AB 1744 – End "Reef-Safe" Greenwashing in California

California's coast and ocean are among the most biodiverse and economically vital places in the world – of course, people want to protect them. One increasingly popular way consumers try to do that is by using "reef friendly" sunscreens. Unfortunately, greenwashing runs rampant – these environmental claims are completely unregulated.

Any company can print "reef safe" or "marine safe" or "ocean friendly," for example, on a bottle regardless of its actual ingredients. And many do, even when their products contain avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, and/or oxybenzone, which scientists at NOAA and in peer-reviewed research have linked to coral bleaching, kelp damage, disrupted fish reproduction, and hormonal harm in marine organisms.

Every time a swimmer or surfer enters the water, these chemicals wash off and accumulate in sensitive coastal habitats.

AB 1744, authored by Assemblymember Addis, takes aim at the widespread greenwashing of sunscreen products by prohibiting brands from labeling their products as "reef safe" or similar terms if those products contain chemical UV filters.

AB 1744 creates a clear, science-based standard: Only sunscreens using mineral active ingredients – zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide – may carry reef-friendly marketing claims. This closes a significant loophole, empowers consumers to make genuinely informed purchasing decisions, and holds brands accountable for the environmental claims they profit from.

This bill is about honesty. Californians who care about the ocean deserve to know that the products they choose are actually doing what the label says. AB 1744 makes that possible.

Support AB 1744. Protect California's ocean. End "reef-safe" greenwashing.