Australian Education Union (AEU) calls for restriction on the types of sunscreens used at schools

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Australian Education Union (AEU) calls for restriction on the types of sunscreens used at schools
Created by snadmin on 06/06/2011 15:51:07

The Australian Education Union (AEU) has called for a restriction on the types of sunscreens used at schools, stating that sunscreen containing nanoparticles poses unacceptable safety risks.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) has called for a restriction on the types of sunscreens used at schools, stating that sunscreen containing nanoparticles poses unacceptable safety risks.

Claiming that safety evidence on nano-enabled sunscreen products is inconclusive, the Union has passed a resolution which calls on teachers to only use sunscreen which is free of nanoparticles.

The union's Victorian president, Mary Bluett, stated that Victorian teachers are the first to move against nanoparticle sunscreen, but that may not be the last.

"It's certainly something that I'll raise with my colleagues at federal executive," she said.

She says they consider it to be a duty of care issue.

"There is a growing body of research that cautions around these very very tiny particles and how they can be transmitted through the skin".

"While we don't know the potential impact, there are worrying signs."

The Cancer Council says there is no evidence that nanoparticles in sunscreen do pose a risk.

Craig Sinclair from the Cancer Council of Victoria says it is fine to restrict the type of sunscreens, as long as schools do not stop providing it.

"That would be a real negative outcome for students and that would be a real concern," he said.

Andrew Maynard, SAFENANO Expert Scientist and Director of the Risk Research Centre at the University of Michigan, has written an interesting blog on this news release, sharing his opinions on the topic. Click here to read.

Source: ABC News Australia

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