Petition · past parliament · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ban the use of Shark Squalene in the UK
Closed
345 signatures
What the petition asks
Completely ban the use of shark-derived squalene from all cosmetics and medical compounds, including vaccines. The cost of shark lives is too great to allow the continued use of this compound. Many shark species are endangered and in need of greater protections, we cannot throw their lives away.
Harvesting shark-derived squalene is an entirely inhumane, wasteful, and wholly unsustainable process. It has been reported that hundreds of thousands of sharks could be killed to produce Covid-19 vaccines that use Squalene, even though it is not yet clear if such vaccines will be effective. Thousands of lives should not be taken to secure this compound. The use of Shark Squalene should be banned and synthetic alternatives, such as those derived from plants, used instead.
Timeline
| 5 Oct 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 5 Apr 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
345
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened
5 Oct 2020
Closed
5 Apr 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.