Major sunscreen brands will soon have to reinvent their products in Hawaii or risk being taken off the shelves due to a new piece of legislation aimed at protecting coral reefs.
The bill, SB 2571, is based on research that finds two chemicals contained in many sunscreens, oxybenzone, and octinoxate, to have “significant harmful impacts on Hawaii’s marine environment and residing ecosystems, including coral reefs that protect Hawaii’s shoreline,” the proposed law states.
According to a 2015 study, “some 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotions wind up in coral reefs around the world each year,” NPR reported. “The ingredient oxybenzone leaches the coral of its nutrients and bleaches it white. It can also disrupt the development of fish and other wildlife.”
Both oxybenzone and octinoxate are commonly found in popular sunscreen brands from Banana Boat to Copper Tone, but certain over-the-counter products will still be permitted for patients with a prescription from a licensed health care provider, the legislation states.
Gov. David Ige, D-Hawaii, is expected to sign the bill this week, the Washington Post reported.
“Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law,” said state Sen. Mike Gabbard, D-Hawaii, who first introduced the legislation, to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser via email. “So, Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge by banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens. When you think about it, our island paradise, surrounded by coral reefs, is the perfect place to set the gold standard for the world to follow. This will make a huge difference in protecting our coral reefs, marine life, and human health.”
According to the Star-Advertiser, the proposed law would go into effect in 2021, pleasing environmentalist groups, while others argue the legislation is hasty to ban a product that defends against skin cancer over speculative research.
Jay Sirois, director of regulatory affairs for an association that represents sunscreen manufacturers, recently told NPR: “We’re taking away a product, or products … that have been shown over the course of time to be safe and effective” against the harmful effects of the sun.
“Today the health, safety and welfare of millions of Hawaii residents and tourists has been severely compromised by the passage of SB 2571 that will ban at least 70 percent of the sunscreens on the market today, based on weak science blaming sunscreens for damage to coral reefs,” the Consumer Healthcare Products Association said in a statement.
