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Planning a beach day on Maui, Molokaʻi or Lānaʻi? Be sure to bring mineral sunscreen

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If you’re planning to go to the beach on Maui, Molokaʻi or Lānaʻi this weekend, be sure to bring along mineral-only sunscreen. Maui County's ban on chemical sunscreens begins Saturday, Oct. 1.

The Maui County Council unanimously voted to ban the sale, distribution and use of nonmineral sunscreen last year.

Permitted mineral sunscreens are composed of zinc oxide and titanium oxide.

Be careful when you buy sunscreen labeled as reef safe — it’s not always true.

Harmful chemical ingredients commonly found in sunscreen can cause coral to bleach. Those chemicals include:

  • avobenzone
  • oxybenzone
  • octinoxate
  • ethylhexl methoxycinnamate
  • homosalate
  • octisalate/octocrylene

Beachgoers can also protect their skin by avoiding the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., staying in the shade and wearing UV protective clothing.

Fines collected from the new law will be deposited into "the environmental protection and sustainability fund."

Zoe Dym was a news producer at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
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