Hawaii bans some sunscreens to protect coral reefs – here's what to use instead – National



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Most sunscreens will soon be banned in the sunny state of Hawaii.

On Tuesday, Gov. David Ige signed a bill banning sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate to protect the coral reef.

"This is just a small step towards protecting and restoring the resilience of Hawaii's reefs," said Ige at a signing ceremony of the bill, which will take effect in 2021

"Two chemicals contained in many sunscreens, oxybenzone and octinoxate, have significant adverse effects on Hawaii's marine environment and resident ecosystems, including coral reefs. that protect the shoreline of Hawaii, "reads the bill.


READ MORE:
The coral reef off the island of Samoa is dying, say the scientists






The bill is largely based on a study by Craig Downs of the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory in Clifford, Virginia.

Critics of the bill said that science is weak, and that the ban on sunscreens will be detrimental to the health of the skin of Hawaiians.

Jörg Wiedenmann, head of the Coral Reef Laboratory of the University of Southampton, says Nature in 2017 that there are many problems that contribute to the death of coral reefs.

"Prohibit sunscreen will not solve other problems: for example, temperature anomalies, overfishing, coral predators and According to Nature,

" But if you have places where there are a lot of tourists, it is not unreasonable to be cautious ND: "Yes, there can be additive effects."

WATCH: A local dermatologist weighs on sunscreen and SPF levels






About 70 percent of over-the-counter sunscreens contain at least one of two chemicals, which filter UV light and protect the skin from sunburn.

The health, safety and well-being of millions of Hawaiian residents and tourists have been seriously compromised by the pbadage of the SB 2571 … "This irresponsible action will make it more difficult for families to protect themselves from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun" , said a statement published in May by the & # 39; American Association of health products for consumers. "

(The bill allows an exception to those who have a prescription for the sunscreen.)

WATCH: Half of the corals of the Great Barrier Reef has died since 2016 [19659016] However, there are already sunscreens containing substances such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are allowed by the ban, and dermatologist Monica Li told Global News that they were a very good alternative.

She says some of these mineral-based creams may be even more effective than their chemical counterparts, because minerals block the sun instead of filtering it.

This includes brands like TropicSport and Raw Elements, the New York Times

Mineral-based sunscreens are widely available and apply clearly, just like chemical-based filters – they have come a long way from the creams of the past who were more solid in appearance.

Li says that it is very important to continue to use alternatives to protect you against skin cancer and other diseases.

"Of course, the same kind of settings apply," said Li. "The minimum number must be 30 (SPF) .Ideally 50 and over, it should be reapplied every two hours."

WATCH: An oncologist shares how to identify skin cancer – and prevent it in the first place






She says to look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays, and if you go in the water, you must make sure that the sunscreen is water resistant.

She also said that sunscreen is only one element for protecting oneself from the sun.

  • Wearing a big broad-brimmed hat,
  • wearing sunglbades,
  • wearing loose-fitting long-sleeved clothes,
  • looking for shade at rush hour (11 am to 11 pm h).

"Sunscreen is an element.This is not the only element, but it is a very important element," said Li.

Another alternative is to wear UV clothing ; the Canadian Cancer Society recommends that you look for clothing with a UV Protection Factor (UPF) of 15 or higher.

* with a brief from the Associated Press

© 2018 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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