Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care

Ban sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate

Closed 82 signatures

What the petition asks

It is estimated that 14k tons of sunscreen end up in the oceans each year. We want the Government to ban sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to aquatic life. These can cause coral bleaching, fish infertility, and impair photosynthesis in algae.
Sunscreen is a necessity rather than a luxury, but trying to find an eco-friendly sunscreen can be a time intensive task which could be easily remedied by banning those that contain harmful chemicals to aquatic life. This ban is a small change that could have a huge impact.

Hawaii was the first nation to ban sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in 2018. Palau, US Virgin Islands, Key West, and Bonaire are all in the process of banning toxic sunscreens. We need to do the same.

Timeline

20 Mar 2023 Petition opened for signatures
20 Sep 2023 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 82
Status Closed
Department Department of Health and Social Care
Opened 20 Mar 2023
Closed 20 Sep 2023

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.