VOA慢速英语2018 帕劳将禁止使用防晒霜以保护珊瑚礁（在线收听）

Palau to Ban Sunscreen to Try to Save its Coral Reefs

The Pacific nation of Palau will soon ban many types of sunscreen in an effort to protect its coral reefs.

太平洋岛国帕劳将很快禁止使用多种类型的防晒霜，以保护珊瑚礁。 

President Tommy Remengesau Jr. signed legislation recently that bans “reef-toxic” sunscreen beginning in 2020. The law defines reef-toxic sunscreen as containing any one of 10 chemicals, including oxybenzone. Other chemicals may also be banned.

小汤米·雷门格绍总统最近签署了一项法律，规定从2020年起，禁止使用“对珊瑚礁有毒的”防晒霜。该法律规定，防晒霜如果含有包括氧苯酮在内的10种化学物质中的任意一种，就是对珊瑚礁有毒的防晒霜。含有其他化学物质的防晒霜也可能被禁止。

Officials will take banned sunscreens from visitors who carry them into the country. Businesses that sell the banned products will be fined up to $1,000.

工作人员将没收游客带入该国的被禁防晒霜。售卖此类防晒霜的商户将被处以最高1000美元的罚款。

In a statement, Remengesau said that the punishments find the right balance between “educating tourists and scaring them away.”

雷门格绍在一份声明中表示，这些惩罚在“教育游客和吓跑游客”之间找到了恰当的平衡点。 

The law also requires tour operators to start providing customers with reusable cups, drinking straws and food containers.

法律还要求旅行社开始向游客提供可重复使用的水杯、吸管和饭盒。 

The president said the legislation was introduced based on information from a 2017 report. The report found that sunscreen products were widespread in Palau’s famous Jellyfish Lake.The lake was closed for more than a year because of a decrease in jellyfish numbers. It was recently reopened.

雷门格绍总统表示，这项法律是根据2017年发表的一份报告里的信息提出的。报告发现，防晒霜产品广泛出现在帕劳著名的水母湖中。由于水母数量减少，水母湖关闭了一年多，最近才重新开放。

The president also noted that plastic waste, chemical pollution, and climate change all threaten the country’s environmental health.

雷门格绍总统还指出，塑料垃圾、化学污染和气候变化都威胁着该国的环境健康。 

In July, the American state of Hawaii banned the sale of sunscreen containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate beginning in 2021. However, tourists will still be able to bring the banned sunscreen with them into the state. They may also buy the sunscreen in Hawaii if they have a doctor’s prescription.

今年7月，美国夏威夷州禁止销售含有化学物质氧苯酮和桂皮酸盐的防晒霜，并自2021年起生效。然而，游客仍然能够携带被禁防晒霜进入该州。如果有医生的处方，他们也可以在夏威夷购买防晒霜。

Scientists have found that some chemicals in sunscreen can be toxic to coral reefs. The reefs are an important part of the ocean environment and popular with tourists. But some critics say there are not enough independent scientific studies on the issue. Others worry that people will suffer from too much sun contact if they stop using the products.

科学家发现防晒霜中的一些化学物质对珊瑚礁有毒。珊瑚礁是海洋环境的重要组成部分，深受游客欢迎。但一些批评人士说，在这个问题上没有足够的独立科学研究。另一些人则担心，如果人们停止使用这些产品，他们会遭受过多的阳光照射。

Some manufacturers have already started selling “reef-friendly” sunscreen.

一些制造商已经开始销售“对珊瑚礁无害的”防晒霜了。 

Palau is located east of the Philippines and north of Indonesia. The nation is home to 21,000 people. Its economy depends on tourism and fishing. Palau has an agreement with the United States that provides economic assistance, defense of the territory and other benefits.

帕劳位于菲律宾以东，印度尼西亚以北。这个国家有21000人。它的经济依赖于旅游业和渔业。帕劳与美国达成协议，美国答应提供经济援助、保护其领土及其他利益。

Words in This Story

coral reef – n. a long line of coral that lies in warm, shallow water

prescription – n. a written message from a doctor that officially tells someone to use a medicine, therapy, etc.

sunscreen – n. a lotion that you put on your skin to prevent sunburn by blocking out some of the sun's rays

tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

toxic – adj. poisonous; containing poisonous substances