Categories

Categories

Additional Information

Additional Information

Account Navigation

Account Navigation

Currency - All prices are in AUD

Currency - All prices are in AUD
 Loading... Please wait...

Categories

Categories

Hawaii Bans Certain Sunscreens Citing Hormone Disrupting Chemicals Killing Coral

Posted by on

Yes, that's right the state of Hawaii is banning certain ingredients, oxybenzone and octinoxate, found in sunscreens because they kill coral in very very small amounts.  Unbelievable, but true.  Why not use just Zinc Oxide on the skin?

Oxybenzone can break down into Benzophenone-1 in the human body.  High levels of Benzophenone-1 is associated with an increased incidence of Endometriosis. So, guess what.  Oxybenzone is a xenoestrogen.

I personally mix zinc oxide, jojoba oil, and silica to make a sunscreen for myself.

This is from slashdot.org.

"Hawaii lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit the sale of over-the-counter sunscreens containing chemicals they say are contributing to the destruction of the state's coral reefs and other ocean life. NPR reports:

The chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are used in more than 3,500 of the world's most popular sunscreen products, including Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat, would be prohibited. Prescription sunscreens containing those chemicals would still be permitted. As NPR reported, a 2015 study of coral reefs in Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Israel determined oxybenzone "leaches the coral of its nutrients and bleaches it white. It can also disrupt the development of fish and other wildlife." Even a small drop is enough to damage delicate corals. At the time, researchers estimated about 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotions end up in coral reefs around the world each year. Opposition to the ban came from sunscreen manufacturers, including Bayer, the maker of Coppertone. And the state's major doctors group said the ban goes too far. 

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser wrote: "Bayer said there are limited, active ingredients available within the U.S. with the same proven effectiveness as oxybenzone for sunscreens over SPF 50. The Hawaii Medical Association said it wanted the issue to be studied more deeply because there was a lack of peer-reviewed evidence suggesting sunscreen is a cause of coral bleaching, and overwhelming evidence that not wearing sunscreen increases cancer rates.""

Here is a report showing that lathering up with sunscreen kills coral reefs.

In my opinion, sunscreen will protect your skin, maybe, but the cancer causing agents protecting your skin from burning may actually increase your cancer rates overall.  See this website that raises this very question.

Here is the article from May 2, 2018 from NPR:

Hawaii lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit the sale of over-the-counter sunscreens containing chemicals they say are contributing to the destruction of the state's coral reefs and other ocean life.

If signed by Gov. David Ige, it will make Hawaii the first state in the country to pass such a law and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

"Amazingly, this is a first-in-the-world law," state Sen. Mike Gabbard, who introduced the bill, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "So, Hawaii is definitely on the cutting edge by banning these dangerous chemicals in sunscreens."

The chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are used in more than 3,500 of the world's most popular sunscreen products, including Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat, would be prohibited.

Prescription sunscreens containing those chemicals would still be permitted.

As NPR reported, a 2015 study of coral reefs in Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Israel determined oxybenzone "leaches the coral of its nutrients and bleaches it white. It can also disrupt the development of fish and other wildlife." Even a small drop is enough to damage delicate corals.

At the time, researchers estimated about 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotions end up in coral reefs around the world each year.

Opposition to the ban came from sunscreen manufacturers, including Bayer, the maker of Coppertone. And the state's major doctors group said the ban goes too far.

Update: Hawaii's Governor, David Ige, recently signed the sunscreen ban and made it into law in Hawaii.   In 2012, Women's Health reported that oxybenzone and octinoxate are also not good for humans as well.