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A community on Vancouver Island, known for its popularity during the summer months, is contemplating a ban on specific types of sunscreen due to environmental concerns.
Lake Cowichan attracts numerous visitors in the summertime, with many coming to enjoy camping, swimming in the lake, or floating down the Cowichan River.
The municipal council is expressing worries about the environmental effects of a chemical found in some sunscreens that could pose risks to the river’s delicate ecosystem.
Tim McGonigle, Mayor of Lake Cowichan, remarked, “We have the second largest freshwater lake on Vancouver Island as well as the Cowichan River, which is recognized as one of Canada’s 44 heritage rivers. This river holds immense cultural, economic, and physical significance for the local First Nations and the town itself.”
He further noted, “In the summer months, our population can swell to four times our usual size.”
The town is examining a potential bylaw aimed at prohibiting sunscreens containing Oxybenzone, a compound that has the potential to harm aquatic life and accumulate in organisms within the ecosystem.
McGonigle revealed that town officials are investigating the legal feasibility of banning the sale of such products in the municipality. “While we understand we cannot control all products entering our community, we can regulate what is sold within our borders,” he stated.
Although some local businesses have transitioned to environmentally friendly sunscreen options, the community is prepared to implement a ban should staff determine that it is legally permissible.
Source
globalnews.ca