Sunscreen may be protecting your skin, but not helping the marine life.  It is said that the bill was passed to ban any sunscreen that has oxybenzone and octinoxate (chemicals) to harm coral reefs.  Hawaii is the first state in the United States to pass this law which will take effect in January of 2021.

Researchers estimated that about 14,000 tons of sunscreen end up on coral reefs around the world every year.  Coral reefs are so delicate that even just one drop is enough to to damage the corals.  In 2015, studies show that the chemicals leach the coral and bleach it white, which can disrupt the development of fish and other sea life.

In effort protect the marine life, Hawaiian airlines began giving out free samples of natural sunscreen without the harmful chemicals.  The airline company is also encouraging their passengers to learn more about Hawaii by showing a brief documentary on the environmental challenges affecting the reefs.