Hawaii bans the sale of sunscreens
Anyone who asks me about sunscreens knows that I am a stickler for ingredients -zinc and titanium only as much as possible. Here’s another reason to avoid the chemical sunscreens: The state of Hawaii is taking it seriously. I think we all should.
In 2015, scientists testing coral reef and water in various tropical locations demonstrated that chemical sunscreens, Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, are damaging to coral reefs. Oxybenzone has received the most attention, causing coral bleaching and DNA damage to the coral. Corals bleach when they lose or expel the nutritional algae that normally live inside them.
On May 1st, Hawaii passed a bill banning the sale of sunscreen containing Oxybenzone and Octinoxate. Once signed by the governor, the law would go into effect in 2021.
Upon further evaluation of coral and sunscreen, researchers have identified NON-NANO zinc oxide to be the safest and least damage to coral. Most scientists agree that particles have to be smaller than 1nm to penetrate the skin, so we are talking environmental more than health concern with non-spray sunscreens.
But what exactly makes a particle NANO? And how do we know what the particle size is on the sunscreens we find in the store?
Most organizations agree that the cut off is 100nm. So, we want the particle size to be >100nm for coral reef safety. The only way to know for sure is to obtain information from the manufacturer, but unfortunately, there is no standardized test or governing body to ensure labeling and claims are true. One independent site to check on overall sunscreen safety is the Environmental Working Group.
Looking at my annual sunscreen list from 2018, the commercially available sunscreens who claim to use NON-NANO size particles include: Garden Goddess, Cerave, Bare Republic, and Neutrogena Pure Baby.
So, if you’re headed to an exotic locale, save that coral reef by checking your ingredients this summer!
Click HERE if you would like to read the actual Hawaii legislative bill.