Why ban oxybenzone sales in Hawaii?
Sunscreen & Oxybenzone
Why ban oxybenzone sales in Hawaii?
Science has recently (since 2008) shown
Exposure of coral to UV filters (oxybenzone, octinoxate) causes larval deformation and induces bleaching at low concentrations (Danovaro et al., 2008; Downs et al. 2016), as low as 62 parts per trillion (ppt).
In moderate concentrations can directly cause mortality (Downs et al. 2016).
Other marine organisms have also been shown to have reduced growth rates, increased mortality, and reduced biomass when exposed to these sunscreen chemicals. These organisms include phytoplankton (Martinez 2016; McCoshum et al. 2016); zooplankton (Martinez 2016), flatworms, anemones, and soft corals (McCoshum et al. 2016).
What alternative products are available to help the consumers avoid sunburns, skin damage, and sun-related skin cancer?
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are readily available substitutes and provide UVA and UVB protection
Non-nanoparticle zinc oxide has not been shown to be harmful to corals or induce bleaching
Science has shown that coral reefs are:
A) Incredibly important to biodiversity, provide storm protection to island communities, are important sources of food, and are a driving force in the tourism economy that many island communities rely heavily on
B) That coral reefs are impacted by a multitude of stressors ranging from global stressors such as warming ocean temperatures and acidification to local effects from overfishing, nutrient input from runoff, and pollution (such as that from oxybenzone input into coastal waters in the form of sunscreen and cosmetics).
The more stressors impacting a reef system at a time, the more likely the coral organisms will be overwhelmed by physiological stress, bleach their food-providing symbionts, fail to recover, and ultimately die. Preventing oxybenzone sunscreens from being sold in HI will help prevent them from impacting our coral reefs. This is the easiest and fastest way to reduce stress on corals in our local ecosystems.
Alternative sunscreens exist (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) that have not been shown to have the same toxic effects on corals, and we can educate the public that these alternatives are available and effective for their sunscreen needs. Additionally, oxybenzone is a known endocrine disruptor in humans – alternative sunscreens are healthier for our bodies as well as the reef. Taking this simple step will reduce the stress on Hawaii corals, and better enable them to cope with a multitude of environmental stressors and recover from large-scale bleaching events.
Support for this legislation is NEEDED if we hope to give our reefs a fighting chance for survival in the future. This is a local, directed action which can have an immediate impact on improving the resiliency of our coral reefs here in Hawai’i.
Christina Comfort, – Scientist / Oceanographer at the University of Hawaii.
.
