This morning, a crew of 20 Sydney-siders and Friends of the Earth members dressed up as beach safety icon David Hasselhoff to bring their concerns about the safety of nano-sunscreens to the office of the new Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek.
Skin safety experts and community groups have long called for new safety testing and labelling of sunscreens produced using nanotechnology. After years of government inaction, today Friends of the Earth and the Health Minister’s constituents called in The Hoff. The action coincides with David Hasselhoff’s visit to Sydney to star in Celebrity Apprentice.
“David Hasselhoff is the ultimate icon of beach safety”, said Friends of the Earth nanotechnology spokesperson Dr Gregory Crocetti.
“After years of government inaction, today, we’ve called in The Hoff to help save us from a new threat to safety on the beach – untested, unlabelled nano-sunscreens”.
“Senior scientists warn that in a worst case scenario, using nano-sunscreens could increase the risk of skin cancer. Yet this new generation of sunscreen ingredients is effectively unregulated.”
“Polling shows that 85% of Australians want mandatory labelling of nano-sunscreens. But there is no labelling to enable people with damaged or sensitive skin, or parents of young children, to choose to avoid nano-sunscreens.”
“Today we are presenting the Health Minister with 1,000 postcards signed by people all over the country, calling for regulation and labelling of nano-sunscreens”.
“We are here to welcome Tanya Plibersek to the Ministry and ask her to take urgent action to keep untested, unlabelled nano-ingredients out of sunscreen”.
“When it comes to beach safety, The Hoff can only be so vigilant.”
