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JMtY Os h,�, <br /> COUNTY OF HAWAII / • STATE OF HAWAII <br /> RESOLUTION NO. 6'72 16 <br /> A RESOLUTION URGING THE 2017 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO <br /> PROMOTE OCEAN HEALTH BY BANNING THE SALE OF SUNSCREENS AND <br /> OTHER PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN OXYBENZONE. <br /> WHEREAS, oxybenzone is a chemical found in some sunscreens and other personal <br /> care products sold in the State of Hawaii; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to a team of international scientists (findings were published in <br /> the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology), oxybenzone can cause <br /> severe DNA damage in coral, inhibit the coral's ability to reproduce, and increase its <br /> susceptibility to bleaching; and <br /> WHEREAS, coral bleaching occurs when coral is stressed by changes in its surrounding <br /> conditions and the symbiotic algae living in its tissues leaves, causing it to lose its source of <br /> nutrition and turn white; and <br /> WHEREAS, on June 24, 2016, an article on the Civil Beat website stated that coral is <br /> damaged when the concentration of oxybenzone exceeds 62 parts per trillion, which is roughly <br /> equivalent to one drop in an area larger than six Olympic-sized swimming pools; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to the Civil Beat website, the amount of oxybenzone in Honolua <br /> Bay, Maui, was found to be over 2,000 parts per trillion; and <br /> WHEREAS, oxybenzone has also been shown to disrupt the development of fish and <br /> other marine life; and <br /> WHEREAS, Hawaii is a popular tourist destination that is known for its beautiful <br /> beaches and coral reefs, and the Council recognizes the importance of promoting ocean health <br /> and protecting the coral reefs surrounding the State of Hawaii from negative effects that can be <br /> controlled or mitigated; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Council is very concerned about the negative effects that oxybenzone <br /> has on coral reefs and on other marine life; and <br /> WHEREAS, there are alternative sunscreens and personal care products available that do <br /> not contain oxybenzone, such as those that are mineral based; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Council finds that a ban is urgently needed and that a study or an <br /> educational campaign is not necessary given the rapid decline of coral reefs around the State and <br /> the availability of alternative products that do not contain oxybenzone; now, therefore, <br />