Southborough installing free sunscreen dispensers at several parks and playgrounds

Above: The sun will come out again – maybe not tomorrow – but sometime this month. When it does, residents can take advantage of fun new sunscreen dispensers to protect their skin (and their family's). (images from press release)

The Southborough Board of Health announced today that free sunscreen dispensers will be installed at six playgrounds and recreational areas in town. The dispensers were and sunscreen were funded by a $4,100 grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation to support skin cancer prevention.

Based on the Town's photo, at least one of the "IMPACT Melanoma" sunscreen dispensers has already been installed. Based on the press release, all of them will be put up this month at the following locations:

(Worth noting, that means you should still BYO sunscreen to the Arts Center Playground at 21 Highland Street and the tot lot by the Town House.)

The announcement commits that dispensers will be monitored/maintained on a daily basis.

The sunscreen is listed as SPF 30 with Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB Protection. Ingredients include 6% Titanium Dioxide and 6% Zinc Oxide. For more details, see the image right or the Town website here.

The Health Department sought and secured the grant funding and partnered with the Recreation Department to pick locations to be installed. The initiative is meant to increase the use of (and reapplication of) sunscreen when enjoying outdoor recreation.

The release explains:

Current statistics show that skin cancer is the number one diagnosed cancer in the United States. Approximately one person dies of melanoma every hour in the US. Prevention is the best way to reduce the risk of melanoma, according to Impact Melanoma officials. The dispenser faceplates strategically use sunscreen to garner extremely high 90-second user engagement rates during the application, in addition to 2-3 visits per use for reapplication.

Anyone with questions can contact Assistant Health Director Taylor West at [email protected].