Pumping Hope
User-friendly mineral sunscreen dispenser
program helps protect Maui Nui waters and reefs.
by Mona de Crinis
Photographs by Raw Elements
From the golden sands of Kama‘ole Beach Parks to the rugged beauty of Wai‘ānapanapa State Park, Maui’s beaches attract visitors and residents alike. West Maui’s Honolua Bay offers world-class snorkeling, while Ho‘okipa Beach Park is a magnet for surfers. The calm waters of Launiupoko Beach Park invite families, and the shores of Hulopo‘e Bay on Lāna‘i boast crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life. These scenic spots, vital to Maui Nui’s coastal ecosystem, now share another common feature – free sunscreen dispensers offering a reef-safe alternative to harmful chemical sunscreens.
Raw Elements, a mineral-based sunscreen brand known for its reef-safe formula, is the product dispensed at each location, ensuring visitors have an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical sunscreens. John Carty has seen firsthand the impact of human activity on Maui Nui waters. Over the years, he has watched West Maui’s coral cover recede. As a founding member of the Save Honolua Coalition, which works to protect the Honolua Bay ecosystem, Carty applauds the sunscreen dispenser program implemented by Maui Visitors Bureau, Maui County, DLNR, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council, private partnerships and community.
Oxybenzone and octinoxate – chemicals common in many sunscreens – damage coral by disrupting reproduction, deforming young coral and increasing bleaching risk, even at low levels. They also harm symbiotic algae, which corals need to survive, and the chemicals accumulate up the food chain, affecting marine life from sea urchins to dolphins.
With dispensers offering complimentary mineral sunscreen at Honolua Bay and his Honolua Farms food truck, Carty calls Maui’s program a stroke of genius. “This is a real opportunity to educate the public about the ban and the harmful effects of chemical sunscreens on our reefs,” he said. “And the sunscreen Hawai‘i Tourism Authority provides is high quality. Promoting safe sunscreen for free is a win-win.”
Hawai‘i has led the nation in sustainability efforts, passing legislation instead of relying on election-year promises. In 2021, the state banned the sale and distribution of reef-damaging sunscreens. A year later, Maui County passed Ordinance No. 5306, prohibiting non-mineral sunscreen use unless medically prescribed.
On Valentine’s Day 2022, Maui County Councilmember Kelly King unveiled the island’s first sunscreen dispensers at Ahihi-Kina‘u Natural Area Reserve in anticipation of the chemical sunscreen ban. Hawai‘i Tourism Destination Manager for Maui and Lāna‘i Meagan DeGaia, attending the “Love the Ocean the Right Way” event, seized the opportunity to expand the initiative.
The response was immediate. Dispensers at high-traffic locations such as Kā‘anapali Aston Shores, Whalers Village and Ho‘okipa Beach Park emptied quickly. Today, the program includes 23 dispensers.
True to the island’s grassroots spirit, volunteers have stepped in to help. Except for resort staff and a few salaried naturalists, most dispensers are stocked and maintained by unpaid community members and nonprofit organizations, all working toward protecting Maui’s waters.
Beyond reducing harmful chemicals in the ocean, DeGaia emphasized that the program also helps cut plastic waste. As visitors and residents opt for single-pump sunscreen instead of plastic tubes and bottles, fewer containers end up in landfills.
While the initiative had an initial timeline, free squirts of reef-safe sun protection show no signs of stopping. According to DeGaia, the program aligns with MVCB’s commitment to regenerative tourism, offering visitors and residents a responsible way to protect Maui Nui’s waters.
For DeGaia, who has personally refilled dispensers when needed, the program is about more than just sunscreen. “It’s also about hope,” she said. “It sends a message that there are still good people dedicated to doing the right thing for the future of our oceans and planet.”
Photographs by Stuart Westmorland/Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock (top); Juergen Rudorf/Adobe Stock (bottom)
Beachgoers can find 23 free sunscreen dispensers around the island at popular beaches and surf spots. Raw Elements is a mineral-based, reef-safe formula that protects Maui Nui’s waters.
