Sunscreens to be banned in Palau

Beginning in 2020 in the Pacific island nation of Palau, a law signed on Nov. 1, 2018, will ban sunscreens containing any of 10 chemicals thought to be harmful to coral. The chemicals are oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, triclosan, phenoxyethanol and four parabens (preservatives).

Two of the chemicals — oxybenzone and octinoxate — have been proven in lab tests to be toxic to coral, causing bleaching and stunting growth.

Sunscreens containing any of the banned chemicals will be confiscated from arriving visitors, and retailers caught selling sunscreens containing them will be fined up to $1,000.

Bonaire, a Caribbean overseas territory of the Netherlands, and Hawaii also have banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate but not the additional eight ingredients.