscreens that contain octinoxate and oxybenzone have been totally banned. The government has issued an order in this respect and it clearly specifies that no more sunscreens that are ecologically harmful would be allowed.
The order has said that toxin sunscreen lotions or creams or any other element that is brought to the country or sold would be confiscated. It further says that the tourists who enter the country with any of the banned sunscreens would have to pay a fine of 1000 dollars.
Palau President Tommy Esang Remengesau Jr was quoted in media reports as saying that the government had taken the decision to impose the ban on sunscreens with respect to a report published in 2017 that had warned against the harmful effects of sunscreen on environment and marine life, especially the coral reefs that line the Palau beeches.
There are also reports that chemicals in the sunscreen caused much harm to the coral reef. It has also been said that nearly 14,000 tons of sunscreen is drawn into the oceans every year. Even low levels of sunscreen could reduce the growth of the reef.
