Attention sun, beach, lake, river, garden, waterpark — basically, summer — lovers: Hawaii just banned oxybenzone and octinoxate, two incredibly common sunscreen ingredients that also happen to be terrible for coral reefs.
About the chemicals
According to a recent NPR article, oxybenzone and octinoxate may be responsible for killing coral reefs.
The relationship between oxybenzone use and coral bleaching was examined in a 2015 study.
The study, which was conducted by a team of international scientists, discovered that “oxybenzone, a common UV-filtering compound, is in high concentrations in the waters around the more popular coral reefs in Hawaii, and the Caribbean,” UCFToday reported. “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.”
NPR reported that oxybenzone and octinoxate are in more than 3,500 sunscreen products, including Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat.
The ban
According to NPR, the ban was passed by Hawaii lawmakers on Tuesday, May 1, 2018. If Gov. David Ige signs the bill, all sunscreen containing oxybenzone and octinoxate will be banned from the state starting on Jan. 1, 2021. (Prescription sunscreens that contain the banned ingredients will still be permitted in Hawaii if the ban goes through, NPR added.)
According to the previously mentioned study, a single drop of oxybenzone could “damage delicate corals.”
If the ban is signed, it could limit the estimated amount of “14,000 tons of sunscreen lotions” that “end up in coral reefs around the world each year,” NPR reported.
Reef-friendly sunscreens
Many people really don’t want to go outside without sunscreen these days, but this ban does not damn you to a summer of burns. Here are a few reef-friendly, chemical-less sunscreens to try.
Editor’s note: Summer trade shows are coming up, starting this week with CamCon. In fact, the state of Florida is essentially cam-central for the next few months. With that in mind, consider giving one of these a try — because all the oceans are connected.
Thinksport SPF
Thinksport is dedicated to creating products that are free from ingredients that can harm a person’s body and the environment. This sunscreen’s active ingredient is non-nano zinc oxide (20 percent) — a common ingredient in this list.
You can purchase a bottle of Thinksport Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+ for $12.99 on the company’s site.
Vive Sana Daily Protezione — Organic Suncare Face Cream
Vive Sana’s Daily Protezione Face Cream boasts a moisturizing formula that’s rich in antioxidants. The sheer-feeling, semi-matting face cream has boasts an SPF of 30 and contains multiple organic ingredients. Key ingredients include argan, non-nano zinc, raspberry seed, licorice root and green tea.
Priced at $55.
All Good Sunscreen
All Good Sunscreen sells a variety of reef-friendly sunscreens, including a butter, lotions, sprays and sticks. For this piece, we’re highlighting the company’s Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen. The product contains non-nano zinc oxide. And the lightweight formula also contains organic green tea, rose hips and buriti oil.
Priced at $15.99.
Badger Sunscreen
Badger’s Active Sunscreen Cream is sweat and water resistant. This particular formula is fragrance-free, has SPF 30 and contains only five ingredients: non-nano uncoated zinc oxide, sunflower, beeswax, sunflower vitamin E and seabuckthorn extract. It also features 98 percent organic ingredients (certified by NSF).
Priced at $15.99.
If you want to discover additional brands of sunscreen that are reef-friendly, click here for a list courtesy of Travel and Leisure, and here for a list courtesy of The Chalkboard.
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Abbie Stutzer is a writer and editor from Lawrence, Kansas. Find her on Twitter at @abbiestutzer and on Insta at @abbiestutzer. Email her at abbie@ynotcam.com.
Image via Ariel da Silva Parreira.
