Designating new “critical habitats” off US shores, as proposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service, would require federal agencies “to ensure that actions they plan to undertake, fund, or authorize do not destroy or adversely modify that habitat.” That could factor in the US FDA’s OTC sunscreen review program and potential follow-up on a 2018 citizen petition calling for a ban on "coral-killing" UV filters.

“CVS Pharmacy is highly attuned to our customers’ evolving needs and their desire for products that are more sustainable while still being efficacious,” says CVS Health’s George Coleman, senior vice president of merchandising. The retailer is committed to eliminating oxybenzone and octinoxate from CVS-branded sunscreens with SPFs less than 50 by the end of 2020.

Hawaiian legislators have oxybenzone-containing sun-care products in their sights owing to research linking the UV filter to harmful effects on coral. Bills with momentum behind them in the Aloha State’s House and Senate propose related sales bans or warnings on product advertisements and displays.