Hawaii is the first US state to ban the sale of sunscreen containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. The law went effect on the first of this year, and many are embracing the new law to help do their part in protecting the coral reefs. 

What is oxybenzone and octinoxate? These two chemicals are commonly used in sunscreen, check the ingredients list on yours you may be surprised. They help to convert the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays into heat, which is mostly harmless to our skin. This helps to prevent sun burns in skin cancer, but at what cost?

What is Coral? Corals, which are considered animals are made up of two different organisms that live in symbiosis. Thousands of coral polyps live inside the coral itself; these polyps help to give it it is colorful and lively appearance. The corals are considered a keystone species, which means that they help to define the entire reef’s ecosystem and without a keystone species, the ecosystem would be drastically different or die out altogether. Corals help to make up one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, which means without the reefs, thousands of marine live would be displaced, and would likely die out. Not to mention, they provide people with food, a source of income, and a tourist attraction. Tourism generates 21% of the state’s economy. As of late 40% of Hawaii’s coral has been bleached, which poses a huge problem for Hawaii as well as millions of people. 

What is coral bleaching? According to aims.gov “Coral bleaching occurs when corals are stressed by a change in environmental conditions. They react by expelling the symbiotic algae that live in their tissues and then turn completely white.” Without these algae the coral has no source of food and is left very vulnerable. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are believed to contribute to coral bleaching. The National Park Service reported that an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 lbs. of sunscreen enter coral reefs every year.  Tourists will still be able to bring the banned products to Hawaii but are urged switch to sunscreen that is reef safe. If you are worried about harming coral reefs, there are plenty of reef safe alternatives that are widely available, Suntegrity Natural Mineral Sunscreen, Badger SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen Cream, Raw Elements SPF 30 Certified Natural Sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30 Mineral Sunblock, Loving Naturals Clear Body SPF 30+ All-natural Sunscreen, Banana Boat Simply Protect SPF 50+ Sunscreen (spray, not lotion) are all reef safe, and do not contain the banned chemicals. 

If you are looking to help the efforts to save our reefs you can donate to an organization that helps to raise awareness about these issues, you may also want to switch to a sunscreen that is reef safe and cut down on your plastic waste. This is a step in the right direction regarding the climate crisis, but there is still so much that needs to be done to help preserve our reefs as well as the rest of the world.