- Recent reports have found that chemicals in sunscreen are killing coral reefs and other marine life.
- To save the ocean life, BuzzFeed news reports that Hawaii is set to be the first US state to ban sunscreens containing two chemicals shown to be toxic to coral reefs.
- Oxybenzone and octinoxate, both commonly found in sunscreen lotion, kill coral by leaching out all its nutrients.
- About 14,000 tons of sunscreen end up in coral reefs each year, one study estimates — and it can even get into the ocean through your shower.
The sunscreen you slather on at the beach can help keep you safe from sun exposure— but it may also be killing coral reefs and other marine life.
Scientists have known about this problem for some time, and one state is finally taking action. According to BuzzFeed News, Hawaii will become the first US state to ban sunscreens containing two types of chemicals shown to be destroying coral reefs around the world. The Hawaii state legislature passed a bill Tuesday to ban the sale of these sunscreens and, if the governor signs it, it will go into effect in 2021.
"Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law," Hawaii state Sen. Mike Gabbard told the Honolulu Star Advertiser. "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."
Some criticized the proposed ban, arguing that it might discourage people to wear sunscreen.
"A ban on these sunscreens in Hawaii— the state with the highest daily UV index warnings and very high rates of skin cancer and melanoma — would be a public health disaster," Doug Johnson, a dermatologist and spokesman for the Hawaii Dermatology Society, wrote in a column for the Honolulu Civil Beat.
The bill was supported by nonprofit environmental groups as well as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, but it was opposed by ABC Stores, the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Personal Care Products Council, and Bayer, which manufactures Coppertone sunscreens.
The proposed ban would not include prescription sunscreens containing those chemicals, according to HuffPost.
The chemicals in sunscreens suck the nutrients out of coral life.
A 2015 study from the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology found that two kinds of chemicals commonly found in sunscreen — oxybenzone and octinoxate — kill coral reefs by leaching out all their nutrients.
One of the chemicals, oxybenzone, can be found in at least 3,500 skin care products, according to HuffPost.
"The chemical not only kills the coral, it causes DNA damage in adults and deforms the DNA in coral in the larval stage, making it unlikely they can develop properly," researchers wrote in the 2015 study, which also reported that about 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotion makes it way into coral reefs around the world each year.
But even a tiny amount of sunscreen containing oxybenzone could be enough to cause harm to corals. The equivalent to a drop of water in a half-dozen Olympic-sized swimming pools is enough to do damage, according to the Washington Post.
Swimming in the ocean isn't the only way sunscreen spreads to the reefs.
"The most direct evidence we have is from beaches with a large amount of people in the water," John Fauth, co-author of the study, told The Post when it was published. "But another way is through the wastewater streams. People come inside and step into the shower. People forget it goes somewhere."
Studies show that losing our coral reefs would have devastating effects on sea life and the world economy and food supply.
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