{"id":294082,"date":"2023-04-13T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.www.smartertravel.com\/?p=294082"},"modified":"2023-04-13T11:33:10","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T15:33:10","slug":"sunscreen-ban-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It\u2019s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven\u2019t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative\u2014so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Virgin Islands<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cruz
SeanPavonePhoto | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, the U.S. Virgin Islands announced<\/a> a ban on chemical sunscreens that are harmful to coral reefs, outlawing all imports and sales of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. The bill was signed into law in July 2019, and its terms went into effect in March 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

The Essential Beach Packing List<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Hawaii<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Aerial
shanemyersphoto | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The reef-rich state of Hawaii voted to ban the sale of sunscreens that contain the reef-damaging chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate as of 2021. Experts have said<\/a> the move is an effort to put pressure on sunscreen manufacturers to better label and produce natural sunscreens that use equally effective zinc oxide<\/a>, which doesn\u2019t harm reefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my lifetime, our planet has lost about half its coral reefs. We\u2019ve got to take action to make sure we can protect the other half as best we can because we know that time is against us,\u201d said Hawaii Senator Chris Lee. The ban doesn\u2019t include cosmetic products like SPF makeup, or sunscreens prescribed by a doctor for medical reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key West, Florida<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Key
Kuteich | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Key West, Florida\u2014the home of the largest coral reef in the continental United States\u2014followed Hawaii in enacting a non-biodegradable sunscreen ban on its businesses. As of 2021, no stores in Key West can carry sunscreens that contain the reef-damaging chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key West leaders have said they hope the move will spread awareness about the issue and encourage travelers to buy natural sunscreens that work just as well. \u201cThere are thousands of sunscreens out there, and we have one reef,\u201d Key West Mayor Teri Johnston said<\/a> of the move. \u201cAnd we have an opportunity to do one small thing to protect that. I believe it\u2019s our obligation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

The Best Travel Swimsuits for Any Type of Vacation<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Bonaire<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Aerial<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, the Caribbean island of Bonaire unanimously voted to ban the sale of reef-killing sunscreens<\/a> in its stores by 2021. Now, any sunscreens containing the ingredient oxybenzone are off-limits on the island. Scientists studying the effects of oxybenzone and octinoxate on reefs have conducted research in the Caribbean and said<\/a> \u201cabout 90 percent of the reefs in the Caribbean have disappeared since 1980.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palau<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Lightning Strike Pro | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s not just the U.S. and Caribbean banning harsh sunscreens\u2014parts of the Pacific are starting to follow suit. In 2020, the archipelago nation of Palau became the first country to enact a sunscreen ban. Palau lawmakers have said businesses could be fined up to $1,000 for selling non-biodegradable sunscreens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe power to confiscate sunscreens should be enough to deter their non-commercial use, and these provisions walk a smart balance between educating tourists and scaring them away,\u201d former Palau President Tommy Remengesau said<\/a> of the change.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

15 Beach Bag Essentials You Need for Summer<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Mexican Vacation Spots<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Coastline
ggfoto | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While there are many popular vacation spots in Mexico where typical sunscreen is accepted, many natural preserves require visitors to stick to reef-safe, biodegradable options. Popular cenote swimming holes in the Riviera Maya that are home to copious animal life typically require visitors to only use natural sunscreens. Ecotourism preserves and natural water parks like Xel Ha<\/a>, Xcaret Park<\/a>, Garrafon Natural Reef Park<\/a>, and similar spots in Cozumel and Playa del Carmen have banned the use of chemical sunscreens from their parks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Find Natural Sunscreen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019re at your destination, resorts and shops can (and will) charge a pretty penny for natural sunscreens<\/a>. Stock up before you go to avoid the price gouge, and order online to ensure you get the best price. Avoid all aerosol sunscreens (spritzing sprays are fine), and check the ingredients list yourself to make sure oxybenzone and octinoxate aren\u2019t listed; not all sunscreens marketed as \u201cnatural\u201d are actually reef safe. Truly natural sunscreens typically list zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as an active ingredient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SmarterTravel\u2019s Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel. Follow her on Instagram\u00a0<\/em>@shanmcmahon<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":448614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"stpt_category":3760,"stpt_post_tag":0,"stpt_st_article_types":2892,"stpt_st_travel_types":0,"stpt_st_campaign":0,"stpt_st_providers":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2019-04-16T17:37:54Z","apple_news_api_id":"5b0b32c3-795e-4af0-b531-186f5c48622f","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2019-08-20T17:02:53Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACA==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AWwsyw3leSvC1MRhvXEhiLw","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/ef387a4f-36f7-4c29-8f80-3dad3afa70f7\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/1fc266be-0fea-4c8c-8216-80bf384133c0\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/fdfd5395-0315-486d-ba52-524f5d50daed\"]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[3724,2203,2189,3826,3760],"tags":[4243],"smartertravel_exclude_from":[],"st_article_types":[3721,2892,3475],"st_travel_types":[],"st_providers":[],"audience-tags":[185255],"destination":[262,118,482,180,1702],"departure":[],"all_publish_dates":["2019-04-16","2019-08-20","2023-04-13"],"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/AdobeStock_81536562-scaled.jpeg","yoast_head":"\n6 Places with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It\u2019s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use.\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6 Places with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It\u2019s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SmarterTravel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/smartertravel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-04-13T15:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-04-13T15:33:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/AdobeStock_81536562-1200x627.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"627\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@smartertravel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@smartertravel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/\",\"name\":\"SmarterTravel\",\"description\":\"The Best Trips Start Here\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/AdobeStock_81536562-scaled.jpeg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707,\"caption\":\"Close up of person squeezing sunscreen from an orange bottle into their open hand at the beach\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/\",\"name\":\"6 Places with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-04-13T15:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-04-13T15:33:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/#\/schema\/person\/331128a95f6a481bbd8285e4622f12aa\"},\"description\":\"Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It\\u2019s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/sunscreen-ban-destinations\/\",\"name\":\"6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/#\/schema\/person\/331128a95f6a481bbd8285e4622f12aa\",\"name\":\"Shannon McMahon\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/8K0A5339-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Shannon McMahon\"},\"description\":\"Editor Shannon McMahon is always planning her next trip and often writing in her travel journal. Follow her on Twitter @shanmcmahon_ and on Instagram @shanmcmahon. Shannon joined SmarterTravel in 2015. A former news reporter, she's lived in the south of Spain, spotted elephants in Sri Lanka, gone spelunking in the Caribbean, hiked Jordan's Petra Basin, interviewed Sao Paulo's Michelin-Star chefs, and explored China via bullet train. Travel trends, news oddities, and her visits to up-and-coming destinations are some of her favorite things to write about. Her stories have also appeared online on USA Today, The Sun, Huffington Post, Business Insider, blog.TripAdvisor.com, Boston.com, and more. Her educational background is in journalism, art history, gender studies, Spanish, and film. She's been quoted as an expert travel source by CNBC, People.com, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more. The Handy Item I Always Pack: \\\"Plenty of extra thick hair elastics. They tame my frizzy curls and come in handy in a surprising number of packing and hotel dilemmas.\\\" Ultimate Bucket List Experience: \\\"Climbing (yes, climbing, it's steep!) the Great Wall of China before it's gone.\\\" Travel Motto: \\\"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.\\\" - Mark Twain Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: \\\"Window, of course.\\\" Email Shannon at smcmahon@smartertravel.com.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/muckrack.com\/shannon-mcmahon\",\"@shanmcmahon\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mcmahonshannon\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"SmarterTravel","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com","push-errors":false,"title_newsletter":{"rendered":"6 Popular Places That Have Banned Sunscreen"},"excerpt_newsletter":{"rendered":"<p>These popular destinations have sunscreen bans in place. Here's why, and what you can do to comply.<\/p>","protected":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294082"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=294082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/448614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"smartertravel_exclude_from","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/smartertravel_exclude_from?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"st_article_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_article_types?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"st_travel_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_travel_types?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"st_providers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_providers?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"audience-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience-tags?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"destination","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination?post=294082"},{"taxonomy":"departure","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/departure?post=294082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}