HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0771.505 2020-2022 Y I' C�i�M.771
From: George Martin MD
Sent: Tuesday,June 14, 2022 11:39 AM ¢
To: Council Testimony c(
Subject: Bill 167 - OPPOSE Willingness to Testify.
Dear Legislators.
I am willing to testify in opposition to a well intended but misguided bill (Bill 167)that has been introduced to your legislative
body
The scientific paper to be published by The National Academy of Sciences ad hoc Committee on Sunscreens will be available in
the next month or two It addresses the issue of the impact of ALL sunscreens, both chemical and mineral, on the aquatic
environment. The scope of this scientific study and publication includes bodies of water from lakes and ponds to oceans and
reefs. Also to be discussed and guidance provided is what will happen to"people at risk for skin cancer" if sunscreens are
banned.
I ask that the council defer action on this bill until the evidence is provided.
Additionally,the proposed legislation would significantly reduce consumer choice of and access to sunscreen in Hawaii,where
sunscreen is often used not only in the ocean, but whenever people are outdoors doing activities such as hiking,golfing,
walking, running,cycling, shopping or working outside.This puts Hawaii residents at greater risk for skin cancer and sun
damage by limiting their access to FDA-approved sunscreens.
It's crucial that the Hawaii County Council members remember that sunscreen is a proven tool to prevent skin cancer and
should be part of everyone's sun safe practices. The threat of skin cancer is real and we want to ensure all FDA-
approved sunscreens are available to Hawaii residents.
We also want to underscore that climate change is the main culprit impacting coral reefs, not the use of chemical sunscreens.
Supporters of the sunscreen bans rely on research that uses concentrations of UV filters in laboratory settings that
are thousands of times higher than concentrations actually encountered in the reef environmentO. More researchers are
speaking up about the flawed science behind sunscreen bans,such as Nial Wheate,associate professor of the Sydney
Pharmacy School at the University of Sydney,who authored a piece titled, "�O sunscreen chemicals are not bleaching the
Great Barrier Reef."
Additionally, Dr. Ku'ulei Rodgers, principal investigator at the University of Hawaii Coral Reef Ecology Lab,said in an article in
the Starr-Advertiser,that"There is no strong evidence to state sunscreens threaten coral reefs."She goes on to say, "Our coral
reef ecology lab has not seen the effects of sunscreen use on bleaching in our monitoring efforts. If there were effects from
sunscreen it would be evident." Dr. Rodgers and her team have been studying coral reefs for over 30 years and we can be sure
that if sunscreen was a major threat to corals,they would see it in their research.
With aloha,
George
George Martin MD
President DASIL 2019-2022 Comm. o.y---t
Medical Director: Dr. George Martin Dermatology Associates Ref. o: P t UGi
161 Wailea Ike PI Ref. Dote ,
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