Thai government bans reef damaging sunscreen – Going green is the way forward
The entire diving community in Thailand heartily welcomed some uplifting news last week. The Thai government declared that all sunscreens containing harmful chemical substances for coral reefs are banned from all marine national parks nationwide. The government based their decision on scientific data showcasing these chemicals “deteriorate coral reefs, destroy coral larvae, obstruct their reproductive system and cause coral reef bleaching.” The ban applies to sun lotions containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor or butylparaben. Violations of the ban can lead to a steep fine (max 100,000 THB or 3,000 USD), although officials have not said how they plan to enforce the ban. Thailand is not the first country to introduce such a ban: Palau, Hawaii, and France were earlier trendsetters.
