Passed in 2018, the Hawaii Reef Act aims to protect the marine ecosystem from the harmful effects of certain sunscreen ingredients. The legislation bans the sale and use of sunscreens containing specific chemicals known to cause coral bleaching.

The reasons behind the act are alarming. It's estimated that about 14,000 tons of sunscreen wash into the oceans annually, damaging delicate coral reefs worldwide. Research has shown that chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate, found in many commercial sunscreens, can trigger coral bleaching by disrupting the reef's fragile ecosystem. These chemicals harm not only coral but also other marine life like fish and algae.