Key West approved a ban on sunscreen chemicals. Florida is moving to block it
For Florida Keys environmental activists like Dora DeMaria, the fight to ban sunscreens that could harm the coral reef wasn’t an overnight success.
She and others worked long hours, overtime and weekends. They knocked on doors and visited classrooms and business leaders.
“There were sleepless nights,” said DeMaria, who works with the environmental group Reef Relief.
When the campaign ended nearly a year ago, the Key West City Commission voted 6-1 to ban sunscreens that contain the chemicals octinoxate and oxybenzone from sale or distribution.
But, it seems that DeMaria won’t see that law go into effect as scheduled, in January 2021.
The Florida Senate appears ready to approve legislation to prevent local governments from banning the sale of certain types of sunscreen.
Lawmakers are quickly moving on a measure that did not pass the Legislature last year.
The Senate took up the bill (SB 172) on Wednesday and briefly discussed it before positioning it for a vote soon, on Jan. 29, according to the News Service of Florida.
Sponsored by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, the proposal comes from that Key West decision to ban sunscreens with octinoxate and oxybenzone, which studies show have been linked to coral bleaching.
Bradley called such studies “junk science.”
He said nothing should stand in the way of people buying sunscreen to protect themselves from cancer.
If the bill is approved during this year’s legislative session in Tallahassee, Key West would not be able to enforce its sunscreen ban law that is set to go into effect next year.
DeMaria has faith that Gov. Ron DeSantis may save the day for Key West’s sunscreen ban like he did when he vetoed a proposal that would have prevented towns from banning plastic straws.
“We should have the right in our city to do what we want,” DeMaria said.
Key West was the first place on the mainland U.S. to approve such a sunscreen ban. Hawaii was the first state to do so in 2018.
Known for its world-class snorkeling and diving, Key West also made a decision followed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s request for more information on sunscreen ingredients from their makers.
“What we did as a city prompted the federal government to take a closer look at sunscreens,” said City Commissioner Sam Kaufman. “It’s troubling state legislators would consider high -powered lobbyists or the cosmetic industry more than local government who represent the people in our small cities.”
But nothing was wasted in the campaign to ban sunscreen in Key West, DeMaria said. Reef Relief and other groups will continue education campaigns.
They have signed up 37 businesses between Key West and Marathon to not sell sunscreens that contain the two questionable chemicals.
“At the end of the day we’re still going to keep educating people about their sunscreen,” DeMaria said. “We already did such a huge education aspect. A lot of people know now.”
Recently, DeMaria was at a Sugarloaf Key school where a first-grader knew about octinoxate and oxybenzone.
“He pronounced them perfectly,” she said.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Key West approved a ban on sunscreen chemicals. Florida is moving to block it."
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