Hawaii Approves Bill Banning Sunscreen Believed To Kill Coral Reefs

[Eugene]

Source: NPR

Hawaii Approves Bill Banning Sunscreen Believed To Kill Coral Reefs

May 2, 2018 6:05 PM ET

Hawaii lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit the sale of over-the-counter sunscreens containing chemicals they say are contributing to the destruction of the state's coral reefs and other ocean life.

If signed by Gov. David Ige, it will make Hawaii the first state in the country to pass such a law and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

"Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law," state Sen. Mike Gabbard, who introduced the bill, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "So, Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge by banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens."

The chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are used in more than 3,500 of the world's most popular sunscreen products, including Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat, would be prohibited.

Prescription sunscreens containing those chemicals would still be permitted.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/02/607765760/hawaii-approves-bill-banning-sunscreen-believed-to-kill-coral-reefs


Much of the inner reef at Oahu's Hanauma Bay is dead after decades of tourism. The state may sign a law banning over-the-counter sunscreens believed to harm coral.
Caleb Jones/AP

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

1. Something tells me...

it's not the sunscreen. Sounds like congressional make-work.

[Duppers]

2. No, this is true. Study...

Toxicopathological Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3), on Coral Planulae and Cultured Primary Cells and Its Environmental Contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands

"Planulae exhibited an increasing rate of coral bleaching in response to increasing concentrations of oxybenzone. "

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00244-015-0227-7

It is the sunscreen AND many other factors - all related to human activity.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

3. Right on.

Cheerio.

[Duppers]

4. 👍😀

Thanks.

[NNadir]

5. I never looked at this structure, but now that I have, I'm surprised that the molecule...

...is not a carcinogen via the formation of a nucleotide adduct.

This paper seems to claim, in fact, that it does form these adducts: Benzophenone Photosensitized DNA Damage

I'll have to download it when I get to a library. It should be interesting.

It may be one of those cases in which the risk of cancer from 3-benzophenone is lower than the risk of melanoma, I don't know.

A lot has been written recently about the oxidation products of personal care items, particularly where water purification is carried out with my personal favorite (except for radiation) water purifying agent, ozone.

I have meant to write a post about that but haven't gotten around to it.

The biggest threat to coral, by far, is ocean acidification and climate change, but if 3-benzophenone is also a threat, I favor its ban.

I have read that many species of coral can go for generations in a unicellular stage that is tolerant to acidic environments. I certainly hope this is the case.