A new peer-reviewed study has identified 4-MBC, a sunscreen UV filter already banned in major overseas markets, as one of several environmental pollutants associated with higher fasting blood glucose in healthy adults.

Australian Sunscreen Council calls for urgent TGA action after 9News highlighted safety concerns over 4-MBC and Homosalate in Australian sunscreens, including children’s products. ASC says regulatory transparency is needed where chemicals remain permitted in Australia despite bans or restrictions overseas.

Environmental health scientist Dr Laura Vandenberg says concerns about chemical sunscreen ingredients should not be dismissed. The Australian Sunscreen Council calls for safer, evidence-led sunscreen regulation.

A peer-reviewed study found chemical UV filters including BP-3 and octinoxate in 69–74% of human breast tissue samples. What the research shows — and its limits.

Australia’s sunscreen “safety” and “reef friendly” claims are entering a higher-risk era. With Federal Court proceedings involving Cancer Council Australia, AICIS recommending Poisons scheduling for homosalate, and regulators unable to set a safe dose for 4-MBC, brands using 4-MBC, homosalate or oxybenzone—and any brand making broad safety or environmental claims—should urgently review both formulation choices and marketing language.

Industry leaders and union representatives attend the Australian Sunscreen Council’s discussion on SPF testing and sunscreen ingredient safety, led by Dr Yousuf Mohammed and Dr Rocky Chowdhury.

New evidence links chemical UV filters in sunscreens to breast cancer risks. The ASC urges Australians to prioritise physical protection and mineral sunscreens.

For decades, Australians have been told that “the benefits of sunscreen outweigh the risks.” But this slogan hides important truths: not all sunscreens are equal, some UV filters have unresolved safety concerns, and real-world evidence shows sunscreen use alone has not reliably reduced melanoma. This blog explains what the science actually tells us, and why physical protection and mineral sunscreens are the clearest net-benefit strategies.

Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world — yet skin cancer rates continue to rise despite decades of sunscreen promotion. Recent research, including a major McGill University study, found that sunscreen users were nearly twice as likely to report a history of skin cancer. This “sunscreen paradox” arises because most sunscreens are UVB-biased, block burning but not deeper-penetrating UVA, and even contain anti-inflammatory agents that mask redness.