In a landmark move expected to ripple across an increasingly eco-conscious world, Hawaii has become the first state in the US to ban certain suntan lotions in an effort to protect its coral reefs from further chemical damage.
The legislative bill, signed by Hawaii Governor David Ige last week, prohibits the sale of sun cream that contains chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, thought to cover as many as 80 per cent of brands. Tourists heading out to the sunny Pacific archipelago in the near future are advised to shop responsibly, but the law isn’t due to take effect until January 1, 2021.
“We are blessed in Hawaii to be home to some of the most beautiful resources on the planet,” Ige said at the signing of the bill. “But our environment is fragile and our own interaction with the earth can have everlasting impacts. This bill is a small first step worldwise to really caring about out corals and our reefs in a way that no one else anywhere in the world has done.”