Sunny California Could Ban Sunscreens Linked to Coral Bleaching (2)

California could follow Hawaii’s lead and ban the sale of sunscreens containing chemicals that can damage corals and marine ecosystems.

Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D) filed a bill on the first day of the new legislative session Dec. 3 that would ban the sale of sunscreens with the chemicals octinoxate and oxybenzone without a prescription. Both chemicals block harmful ultraviolet rays.

Oxybenzone has been found in more than 3,500 sunscreens and can cause coral bleaching, deformities, and abnormal skeleton growth, according to a study from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Conservation Program.

Violations could ...