Hawaii is preparing legislation to ban sunscreens to protect oceans and coral

Hawaii recently introduced a law banning sunscreens to protect its oceans and coral reefs from chemicals.

According to the environmental working group, the culprits in sunscreen ingredients are octyl methoxycinnamate and oxyphenylketone, which make up more than 65 percent of nonmineral sunscreens.The two ingredients "are known to cause genetic damage to corals and other Marine life" and when nearly 1,400 tons of sunscreen are released into the ocean, the consequences are unimaginable.The Hawaii bill also states that "these chemicals have been shown to reduce the resilience of corals and their ability to adapt to climate change."

However, sunscreens containing octyl methoxycinnamate and oxyphenylketone can still be purchased by people with hospital prescriptions.

Some medical experts have questioned the law's provisions, saying they make it unnecessary to apply sunscreen."Without these two ingredients, sunscreen wouldn't be as effective," Henry Lim, former President of the American academy of dermatology, told USA today.Meanwhile, Karen Glanz, of the university of Hawaii cancer center, told CBS news, "' environmentally friendly 'products can cost up to eight times more than regular sunscreens."

The provision still needs to be approved by Hawaii's governor, and if approved, the ban will take effect in January 2021.More than 3,500 of the most popular products contain these chemicals.