Europe Is Trying To Ban A Sunscreen Ingredient — And The U.S. Cannot Follow Suit

Source: The Daily Caller, June 2017

Bad ideas are a dime a dozen in the European Union’s Brussels headquarters, especially when it comes to applying science to the real world. This month, a committee with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – the authority charged with implementing the EU’s chemical regulations – seemingly decided the fair-skinned among us might be better off fighting melanoma than being exposed to sunscreen.

ECHA believes a compound called titanium dioxide – one of only two natural UV blockers that is heavily used in sunscreens, lotions, and cosmetics – should be classified as a suspected carcinogen.

Though complex in name, titanium dioxide should be a familiar assistant. SPF foundation? Titanium dioxide. “Natural” sunscreen? I’ll spare you the repetition. Along with its ability to absorb the sun’s UV rays to protect against skin cancer, the naturally occurring pigment is responsible for coloring most products of modern life brilliantly white. You can thank titanium dioxide for pigmenting everything from your iPhone and Tylenol to tattoos and toothpaste. In fact, titanium dioxide has been safely used for over a century, and even replaced dangerous lead compounds in paint.