Hawaii may be on island time in many ways but when it comes to the environment, we tend to be one step ahead. Effective January 1, 2021, Hawaii became the first state to ban the sale of sunscreen with coral-harming chemicals. Senate Bill 2571, introduced by state Sen. Mike Gabbard prohibits the sale and distribution of over-the-counter sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in Hawaii and was approved by legislators last May.

This study by Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, a nonprofit scientific organization, found the chemicals cause bleaching, deformities, DNA damage and ultimately death in coral when they’re washed off beachgoers or discharged into wastewater treatment plants and deposited into bodies of water. Approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter coral reefs every year according to the National Park Service. These newly banned chemicals are believed to be one of the major contributing factors to the demise of the coral reef and unfortunately, many popular sunscreen contain these dangerous chemicals.

While I am far from a medical doctor, there is also something to be said for refraining from putting harmful chemical containing sunscreens on your skin, your body’s largest organ. A wise friend once told me, “you should never put anything on your skin that you can’t eat”. Food for thought…

So next time you plan a trip to Hawaii, do your epidermis and our reefs a favor and leave the toxic lotion behind. Mother nature and our local economy thank you in advance for considering some of these locally made options below:

• Raw Elements SPF 30 Certified Natural Sunscreen
• Mama Kuleana Waterproof SPF 30 Reef-safe Sunscreen
• Little Hands Hawaii SPF 35+ All-natural and Organic Sunscreen
• Raw Love SPF 35 All-natural Mineral Sunscreen

Billy Eckert  RS-72094  808.212.6658 [email protected]

Amy Frazier  RS-60993  808.639.9011 [email protected]