The Blog
Friends of Hanauma Bay President Discusses the Oxybenzone Ban Bill
We spoke with Lisa Bishop, President of Friends of Hanauma Bay, at the Hawaii State Capitol this week about the Oxybenzone Bill, the sunscreen problem, and what Hanauma could look like in 15-20 years if we don’t act now!
What to do with Chemical Sunscreen Bottles
Did you know, there are no recycling companies (even creative, out of the box kine) that will take the thousand bottles of chemical sunscreens we’ve collected in our island-wide #GreatSunscreenTradeinProject campaign. The ingredients are okay to slop on our keiki… they’re okay for corals, marine life, our environment… but too toxic for them to deal with. If they go in a regular landfill, they’ll likely seep into soil. If the bottles are washed out to be recycled, it ends up in the ocean. The only place we found that will do any “recycling” of them, is H-Power (waste to power) on Oahu, which says 97% will convert to energy.
Any individuals, NGOs, businesses who are interested in sponsoring the shipping of the sunscreen bottles collected on the outer-islands to Oahu let us know. These sunscreens will be used in a pit-stop photo op, with some will be used for our upcoming Great Sunscreen Trade-In Exhibit. Then on to H-Power. There will be big mahalos for your support (or anonymous if like). Email: bantoxicsunscreens@protonmail.com
Email as well if you’re looking for drop-off locations on your island. We will establish more permanent locations soon. If you’d like to BE a drop off location – particularly businesses that sell safe sunscreens who may want to offer a discount for trade-ins – let us know. Join the Safe Sunscreen Coalition!
If you’re looking for upcoming Sunscreen Trade-Ins across Hawaii, check our Ban Toxic Sunscreens Facebook Page for regular updates!
Toxicologist Joe DiNardo Speaks Out About Toxic Sunscreen Chemicals
Retired scientist and toxicologist who spent 38 years formulating chemical sunscreens, now works to educate about the dangers of sunscreen ingredients like oxybenzone and octinoxate to people and the environment. We had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Dinardo while on a water testing mission at Hanauma Bay on Oahu, Hawai’i, November 2017.
Mahalo to Dr. Craig Downs of Haereticus Environmental Laboratories, Friends of Hanauma Bay, Hawaii State Senator Will Espero, Aqua-Aston Hospitality and others who facilitated and attended.
Note: Always make your interviewee laugh just as you’re beginning the interview. And apologies to Lisa FOHB who we made meshuga in the background, as they were trying to close the nature preserve for the day. BTW, you will want to watch this video ALL THE WAY THROUGH! Particularly if you’re the one who says, “no way brah I never use sunscreen, this doesn’t effect me”. Think again!