Coconut Oil Confusion Reveals the Perils of Ethical Purchasing
- Study suggests output process threatens tropical species
- Consumers increasingly look to environmental impact of produce
Photographer: Paul Hilton/Bloomberg
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Producing coconut oil could be more harmful for the environment than previously thought as it exacerbates already-high extinction rates of animals in unique, tropical areas.
According to a new report from the U.K.’s University of Exeter, production of coconut oil threatens around 20 animal species for every million tons made. That’s more than four times as many as for other oil-producing crops such as palms, olives and soybeans.