Council sends oxybenzone sunscreen ban request to Legislature

HILO — A nonbinding resolution asking the Legislature to ban oxybenzone in sunscreens is heading to the state Capitol, following a unanimous vote Wednesday by the County Council.

The move comes as state Sen. Will Espero, an Ewa Beach Democrat, works on a bill for the 2017 legislative session banning both oxybenzone and octinoxate in sunscreens.

“Banning sales of personal care products and education will be the focus of the legislation,” Espero said by email Wednesday. “Banning the sale of these sunscreens will automatically provide a huge reduction in use in Hawaii. This will help the coral and other marine life.”

Council members acknowledged that county Resolution 672 won’t necessarily have much impact on the Legislature, just as changing the formula for sunscreens won’t be the panacea for all the ills causing coral bleaching and threatening the reef.

Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, sponsor of the resolution, noted that more than 50 percent of coral off the West Hawaii coastline had bleached and possibly died this summer. While the warming ocean was likely the cause, oxybenzone has been shown to cause coral to bleach at lower temperatures, she said.

“There are a lot of things we can’t do anything about,” Wille said. “It’s just one thing we can do for the environment.”

“I believe we’ve got to start somewhere,” said Hamakua Councilwoman Valerie Poindexter.

“If there’s any one little thing we can do, let’s do it,” said North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff. “They add up.”

Two council members, while supporting the resolution, emphasized the ban would be just a drop in the bucket as far as changing anything.

Hilo Councilman Dennis “Fresh” Onishi pointed to the problem of urine in the water when swimmers let loose.

“It just happens sometimes,” Onishi said.

“There’s multiple other reasons why this was happening,” Onishi said of coral bleaching.

“There’s a lot of things happening in our oceans just because we exist as humans,” added Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan.

An article, “Direct and indirect effects of sunscreen exposure for reef biota,” by Cornell University scientists in the August edition of the scientific journal Hydrobiologia found “nominal concentrations of sunscreen” harmed coral and other species.

“Based on our results, beach goers should limit use of sunscreens when near coral reefs and consider alternative protective measures, such as the utilization of sun-protective clothing,” researchers conclude.

The resolution is opposed by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade group of manufacturers of over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements.

“While our industry shares the County Council’s concern about damage to the environment and coral reefs, there is no evidence that removing products containing oxybenzone from the market will improve the health of coral reefs,” said spokesman Carlos Gutierrez in a letter dated Tuesday.

Gutierrez cited government reports attributing global climate change, unsustainable fishing and other factors to the decline of the coral reefs. Oxybenzone, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1978, is an essential ingredient, the removal of which could result in less sun protection for consumers, potentially raising skin cancer rates, he said.

“While the County Council should be commended for exploring ways to combat coral reef degradation, this should not be done at the expense of consumers’ access to effective sunscreen products,” Gutierrez said.

A bill giving an unspecified sum to the University of Hawaii to study and mitigate the effects of sunscreen on coral reefs stalled in the House earlier this year.

The newest bill won’t emphasize enforcement, Espero said.

“Eventually hotels, airlines, tour companies and others in the tourism industry will help educate tourists about the need to use eco-friendly sunscreens which are available on the market,” he said.