by kelly
/ December, 8 2021 01:30
Recently the Maui County Council unanimously passed a bill to prohibit the sale, distribution, and use of ALL chemical sunscreens – making it the most aggressive ban on chemical sunscreens in America. This ban was an effort by Maui to protect its island and marine environment. Don’t worry mineral sunscreens will still be allowed and in fact the only type of sunscreen you can use on the island.
What Sunscreens Can You Use in Hawaii?
The entire state of Hawaii already prohibits the sale, distribution, and use of certain chemical sunscreens. As of January 1, 2021 sunscreen containing the chemical ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate are prohibited from Hawaii. Hawaii also has an outstanding bill preventing the sale and distribution of chemical sunscreens that use avobenzone and octocrylene.
However, as of right now any chemical sunscreens (and all mineral sunscreens) that don’t use these oxybenzone and octinoxate are available for sale and use on the islands. If/when the Maui bill goes into effect – all chemical sunscreens will not be allowed on the island of Maui.
So What Are the Chemical (and Mineral Sunscreen Ingredients)?
In total there are 14 chemical sunscreens and 2 mineral sunscreen ingredients approved by the US Food & Drug Administration.
Here’s the list:
- Chemical sunscreen ingredients: aminobenzoic acid (PABA), avobenzone, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, oxybenzone, padimate O, sulisobenzone, trolamine salicylate
- Mineral sunscreen ingredients: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide
Maui’s ban would outlaw all chemical sunscreens – so any sunscreen containing these 14 chemical sunscreen ingredients. Of course you would still be able to use any sunscreen using zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide in Maui.
Why is Maui Banning ALL Chemical Sunscreens?
Well according to Kelly Takaya King, Maui County councilmember and the chair of the council’s Climate, Action, Resilience and Environment committee:
“Non-mineral sunscreens are an aggressive pollutant. Bill 135 is one important step toward protecting the health and resilience of our reef and marine life by removing a significant ecological stressor.”
The bill still needs to head to Maui Mayor Michael Victorino for his decision. And if the bill is signed into law it will take effect on October 1, 2022 with significant fines, penalties, and enforcement procedures for those that violate it.
Suncare Smarts
Of course we’ll have all the latest updates on this bill and any other changes to your sunscreen products. So don’t forget to get all your updates from our Suncare Smarts series.
