As part of Bill 135, Molokai, Maui, and Lanai will soon ban the sale, distribution, and use of non-mineral sunscreens. The bill was recently passed unanimously by the Maui County Council. 

Introduced by Kelly Takaya King, member of the county council and chairman of the council's climate action, resilience and environment committee, Bill 135 recognizes that many non-mineral sunscreens have been proven to pose a direct threat to the health of coastal waters, coral reefs, and other oceans. Species.

Non-mineral sunscreens include chemical sunscreens such as oxybenzone, octoxylate, and octocreline. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are called "mineral sunscreens". Among the 16 active ingredients currently used as UV filters in sunscreen products, only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are generally considered safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration. 

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the southern shore of Molokai Island has the longest continuous fringe reef in the United States, and the agency has conducted extensive research on the coral reefs of Molokai Island. Scientists from the UH Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program also show that Molokai has the highest coral coverage of the major Hawaiian islands. Although sedimentation has been identified as the greatest threat to the coral reefs on the south coast of Molokai, and the level of chemical toxicity in the waters of Molokai is unknown, the toxicity of chemical sunscreens has been found to be extremely low-only 62 parts per trillion, or equivalent A drop of water in the 6.5 Olympic swimming pool. 

Once signed into law, Bill 135 will take effect on October 1, 2022. According to the bill, the county environmental management department is responsible for the administration of the new ban. The sale, distribution or use of prohibited non-mineral sunscreens will be considered a violation of Maui County regulations and will be subject to penalties and enforcement procedures. The fine will be deposited into the county environmental protection and sustainable development fund. 

In 2018, Hawaii passed a bill banning the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octoxylate, making Hawaii the first state to pass such a measure. The bill went into effect in January of this year. But Honolulu folk beat reports that the law has not been enforced, and sunscreens containing these chemicals are still being sold in many places. 

The county bill took the state law one step further by banning all non-mineral sunscreens. 

"Non-mineral sunscreen is a corrosive pollutant," Jin said. "Our coral reefs are our first line of defense against sea level rise. In addition to climate change and ocean warming, storms and development runoff, as well as the threat of leakage from wastewater injection wells, chemical sunscreens will also affect our coral reef system. Cause widespread harm and marine life. Bill 135 is an important step in protecting the health and resilience of our coral reefs and marine life by eliminating important sources of ecological stress." 

The county stated that Bill 135 was supported by researchers, environmental organizations, local youth, the county government, and the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources. 

Dr. Craig Downs is an expert in this field. His pioneering research links the use of non-mineral sunscreens to the decline of coral reefs, and he recognizes the historical nature of the bill.

"Maui's Act No. 135 is the first law in the United States to protect its natural resources from all potentially harmful petrochemical sunscreen ingredients, and only allow the use of mineral sunscreens," Downs said. "This bold measure should inspire governments around the world, and smart conservation measures can help shape tourism to be ecologically sustainable and profitable, while ensuring the protection of one of its most precious natural resources."

Bill 135 is now being sent to the mayor for signature.

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