oxybenzone

In 2021 bans on the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate went into effect in Hawaii and Key West, Fla., but not because of human health—the ruling followed years of laboratory studies that showed the compounds are harmful to corals and other marine life.

Citing a need for more data in its September 2021 document, the agency also proposed “not GRASE” status for the chemical ingredients oxybenzone, avobenzone, cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O and sulisobenzone.

Active ingredients in chemical sunscreen are carbon-based and include compounds such as avobenzone and oxybenzone.

“Certain chemical sunscreens are typically associated with skin allergies or irritation, including those with oxybenzone, cinnamates and octocrylene,” Patel says.

Concerns have also been raised about the use oxybenzone, a potential hormone disruptor, in sunscreen.