Experts say labeling sunscreens “reef-friendly” is deceptive since even chemicals that aren’t banned can do widespread damage to coral reefs.

In recent years, a growing number of eco-conscious beachgoers, including those who travel to Hawaiʻi, have started to avoid using sunscreens with ingredients known to damage fragile reefs and marine life —chemicals such as oxybenzone and octinoxate that help filter UV rays.

Hawaiʻi went so far as to ban those chemicals beginning in 2021, but questions arose right from the start about enforcement and whether other ingredients are also harmful. Maui and the Big Island later banned anything but mineral-based sunscreens, such as those that contain titanium and zinc.

Popular sunscreen brands responded to the 2021 ban by labeling bottles that appear on

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