The global market for suncare products in 2008 had a volume of 547 9 106 units, 65.4 % of which were sun protection items (Datamonitor 2010). Considering a market penetration (Fpen) of nanoTiO2-containing sun lotions of more than 10 % (Boxall et al. 2007) and a mean weight of cosmetics being 200 g (Mueller and Nowack 2008), and also assuming that 10–20 % of the lotion is not used (Feol) and is still inside the container when thrown away, it is estimated that some 715–1,430 Mg of sunscreen containing nanoTiO2 was likely to be contained in the waste stream in 2011 (Table 3). The remaining 80–90 % is applied to the skin and subsequently ends up in environmental compartments, for example, water, where it is no longer collectable and hence not considered waste.