[Coral-List] [EXTERNAL] Re: Hawaii bans sunscreens deemed harmful to coral reefs

Tue May 15 10:34:29 EDT 2018

I think this piece of legislation was an easy "win" for the Hawaiian
government. However, aside from controlling imports, sales on the islands I
am not sure how they plan to enforce this law on the millions of
international tourists that arrive each year with their sunscreens in their
luggage, especially those from Asia. Are they going to search luggage upon
entry, are they going to have beach patrols, are they going to check every
ABC store in the islands for illegal sunscreen? It will be very interesting
to see how they plan to enforce this, how much resources they have to throw
at enforcement, and how effective such enforcement may even be.

Its a great "feel good" piece of legislation but not sure how it's going to
work ... I'd like to hear more on that topic.

Best regards,

*J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.*Curator, Steinhart Aquarium
California Academy of Sciences

Desk: 415.379.5303
Fax: 415.379.5304

*cdelbeek at calacademy.org <cdelbeek at calacademy.org> *www.calacademy.org

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On Tue, May 15, 2018 at 4:56 AM, Bargar, Timothy <tbargar at usgs.gov> wrote:

> Doug, Liz, Emilie and all,
>
> I have been lurking on this list for a few years since I was told I should
> read some of the discussions about sunscreen chemicals.  I've never
> participated in any of the discussions on other subjects, but have enjoyed
> reading the debates.  I decided to provide some input in this thread
> because I do have some experience in the subject of environmental
> toxicology.
>
> There was a question about effects on the reef that can be linked to
> sunscreen chemicals.  I have not yet seen any papers specifically citing
> sunscreen chemicals being responsible for effects in the open reef
> environment.  However, the lack of such reports does not mean organisms in
> the reefs are not stressed by those chemicals when adequately exposed.
> Laboratory studies with aquatic organisms exposed to the chemicals have
> demonstrated that aquatic organisms can be adversely affected given
> sufficient exposure.  Emilie has done well citing some of those effects.
> But in the field where there are many other stressors, assigning causality
> to individual stressors (not just contaminants) is problematic.  Laboratory
> studies are the starting point that can help us begin to interpret what we
> see in the environment.
>
> Many of the reported effect levels for sunscreen chemicals, that is
> concentrations in water that result in the effects, are well above what
> I've seen reported for concentrations in marine environments.  Effect
> levels for coral larvae exposed to benzophenone-3, as reported by Craig
> Downs and his collaborators, are among the few less than concentrations I
> have found and other have reported for the marine environment.  Hence, the
> concern for that particular chemical.  In my humble opinion, more work is
> needed to understand and detect the potential for effects of this chemical
> in the marine environment.
>
> The scale of effects for sunscreen chemical contamination is not the same
> as that for climate change.  I don't believe the intent for anybody that
> has pointed to the issue with sunscreen chemicals has felt it was of
> greater global significance than climate change.  Rather, it is one of many
> issues that resource managers I've worked with at the local scale can and
> wish to manage and does need attention.
>
> Regards
>
> Tim
>
>
> On Sun, May 13, 2018 at 5:58 PM, Liz Wood <ewood at f2s.com> wrote:
>
> > Hello Doug and all,
> >
> > I agree 100% that we must concentrate our efforts on the most serious
> > threats to coral reefs – namely global climate change and a range of
> local
> > issues from over-fishing, destructive fishing, coastal development and
> > run-off etc etc.
> >
> > Currently – as outlined in the review - there is an on-going debate about
> > the extent of damage/stress caused by sunscreen pollution, with different
> > studies indicating levels of risk from minimal to significant. Despite
> the
> > uncertainty and the fact that other threats are of greater magnitude, a
> > precautionary approach for sunscreens is still justified. This need
> > not/should not detract from action on climate change and the myriad other
> > threats.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Liz
> >
> > From: Douglas Fenner
> > Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2018 1:00 AM
> > To: Emilie Johnsen
> > Cc: Liz Wood ; coral list
> > Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Hawaii bans sunscreens deemed harmful to coral
> > reefs
> >
> >       I’m glad as I’m sure many are, to see something that we can
> actually
> > make progress on, to protect coral reefs.  Glad to see action taken.
> What
> > I worry about is whether this is a priority or not.  Getting something
> > constructive done that helps reefs is great.  But we’d better be
> realistic,
> > or we’re going to lose the world’s coral reef ecosystems.  I think we are
> > in a time in which we have to do triage.  Triage is when a medical team
> is
> > flooded with patients, they have to choose which to treat first.  They
> > generally choose those that are in the worst condition for which they
> have
> > a chance of saving their lives.  Those that can wait will have to.  It
> > would be counter-productive to treat small scratches while patients are
> > dying of bullet wounds.  Our patient (the world’s coral reef ecosystems)
> is
> > dying, it is abundantly obvious.  We can concentrate our effort on
> > scratches, and if we do our patient will die.  People are starting to
> say,
> > “we’ve done all we can on climate change” implying further effort there
> is
> > wasted.  The deniers and fossil fuel industry, plus the cost of action
> and
> > inertia, have conspired and have won.  Congratulations deniers, you’ve
> > won.  Meantime, the dive industry won’t speak up, and the world’s nations
> > are offering too little too late, they aren’t doing what they promised,
> and
> > they aren’t increasing their promises enough to avoid disaster.  This is
> a
> > planetary emergency and fiddling while Rome burns isn’t going to save
> reef
> > ecosystems or corals.  Are sunblock chemicals worth a lot of effort?  Yes
> > if you have high value reefs that have huge numbers of tourists.  No if
> you
> > have vast areas of reefs far from all but a few tourists.  And the vast
> > majority of the world’s reefs are in the latter condition.  Do triage,
> and
> > you find out that sunscreen chemicals are truly the scratch on the wrist,
> > while global warming is the bullet that went into the heart (and things
> > like overfishing, nutrients, sedimentation, and coral disease are next on
> > almost everybody’s list).
> >
> >        I think it is time to redouble efforts to get climate change under
> > control.  It can be done, we’d better act fast because the deniers have
> > successfully delayed action until it is almost impossible, and they’re
> > still fighting tooth and nail (successfully) to save the trillions of
> > dollars that go into their favorite fossil fuel companies.  Make no
> mistake
> > about where the real threat is.  It isn’t in sunscreens (unless you have
> a
> > reef that is tiny, high-value, and highly impacted by tourists).  How
> many
> > reefs have been documented to have been killed by sunscreen?  (none that
> I
> > know of.)  How many by mass coral bleaching?  (we’ve lost count..)  I say
> > let’s get real and face the facts.  Sunscreens don’t threaten the world’s
> > coral reef ecosystems.  Mass coral bleaching from global warming does,
> and
> > so do several other things.  If we allow ourselves to be sidetracked by
> > minor local things and spend effort on that instead of on the big issues,
> > kiss coral reefs good-by.
> >
> > Cheers, Doug
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, May 12, 2018 at 11:28 PM, Emilie Johnsen <
> emiliejohnsen2 at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >   Liz,
> >
> >   Thank you so much for providing that new report! I am a recent graduate
> > of Nova Southeastern University's Oceanographic Center (Dania Beach, FL).
> > Coincidental to the recent news, my capstone investigated the
> toxicological
> > effects of commercial sunscreens on corals and other reef organisms in
> > addition to a pilot study involving Coral Restoration Foundation's
> > sunscreen exposure to A. cervicornis. There is a lot of information
> > regarding sunscreen toxicity that the public (science community, even)
> does
> > not know. I wish articles and social media posts would be more
> accurate....
> > Anyway, below is the summary of my investigation (with the guidance of
> Dr..
> > Esther Peters and Dr. Joshua Feingold) to add to that report:
> >
> >   Based on the review of 40 studies involving the exposure of commercial
> > sunscreens to various marine organisms:
> >
> >      -  Chemical UV filters can be toxic, but it depends on many factors
> :
> > species, individual health, environmental factors, and the UV filter
> being
> > tested, among others (based on 13/40 studies). Additionally, toxicity
> > depends on how much of the chemical is being exposed, how much is
> absorbed
> > by the organism, and the organism's ability to expel and/or detoxify the
> > toxicant. Whether or not there are any physicochemical reactions between
> > chemical UV filters and seawater is poorly studied. Currently, their
> > toxicity is only considered dose-dependent with influences from
> > environmental conditions.
> >
> >      -  Mineral UV filters are also considered toxic, but the reasoning
> is
> > more complex. Based on 28/40 studies, mineral ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticle
> > toxicity is not only dose-dependent like chemical UV filters, but their
> > physicochemical effects in seawater also make them a threat to various
> > marine life. These physicochemical reactions include dissociation of
> > mineral oxides into free-metal ions, photoreactivity, and aggregation
> into
> > sediments. In some cases, free Zn2+ and Ti2+ was considered more toxic,
> > especially for marine phytoplankton. (Free metal ions can actually
> inhibit
> > manganese uptake which is vital for phytoplankton growth!) Interestingly,
> > in addition to the influence of environmental factors on mineral UV
> filter
> > toxicity, particle size was also a huge factor. This is why many
> > "reef-safe" brands will advertise the use of "non-nano" mineral UV
> filters.
> > Metal oxide nanoparticles have toxic capabilities, but a couple studies
> > indicate that non-nanoparticles ( > 100 nm) can actually be more toxic to
> > certain filter feeders due to higher uptake concentration (D'Agata et
> al.,
> > 2014), while some crustaceans and fish struggle with bioavailability
> (Wong
> > et al., 2010). Despite this, it does appear that--compared to chemical UV
> > filters and mineral nanoparticles-- non-nano mineral UV filters are most
> > promising to best reduce (albeit not completely eliminate) toxicity to
> > marine organisms.
> >
> >   Furthermore, there are no current regulations that enforce the
> integrity
> > of sunscreen advertisement claims. Many brands will claim themselves as
> > "eco-friendly", but there is nothing but their word to actually back it
> up.
> > (See the brand "Reef-Safe" as a perfect example.) I therefore applaud
> > Hawaii in their efforts to ban certain sunscreen chemicals, however it is
> > just the tip of the iceberg. Our oceans face a plethora of issues under
> the
> > name of climate change, but we all must remember...chemical pollution is
> > one of the hierarchal problems here, and it is disguised in many forms.
> >
> >
> >   Best,
> >
> >   Emilie Johnsen
> >
> >   Master's Recipient, 2018
> >   Nova Southeastern University's Halmos College of Natural Sciences and
> > Oceanography
> >
> >
> >
> >   On Mon, May 7, 2018 at 5:01 PM, Liz Wood <ewood at f2s.com> wrote:
> >
> >     Dear listers,
> >
> >     To add to the on-going debate about sunscreens I would like to draw
> > your
> >     attention to a briefing on this issue posted on the International
> > Coral Reef
> >     Initiative website in February 2018, prior to the implementation of
> > the ban
> >     in Hawaii.
> >
> >     https://www.icriforum.org/sites/default/files/ICRI_Sunscreen.pdf
> >
> >     Best regards,
> >
> >     Liz Wood
> >
> >
> >     -----Original Message-----
> >     From: Douglas Fenner
> >     Sent: Saturday, May 5, 2018 1:28 PM
> >     To: coral list
> >     Subject: [Coral-List] Hawaii bans sunscreens deemed harmful to coral
> > reefs
> >
> >     https://www.yahoo.com/news/hawaii-bans-sunscreens-deemed-har
> > mful-054453351.html
> >
> >     Open-access.
> >
> >     Hawaii approves bill banning sunscreen believed to kill coral reefs..
> >
> >     https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/02/607765760
> > /hawaii-approves-bill-banning-sunscreen-believed-to-kill-coral-reefs
> >
> >     Open-access.
> >
> >     No, your sunscreen isn't killing the world's coral reefs.
> >
> >     https://mashable.com/2015/11/10/sunscreen-killing-coral-reef
> > s/?utm_campaign=Mash-BD-Synd-Yahoo-Science-Full&utm_cid=
> > Mash-BD-Synd-Yahoo-Science-Full#45AuyLkru5qH
> >
> >     Open-access.
> >
> >     Cheers, Doug
> >
> >     --
> >     Douglas Fenner
> >     Contractor for NOAA NMFS Protected Species, and consultant
> >     PO Box 7390
> >     Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA
> >
> >     New online open-access field guide to 300 coral species in Chagos,
> > Indian
> >     Ocean
> >     http://chagosinformationportal.org/corals
> >
> >     Even without El Nino, 2017 temperatures soared.
> >
> >     http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/even-without-el-ni-o-
> > 2017-temperatures-still-soared?utm_campaign=news_weekly_
> > 2018-01-19&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=1800664
> >
> >     Coral reefs are bleaching too frequently to recover
> >     https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/the-glob
> > al-scourge-on-coral-reefs/549713/?utm_source=atlfb
> >
> >     How to save the "tropical rainforests" of the ocean
> >     https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/01/
> > 09/coral-reefs/?tid=ss_tw-bottom&utm_term=.80ce291c546b
> >     _______________________________________________
> >     Coral-List mailing list
> >     Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >     http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
> >     _______________________________________________
> >     Coral-List mailing list
> >     Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> >     http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Douglas Fenner
> > Contractor for NOAA NMFS Protected Species, and consultant
> >
> > PO Box 7390
> > Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA
> >
> >
> > New online open-access field guide to 300 coral species in Chagos, Indian
> > Ocean
> > http://chagosinformationportal.org/corals
> >
> > Even without El Nino, 2017 temperatures soared.
> >
> > http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/even-without-el-ni-o-
> > 2017-temperatures-still-soared?utm_campaign=news_weekly_
> > 2018-01-19&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=1800664
> >
> > Coral reefs are bleaching too frequently to recover
> > https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/the-glob
> > al-scourge-on-coral-reefs/549713/?utm_source=atlfb
> >
> > How to save the "tropical rainforests" of the ocean
> > https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/01/
> > 09/coral-reefs/?tid=ss_tw-bottom&utm_term=.80ce291c546b
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
>
>
>
> --
> ***********************************************
> Tim Bargar, Ph.D.
> Research Ecotoxicologist
> The USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
> 7920 NW 71st Street
> Gainesville, Florida 32653
> **********************************************
>
> "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to
> help them."
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