From our friends over at BAN TOXIC SUNSCREENS
When Hawaii passed the bill banning sale & distribution of sunscreens containing oxybenzone & octinoxate it unfortunately didn’t prevent sunscreen companies from replacing them with other equally dangerous chemicals, slapping “reef safe” on the bottles, & selling them in Hawaii.
HB102 is meant to tackle that: “Beginning Jan 1, 2023, bans the sale, offer of sale, or distribution in the State of any sunscreen that contains avobenzone or octocrylene, or both, without a prescription issued by a licensed healthcare provider to preserve marine ecosystems.”
SUBMIT TESTIMONY for HB102 by 10:45 am Wednesday *Hawaii Time* (if it’s late still send it in by Thurs 9am latest). Use our easy to follow instructions – takes five minutes.
👉GO TO:https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/home.aspx
👉SIGN IN &/or register and then sign in
👉CLICK “TESTIMONY” button
👉ENTER BILL in left sidebar: HB102
👉Fill in name, upload or type in your testimony…
Sample testimony:
Science has provided ample evidence that long-term exposure to avobenzone and octocrylene commonly found in sunscreens (including sunscreens labelled as “reef safe”) have been found to have detrimental impact on the life-cycles of Hawaii marine life including corals, algae, fish, shellfish, sea urchins and marine mammals.
Avobenzone is the leading active ingredient in chemical sunscreens and can cause endocrine disruption. Octocrylene is quickly metabolized into a mutagen called benzophenone which is included in California’s Prop 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Both are dangerous to the health of people, corals, marine life.
In Feb 2019, after numerous studies, the U.S. FDA declared it does not have sufficient scientific evidence that any organic (“chemical”) UV filters in sunscreens including oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, avobenzone are safe for human use.
Coral reefs are intrinsic to Hawaiian culture and fundamental to our sustainability. They provide critical habitat for near shore marine life and natural protection against coastal erosion. It’s vital we eliminate as many existential threats to our marine ecosystems as possible, including these toxic chemicals, to ensure our reefs can survive and thrive for future generations.
We urge your support for HB102!
NOTE: The hearing will be held via Zoom. You can select the option to give your testimony live.