To save coral, Palau bans many kinds of sunscreen

SYDNEY— The Western Pacific nation of Palau has become the first country to ban many kinds of sunscreen, in a move to protect its coral reefs from chemicals that scientists say cause damage.

Under the ban, which will take effect in 2020, “reef-toxic” sunscreen — defined as containing one of10 prohibited chemicals, a list that could grow later — can be confiscated from tourists when they enter the country, and retailers who sell it can be fined up to $1,000.

Damage to coral reefs worldwide from climate change has been widely reported, but scientists say there is growing evidence that chemicals from sunscreen, washed off swimmers or entering the ocean through sewer systems, also causes grave harm.

Palau passed the ban into law last week. President Tommy Remengesau called it “especially timely,” saying that a major impetus was a 2017 report that found sunscreen products to be “widespread” in Jellyfish Lake, one of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.

It has been estimated that 14,000 tons of sunscreen are deposited in the world’s oceans each year.

Researchers found that even a low concentration of sunscreen in the water can hinder the development of young coral, said Dr. Selina Ward, a lecturer in coral reef ecology and physiology at the University of Queensland in Australia. Studies since then have found that chemicals in sunscreen can cause localized coral bleaching and can disrupt the reproduction of fish by interfering with their hormonal systems, Ward said.

Chemicals in sunscreen can be “bigger than climate change” in causing damage to reefs, Craig Downs, executive director of the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory in Virginia, said this year. In 2015, Downs led a team that found that oxybenzone, which is commonly used in sunscreen, stunts coral growth and is toxic for the algae that live within reefs, providing their colour and performing other vital functions.

Not all sunscreens are “reef-toxic.” But “some of the sunscreens without these chemicals are quite expensive, which is a disincentive,” Ward said.

“I think wearing fabrics on your body is the best alternative,” she said.