HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP CRNRMC 002 2022/05/17 (2020-2022) REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE RESILIENCE
AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
DATE: May 17, 2022 Re: Comm. No. 771/Bill No. 167
PLACE: Council Chambers
Hilo, Hawaii
TIME: 1:16 p.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Your Committee on Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management, to which was
referred Bill 167, reports as follows:
Bill No. 167, submitted by Committee Members Holeka Goro Inaba and Rebecca Villegas via
Communication 771, dated April 26, 2022, amends Chapter 14 of the Hawaii County Code 1983
(2016 Edition, as Amended), by adding a new article relating to the prohibition of non-mineral
sunscreen.
The purpose of the bill is to prohibit the sale or distribution of any sunscreen that uses anything
except titanium dioxide or zinc oxide as active ingredients, and to preserve the health, safety, and
welfare of humans and the environment, by allowing only mineral sunscreens to be provided,
sold, offered for sale, or distributed in the County.
Ramzi Mansour, Director of Environmental Management expressed his support of the ban, but
said he isn't sure his department has the resources to enforce it.
Committee Member Aaron Chung commented that the State already has implemented a similar
ban on sunscreens, but he added that nobody on the Council is a chemist and is requesting more
information about why oxybenzone and octinoxate are considered harmful while the substances
excluded by the proposed ban are not. He is also requesting Corporation Counsel confirm
whether state law allows the County to implement such a ban on its own, or whether the
proposed ban contradicts the State ban in any way.
Committee Member Tim Richards commented that the Council is taking on face value that these
chemicals (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) are effective and is requesting further information
about the science involved.
Committee Member Holeka Goro Inaba responded that the only two chemicals out of about
16 commonly used sunscreen active ingredients are both effective and considered generally safe
for coral reefs and other marine life according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The vote was then taken on the motion to move this measure to Council with a favorable
recommendation and passed with 9 "ayes".
CRNRMC Report No.: 2
CRNRMC-2 Page 2 May 17,2022
Your Committee on Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management is in accord with the
purpose and intent of Bill No. 167, and recommends its passage on first reading.
ca
AYES NOES ABS EX Respectfully submitted,
CHUNG X
DAVID X COMMITTEE ON CRNRMC
INABA X
KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X
KIERKIEWICZ X
KIMBALL X
LEE LOY X R BECCA VIL GAS, CHAIR
RICHARDS X CRNRMC REPORT NO.: 2
VILLEGAS X ADOPTED: JUN 0 1 2022