The presentation titled
“Education vs. Enforcement: Next Steps Beyond the Enactment of Hawaii’s Sunscreen Law” is sponsored by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and hosted by Maui Nui Marine Resource Council as part of the organization’s
“Know Your Ocean Speaker Series.” More events part of this series are held monthly via Zoom.
Dr. Craig Downs, whose groundbreaking research educated the world about sunscreen chemicals and their role in coral reef decline, will be a special guest speaker of this presentation.
Downs has received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii in cell and molecular biology, has published over 50 scientific papers and a number of book chapters in scientific textbooks, and is the co-editor of the CRC press veterinary book,
Downs says the best course of action is to exchange lotions and potions for bathing suits with sleeves and protective clothing like hats, rash guards, and swim leggings that have broad-spectrum UV protection built into the fabric as there is no 100 percent reef-safe sunscreen.
“That’s probably one of the most powerful conservation measures an individual can adopt [as] it means putting less sunscreen on your body which means less gets on the sand or in the water,” Downs says. “There are some calculations that [estimate] wearing a sun shirt instead of putting sunscreen on your torso/arms can reduce sunscreen pollution by more than 50 percent in an area. That is a major conservation victory.”
Top brand sunscreens risk causing CANCER if left on the shelf too long dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
January 27, 2021 |
Environment
The Hawaii s ban on the sale of sunscreens containing two chemicals harmful to coral reef ecosystems is now in effect.
As a result, a popular snorkeling spot on Hawaii Island is providing beachgoers with easy access to a sunscreen option that s kinder to marine life - and possibly their own health.
The Kohala Center, in partnership with Raw Elements USA and Target, launched a public reef-friendly sunscreen dispenser program at Kahaluu Beach Park on January 23, 2021.
The program launches as Hawaii s statewide ban takes effect on the sale of sunscreens containing the active ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate.
Hawaii was the first in the world to issue such a ban, prompting many governments around the globe to follow suit.
dgrossman@mauinews.com
Kaanapali Beach hosts a variety of activities one morning this week. While Hawaiiâs new law bans the sale of sunscreen that contains oxybenzone and octinoxate, it does not prohibit possession, meaning that travelers could potentially bring their own sunscreen from the Mainland containing the banned chemicals. â The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
For eco-friendly sunscreen makers like Maui’s Jenna Davis, Hawaii’s new law banning sunscreens with coral-harming chemicals couldn’t have come at a better time and the pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse moment.
“I started the company before the bill was introduced, however we definitely saw a peak in sales and growth after the bill due to more media being shared about the importance of this topic,” said Davis, who created Raw Love Sunscreen in 2014. “COVID has really put a halt on sales but I am confident with time that will change.”