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Hawaii became the first place to ban sun creams containing two specific chemicals in an effort to protect its endangered coral reef. Hawaii Governor David Ige has signed legislation that will ban the sale or distribution of tanning lotions that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, chemicals that, according to researchers, are associated with considerable damage on coral reefs, starting in 2021.
Ige said the decision was the first step in protecting the fragile marine ecosystem that surrounds US shores. San Francisco Chronicle .
"We are blessed in Hawaii to house some of the most beautiful natural resources on the planet, but our natural environment is fragile and our own interaction with the land can have eternal impacts," said Mr. Ige.
"This bill is a small first step in the world to really care about our corals and our reefs as no one else in the world has done."
Estimates from environmental groups and the World Trade Organization suggest 6,000 tons of sunscreen are found in coral reefs in places like Hawaii, where people swim and dive.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association asserts that the two banned chemicals are safe and that their prohibition poses a risk to human health. .
Senator Mike Gabbard, who introduced the bill, disputed the concerns of the industry, saying that many products already exist without these chemicals.
The year 2018 marks the third international year of reefs. the situation of coral reefs around the world.
A report published in April of this year found that 50% of coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef were dead, with scientists predicting that 90% of coral reefs would have died by 2050.
Reefs Coral reefs sometimes described as underwater tropical forests because of their oxygen production. In addition to providing habitat for one out of every four marine species, they are also key barriers to protecting coastlines from storms.
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