The ban on sunscreen leaves companies that smell fire – THE CAROLINIAN

Courtney Cordoza
Staff Writer

In a Historic decision, Hawaii has become the first state to ban brands of sunscreen that contain the harmful chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate.

The decision is an effort to protect coral reefs, which are very sensitive to the damage caused by chemicals. Governor David Ige signed the bill this week. All banned sunscreens will be completely removed by January 1, 2021.

This legislation has been hailed by environmentally conscious consumers. The company is starting to make progress to reduce our carbon footprint on the planet and it's a step in the right direction.

The word prohibition may seem as severe but in this case it is favored. Coral reefs are vital to marine and human ecosystems. They protect marine life, are used in medicine and provide jobs. As you can see, reefs offer many benefits to land and sea life. Without them, the species of marine life would cease to exist. People who work with coral reefs would lose their jobs. The coral reefs give us so much that it's just for us to do our part and keep them.

Although many favor this new legislation, Big Sunscreen opposes it. The Hawaii Medical Association, the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce and the Personal Care Products Council also oppose this new bill. They believe that this bill will limit consumers' choices in buying their favorite sunscreen. They also argued that this will reverse the efforts of the Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of getting skin cancer.

Sun protection companies argue that the ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate is a risky and foolish decision. The Consumer Healthcare Products Association claims that these chemicals are the most important in preventing skin care. Without this, the sunscreen would be ineffective. Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena are some great brands that contain these chemicals and are hurt by the ban.

Do these companies make these claims because their products will be sold in the next three years? All of these companies seem to care about making profit because other more natural brands are able to use non-toxic ingredients for coral reefs.

Sunscreen is used to protect the skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Prolonged exposure to the rays can cause melanoma, a skin cancer that, if left untreated, can be deadly. It is important for people of all ages and skin colors to wear sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. The skin is the largest and most delicate organ of the human body. This is the body's barrier and must be treated with care. We are more than able to keep our skin protected while ensuring the well-being of coral reefs.

These companies are selfish by putting their own profit before the planet. Sustainability has become a hot topic lately. With climate change and plastic waste being a huge problem, we do not need to add more fuel to the fire. Hawaii prohibiting dangerous sunscreens is a huge step. Hope this declaration will encourage other states and countries to follow suit

Chemicals have a direct impact on the symbiotic relationship between algae and coral reefs. To protect themselves, the coral larva is placed in its own skeleton. As a result, they sink to the bottom of the ocean and die. Once the current coral reefs are extinguished, there will be no more generation to come to replace it. The chemicals in sunscreen diminish their durability to protect themselves from climate change. Before this bill was passed, other environmentalists insisted on the side effects of toxic chemicals in sunscreen. The test results showed how damaging they are to our waters.

Humans seem to have a model of how they react to environmental problems. They do not work to keep what we already have, opting instead to take charge when the major damage has been good. Hawaii is a prime example of how states should deal with environmental issues, and it is time for other states to do the same. It's a good start and only leaves me hope for the future.