Photo: Cindy Ellen Russel / Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Sunscreen Ingredients to Avoid: Trading in old sunscreen for reef safe versions.
Here is a check list to take along when shopping for sunscreen that will protect both your skin and the reefs, as well as a list of sun protection considered reef safe. Selecting a sunscreen that is both effective and reef safe can be overwhelming. However, we are starting to see a trend of these big brands creating new, less toxic sunscreen lines such as Banana Boat’s Simply Protect which is made without oxybenzone & parabens.Ĭhoosing the right sunscreen is important not only to protect skin from burns and cancer, but also to preserve our oceans and marine life. These brands include Coppertone, Hawaiian Tropic and Banana Boat, to name a few. Most popular sunscreen brands are known to contain these dangerous chemicals. These now banned chemicals are believed to be one of the contributing factors to the coral reef destruction. According to the National Park Service, 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter coral reefs every year. When coral bleaches, it is not dead, but under significant stress and subject to increased mortality levels. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are two ingredients believed to contribute to coral bleaching.
The new law goes into effect January 1, 2021, but many visitors and residents are already trading in their non-reef safe sun protection. Hawaii is the first state in the US to ban the sale of sunscreen containing the coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, ushering in a new era of reef safe sunscreen. Hawaii is the first state in the US to ban the sale of sunscreen containing the coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate.