Key West, Florida to Ban Chemical Sunscreen

January 15^th in Florida, the Key West Commission voted to ban the sale of chemical sunscreens which contain oxybenzone and octinoxate. An increasing amount of studies are showing that these chemicals harm our precious coral reefs.

A study in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology from February 2016, examined the impact of oxybenzone in corals in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands, concluded the sunscreen ingredient “poses a hazard to coral reef conservation and threatens the resiliency of coral reefs to climate change.” In July 2018 Hawaii was the first state to ban the sale or distribution of any sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, a measure that will go into effect January 1, 2021.

The Florida Keys are home to the third largest reef barrier in the world. In the last 4 decades 90% of the reefs have died. There are studies which show that by 2050 there will be less than 1% of coral coverage in Florida.

Our reefs are vital for marine life to survive therefor it is becoming critical for us to take action.  

On February 5, 2018 the Florida Key West Commission will vote once again to pass this bill. We hope that everyone will take time to reach out to their local commissioners and raise concern. All of us can come together and make a change by simply using a mineral sunscreen like TropicSport that is oxybenzone-free and octinoxate-free, but will protect you from the sun with Non-Nano Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide. Make the switch!

** Image credit: Gwen Filosa of the Miami Herald