Climate Action, Resilience, and Environment Committee
October 20, 2021
CARE-54 CC 21-305
Aloha Committee,
My name is Shelby Serra and I am testifying today on behalf of Pacific Whale Foundation, whose mission is to protect the ocean through science and advocacy, and to inspire environmental stewardship.
I am testifying on agenda item CC 21-305.
Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, supporting nearly one million species of algae, invertebrates, and fish. Research has shown that some chemicals commonly found in sunscreen can damage coral reefs by disrupting coral reproduction, inhibiting growth, deforming coral DNA, and increasing the rate of zooxanthellae viruses and coral bleaching.
It has been revealed that adjustments in single polymers in a chemical compound can yield a new compound with similar impacts to the ecosystem, however the change in name can exempt it from law. By this logic, implementing a law that allows only mineral-based sunscreens strengthens the intent of the legislation, and disallows manufactures from finding loopholes by adjusting their chemical compounds slightly.
There are two kinds of sunscreen- chemical and physical (also called mineral). Chemical sunscreens are most common, and work by absorbing UV rays, while physical sunscreens create a barrier on your skin and reflect the UV rays.
The science is clear that many of the elements in chemical sunscreens are harmful to coral and other marine life.
According to the 2020 Hawai’i Ocean Resources Management Plan as well as the Hawai’i Tourism Authority, around 10 million people visit Hawai’i every year. Of this, it is reported that 80% of visitors take part in marine activities.
We must take swift action and take a different approach to sunscreen prohibitions to ensure that we do not continue to add reef damaging chemicals into our waters day after day.
Mahalo for your time
Shelby Serra
Pacific Whale Foundation
I’m testifying in support of CARE 54, which would prohibit the sale, use or distribution of non-mineral sunscreens.
The state of Hawaii made worldwide news with our law that banned the sale of sunscreen products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. However, we can’t stop there. Sunscreen manufacturers have been quick to use other chemicals – some untested as far as their impacts on corals and marine life go – to create new products which they labeled as “reef safe.”
There are sufficient questions regarding how these products impact human health and our coral reefs. For example, avobenzone, which is often used in place of oxybenzone, works in a similar manner and is believed to pose similar risks to coral DNA and aquatic life exposed to this chemical.
There are also questions about how these chemicals act upon the environment when used in combination with other sunscreen chemicals. We believe it is best to legalize only those sunscreen ingredients that are recognized as safe for our reefs. Given the volume of sunscreen chemicals washed off into our coral reef areas each year, it is best to follow the precautionary principle and avoid chemicals that are suspected of causing harm to corals and marine wildlife.
Of all the sunscreen chemicals in use, the FDA has only declared titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as safe for humans. Why should we take the risk of allowing other questionable sunscreen chemicals to cause harm to people and to our reefs?
Mahalo for supporting this bill.
Anne Rillero
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund is in strong support of this bill to allow only mineral-based sunscreens to be used in Maui Marine Life Conservation Districts. We worked hard for the bans on oxybenzone and octinoxate previously, but there are many more chemicals that should also be banned from sunscreens.
Mahalo for this cutting edge legislation.
Hannah Bernard
Climate Action, Resilience, and Environment Committee
October 20, 2021
CARE-54 CC 21-305
Aloha Committee,
My name is Shelby Serra and I am testifying today on behalf of Pacific Whale Foundation, whose mission is to protect the ocean through science and advocacy, and to inspire environmental stewardship.
I am testifying on agenda item CC 21-305.
Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, supporting nearly one million species of algae, invertebrates, and fish. Research has shown that some chemicals commonly found in sunscreen can damage coral reefs by disrupting coral reproduction, inhibiting growth, deforming coral DNA, and increasing the rate of zooxanthellae viruses and coral bleaching.
It has been revealed that adjustments in single polymers in a chemical compound can yield a new compound with similar impacts to the ecosystem, however the change in name can exempt it from law. By this logic, implementing a law that allows only mineral-based sunscreens strengthens the intent of the legislation, and disallows manufactures from finding loopholes by adjusting their chemical compounds slightly.
There are two kinds of sunscreen- chemical and physical (also called mineral). Chemical sunscreens are most common, and work by absorbing UV rays, while physical sunscreens create a barrier on your skin and reflect the UV rays.
The science is clear that many of the elements in chemical sunscreens are harmful to coral and other marine life.
According to the 2020 Hawai’i Ocean Resources Management Plan as well as the Hawai’i Tourism Authority, around 10 million people visit Hawai’i every year. Of this, it is reported that 80% of visitors take part in marine activities.
We must take swift action and take a different approach to sunscreen prohibitions to ensure that we do not continue to add reef damaging chemicals into our waters day after day.
Mahalo for your time
Shelby Serra
Pacific Whale Foundation
I’m testifying in support of CARE 54, which would prohibit the sale, use or distribution of non-mineral sunscreens.
The state of Hawaii made worldwide news with our law that banned the sale of sunscreen products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. However, we can’t stop there. Sunscreen manufacturers have been quick to use other chemicals – some untested as far as their impacts on corals and marine life go – to create new products which they labeled as “reef safe.”
There are sufficient questions regarding how these products impact human health and our coral reefs. For example, avobenzone, which is often used in place of oxybenzone, works in a similar manner and is believed to pose similar risks to coral DNA and aquatic life exposed to this chemical.
There are also questions about how these chemicals act upon the environment when used in combination with other sunscreen chemicals. We believe it is best to legalize only those sunscreen ingredients that are recognized as safe for our reefs. Given the volume of sunscreen chemicals washed off into our coral reef areas each year, it is best to follow the precautionary principle and avoid chemicals that are suspected of causing harm to corals and marine wildlife.
Of all the sunscreen chemicals in use, the FDA has only declared titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as safe for humans. Why should we take the risk of allowing other questionable sunscreen chemicals to cause harm to people and to our reefs?
Mahalo for supporting this bill.
Anne Rillero
Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund is in strong support of this bill to allow only mineral-based sunscreens to be used in Maui Marine Life Conservation Districts. We worked hard for the bans on oxybenzone and octinoxate previously, but there are many more chemicals that should also be banned from sunscreens.
Mahalo for this cutting edge legislation.
Hannah Bernard