Palau's Sunscreen Ban: 10 Ingredients Tourists Get Caught With
Palau will confiscate your sunscreen at the border, and its banned-ingredient list is far longer than Hawaii's.
Palau's Responsible Tourism Education Act bans 10 reef-toxic sunscreen ingredients — including oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, triclosan and several parabens — from sale or import since January 1, 2020, with confiscation of bottles and fines up to $100 per unit.
The Republic of Palau government frames the law as the world's first to bar all active sunscreen ingredients known or suspected to be reef-toxic, positioning it as a precautionary measure to protect its marine ecosystems.
Questions we get a lot
Which sunscreen ingredients are banned in Palau?
Palau's Responsible Tourism Education Act bans 10 reef-toxic ingredients, including oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, triclosan, and several parabens. The law covers both sale within Palau and import by travelers. Check your label against the full list before you pack.
Will Palau really confiscate my sunscreen?
Yes. Since the law took effect on January 1, 2020, banned sunscreens can be confiscated from tourists at entry, and retailers face penalties for selling them, with fines up to $100 per unit. Bringing a fully mineral, ingredient-compliant sunscreen avoids the issue. A 'reef-safe' label from another country does not guarantee compliance with Palau's stricter list.
r/travel: 'Heading to Palau next month — is my Hawaii reef-safe sunscreen actually allowed, or will they take it at the airport?'