Hawaii lawmakers want to ban certain sunscreens that reportedly kill corals because they contain the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate.
Their bill, if signed by Gov. David Ige, would take effect in 2021 and make Hawaii the first state in the country to ban such sunscreens, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported on Wednesday.
A study by the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, a nonprofit scientific organization, stated that the chemicals from the sunscreens have seeped into young coral and contribute to coral bleaching, CNN reported.
Coral bleaching occurs when an increase in sea temperatures kills the algae that grows inside coral, turning reefs white and eliminating nutrients that sustain other marine life, CNN said.
CNN reported that some 14,000 tons of sunscreen find its way to the world's reefs each year, according to a 2015 paper published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.
Some cancer experts warned, however, that the ban could expose visitors to cancer and question the science connected with the sunscreen ban, KGMB-TV reported.
There are alternative sunscreens but they reportedly cost more.
"Right now the cost of these so-called reef friendly products ranges anywhere from two times to six to eight times more than what's on most of the shelves now," Karen Glanz, a professor at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, told KGMB-TV.
The bill has been opposed by ABC Stores, the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Personal Care Products Council, as well as Bayer, which manufactures Coppertone sunscreens, the Star-Advertiser reported.
"Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law," Hawaii Democratic State Sen. Mike Gabbard told the 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."
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