The Pacific nation of Palau has become the first country to ban sun cream that is harmful to corals and sea life. From now sun cream that includes common ingredients, including oxybenzone, is not allowed to be worn or sold in the country.
US researchers have recently found a link between oxybenzone exposure and the formation of birth defects during the first trimester of pregnancy – specifically, a defect called Hirschsprung’s Disease.
Starting in January 2020, tourists who bring banned sunscreen into the country will have them confiscated and retailers who attempt to sell them and break the ban will face fines of $1,000.
The bill that is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2021, will specifically prohibits the sale and distribution of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate.
