Downs’ findings have already prompted legislators to act. Although just published in July, much of the research for the paper took place back in 2019. By the end of 2021, two of its authors, Kelly King and Tamara Paltin, both members of Maui County Council—and whom Downs invited to join the research project to build community engagement on the issue—had already spearheaded an ordinance banning all chemical sunscreens.

Admittedly, it has never occurred to me until just now that sunscreen is pollution, huh