HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0771.540 2020-2022 r�fu (G
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From: Eldridge Shay
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2022 8:25 PM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Support of Bill 167
Attachments: AGE CRNRMC 20220517 (2020-2022) ACTIONS.pdf, suncreen pollutants antonio 2012.pdf
Dear County Council Members,
Concerning:
Bill 167
AMENDS CHAPTER 14 OF THE HA WAII COUNTY CODE 1983 20116 EDITION, AS AMENDED), BY
ADDING A NEW ARTICLE RELATING TO THE PROHIBITION OF NON-MINERAL SUNSCREEN
It is my understanding that the detrimental impacts of non-mineral sunscreen on marine ecosystems is evident in
many areas of the world where marine tourism is active. Here in Hawaii, there are over 10 million visitors a
year. Even if only half of these visitors were to visit our Hawaiian waters, one could speculate the negative impacts
on the marine ecology if they act as vectors for distributing harmful chemicals (such as BZ-3, 4-MBC, Ti02 and
ZnO) into coastal waters. The attached document is a study conducted in 2012 off the coast of Majorca Island in the
Western Mediterranean Sea, that concludes "that sunscreens may produce deleterious effects in the coastal ecosystem,
either, by inhibiting growth of some marine phytoplankton species or by adding essential micronutrients which may
stimulate the growth of others."
In light of these findings, there are many locally available sunscreens that do not contaminate coastal waters. It could
serve as both a benefit to our local economy and marine environment, to both support vendors of these safe products
and regulate the use of non-mineral based sunscreens. For these reasons, I support Bill 1.67 and hope to see many
similar measures put forth to protect our environment so that we may all benefit.
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Sincerely "
-Eldridge I. Shay
Honolulu, HI 96822 `
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Comm. No. VtV
Ref. To: ( hLeI
Ref. Sate j. 5 2022
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