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People Over Coral? Florida Could Ban Sunscreen Bans

Sunscreen being applied to child's face.
Wikimedia Commons
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

An effort by Key West to ban the sale of sunscreen believed to harm coral reefs is on the verge of being overturned.

The Florida Legislature sent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill Tuesday that would prevent local governments from banning sunscreens containing chemicals some researchers say harm reefs.

Bill supporters say it's more important to encourage people to protect themselves against skin cancer, but opponents said Key West has the right to protect a valuable resource and that consumers have reef-safe sunscreen options.