Hawaii to ban sunscreens that harm coral reefs
Hawaii has become the first US state to approve a ban on sunscreens containing chemicals shown to harm coral reefs.
Hawaii has become the first US state to approve a ban on sunscreens that contain chemicals shown to harm coral reefs.
If signed by Governor David Inge, the bill would prohibit the sale of non-prescription sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate from January 2021.
The two chemicals "have significant harmful impacts on Hawaii's marine environment and residing ecosystems, including coral reefs that protect Hawaii's shoreline," the bill states. The chemicals kill developing coral, increase coral bleaching and cause genetic damage to coral and other marine organisms, it adds.
Democratic Senator Mike Gabbard, who introduced the bill, told the Honolulu Star Advertiser that "Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge of banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens.
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"This will make a huge difference in protecting our coral reefs, marine life and human health."
A 2016 study published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology found that while applying sunscreen reduces the risk of skin cancer, oxybenzone, found in some 3500 sunscreens worldwide, "poses a hazard to coral reef conservation and threatens the resiliency of coral reefs to climate change".
A 2015 study conducted in Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands, found that even a tiny amount of sunscreen can begin damaging delicate coral - the equivalent of a drop of water in a half-dozen Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate have been found to kill coral reefs.
Across the world each year, up to 14,000 tonnes of sunscreen lotions are discharged into coral reef, and much of it "contains between 1 and 10 per cent oxybenzone," the authors said. They estimate that places at least 10 per cent of reefs at risk of high exposure, judging from how reefs are located in popular tourism areas.
"The most direct evidence we have is from beaches with a large amount of people in the water," said John Fauth, an associate professor of biology at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
"But another way is through the wastewater streams. People come inside and step into the shower. People forget it goes somewhere."
However, not all scientists are convinced that sunscreens threaten coral reefs.
Jorg Wiedenmann, head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton in the UK told scholarly journal Nature that banning sunscreen will not solve the broader threat to coral reefs.
"[F]or example, temperature anomalies, overfishing, coral predators and the big issue of coastal runoffs that pollute and destroy reefs.
"But if you have places with a high load of tourists going in, it is not unreasonable to stay cautious and say "yes, there may be additive effects".
The Hawaii Medical Association urged lawmakers to not to approve the ban before more studies are carried out on the effects of the chemicals on corals.
The association noted that while only some studies have linked oxybenzone to coral bleaching, thousands of studies have linked increased skin cancer risk to not wearing sunscreen.
Travellers need to check ingredient lists for the two chemicals.
It is concerned that the ban could dissuade visitors to Hawaii from wearing sunscreen.
Some sunscreen manufacturers, including Bayer, also opposed the ban.
Commenting on the 2016 study that same year, Ken Lee, chief scientist at Nivea noted that it was focused on one particular ingredient, oxybenzone.
"It needs more evidence to validate it," he said, adding that the study was done in a lab and not on coral in the sea.
While it is a valid UV filter and sunscreen ingredient, it is being phased out and it's very easy to avoid it when shopping for sunscreen, he said.
Several sunscreen manufacturers market their products as "reef friendly", but scientists have cautioned that there is little to no regulation surrounding these claims so customers should check ingredients.
Craig Downs, one of the authors of the 2016 study, said customers should also avoid sunscreens with "nano" zinc oxide or titanium oxide as below 120 or just 100 nanometres is "significantly toxic".
- Stuff
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