In an effort to save its at-risk coral reefs, Hawaii has become the first state to pass a law banning sunscreen. Coral reefs are a vital part of the world’s ecosystems, and they support the highest marine biodiversity in the world. They are also important to those who depend on them for food, jobs and recreation.
Scientists have found that chemicals in certain sunscreens such as oxybenzone and octinoxate cause coral bleaching when they are washed off of the skin and into the ocean. A globe-spanning 2015 study examined coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Israel and Hawaii, and found that oxybenzone significantly strips coral of nutrients. The chemicals seep into young coral and contribute to coral bleaching, which occurs when an increase in sea temperatures kills the algae that grow inside coral, turning reefs white and eliminating nutrients that sustain other marine life. About 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter the world’s reefs every year, according to a 2015 paper published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.
The chemicals appear in more than 3,500 of the world’s most popular sunscreen products, including those produced by the brands Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat. About 40 to 70 percent of all current sunscreen products will be removed from shelves. The law will prohibit the sale and distribution of these sunscreens beginning in 2021.
Sen. Mike Gabbard of Hawaii introduced Senate Bill No. 2571. “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,” Gabbard said.
The bill passed both chambers of the state legislature. Hawaii’s 25 state senators voted for the bill unanimously, while only four of the 51 members of the state’s House of Representatives voted against it. If signed by Governor David Ige, the bill will take effect Jan 1, 2021, and Hawaii will become the first state to enact such a law, setting the stage for more coastal states to take action to protect the coral reefs.
