Hawaii Seeks to Outlaw Specific Sunscreens to Protect Coral Reefs

To safeguard its endangered coral reefs, Hawaii has pioneered legislation outlawing certain sunscreen items.

The legislation bans the sale and distribution of sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate. Research shows these chemicals, entering the ocean from swimmers, contribute to coral bleaching.

Coral reefs, though delicate, are crucial components of global ecosystems, hosting the planet's richest marine biodiversity. They are indispensable to over 500 million people who rely on them for sustenance, livelihoods, and leisure, contributing approximately $375 billion annually to the global economy.

Since the 1990s, researchers have studied the environmental impact of sunscreens and other personal care products containing chemicals. A comprehensive 2015 study, spanning coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Israel, and Hawaii, revealed that oxybenzone severely depletes coral nutrients. Many ecotourism destinations and private resorts in tropical regions have already banned such products.

Hawaii's Democratic Senator Mike Gabbard proposed Senate Bill No. 2571, which asserts, "These chemicals have been proven to weaken corals' resilience, impair their ability to adapt to climate change, and hinder the growth of new corals."

"Our island paradise, encircled by coral reefs, is the ideal location to establish a global benchmark," Gabbard stated in an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

An NPR report highlighted that these chemicals are present in over 3,500 of the world's most popular sunscreen products, including brands like Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, and Banana Boat. Estimates suggest they are found in 40 to 70 percent of sunscreens currently available.

The proposed ban comprehensively covers a wide range of sunscreen products, including lotions, pastes, balms, ointments, creams, solid sticks, brush applicators, roll-ons, aerosol and non-aerosol sprays, and manual or automated mist sprays.

The bill received overwhelming support in both legislative chambers, with all 25 state senators voting in favor and only four of the 51 House representatives opposing it. If Governor David Ige signs it into law, the ban will take effect on January 1, 2021, making Hawaii the first state to implement such legislation and potentially inspiring other coastal states to follow suit.

While sunscreen poses a threat to reefs, scientists have identified CO2 emissions and rising ocean temperatures as additional factors endangering these ecosystems.