Environmental advertising: sunscreen

The law restricts environmental marketing for sunscreen to prevent consumers from being led to believe a product does not harm marine ecosystems when it contains chemical ultraviolet filters.

What the law does ​

• Bars sunscreen advertising, labels, and containers from using “reef safe,” “reef friendly,” “ocean safe,” “marine safe,” and similar claims unless the product has no chemical UV filters.
• Identifies avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, and oxybenzone as chemical UV filters covered by the restriction.
• Covers FDA-regulated over-the-counter sunscreen products, including lotions, sprays, sticks, gels, and solids.
• Makes violations a misdemeanor and preserves existing requirements to substantiate environmental marketing claims.

Who it affects ​

• Sunscreen manufacturers, brand owners, distributors, and retailers selling products in California.
• Advertisers and marketers making marine- or reef-safety claims about sunscreen products.