POLICY ADVOCACY

Dear Governor DeSantis,

Coral reefs are incredibly important to Florida residents, the economy and tourism across the state, and the health of the marine environment. Healthy coral reefs protect local communities from harsh storms and hurricanes and support a biodiverse ecosystem that supports jobs, climate resilience, and help feed communities across the state. 

Sunscreen ingredients need to be both safe for the environment and human use. Most of the sunscreens on the market contain harmful chemicals, like oxybenzone and octocrylene, that threaten the health of Florida’s coral reef ecosystems. There needs to be a basic expectation that products should be safe and effective, which many mainstream sunscreen brands do not meet. 

In 2020, you signed Senate Bill 172 that limits local governments from regulating the use of over-the-counter cosmetics, including sunscreens and certain chemicals in sunscreen. This bill must be overturned to give local governments the power to limit the use of chemical sunscreens that can be used on the city or county level to protect coral reefs and marine life.