Kauai surfers will no longer be able to buy disposable bodyboards, as island Mayor Derek Kawakami signed a bill banning their sale on December 10.
Introduced in October and passed unanimously by the Kauai County Council in November, Bill 2976 makes it illegal to sell, rent or distribute disposable bodyboards made from polystyrene foam — also known as plastic foam — because of the harmful environmental impact of the material, according to a news release. The bill is expected to enter into force in one year.
Disposable bodyboards are often inexpensive and don’t last long, making them popular among short-term islanders. They break down easily into smaller fragments that create more litter and also pose an ingestion risk to marine animals and birds – some of which are uniquely native to Hawaii’s environment, according to the bi.ll.
“Disposable bodyboards may seem small, but their impact was anything but small,” Mayor Kawakami said in a news release on December 10. “By eliminating polystyrene foam boards from stores and rentals, we are protecting our beaches, our ocean, and the wildlife that calls Kauai home.”
Violators will face a $100 penalty, then $200 for a second violation in the same year. After that, they will be fined $500 for any other violation in the same year.
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The bill does not outright ban all bodyboards, including those made of more durable materials such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene.
In August 2022, Maui passed its own ban on polystyrene foam bodyboards as part of an initiative called “Foam Free Maui County.” In 2018, the second largest Hawaiian island banned plastic foam food containers.
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What else is banned from Hawaii beaches?
Styrofoam bodyboards aren’t the only common beach day items banned in Hawaii in order to protect its environment. In 2018, the Aloha State made history as the first US state to enact a law banning sunscreen with oxybenzone and octinoxate – believed to be toxic to coral reefs – without a prescription.
In 2022, Maui County expanded the statewide ban one step further by banning non-mineral sunscreen from Maui, Lanai and Molokai. Only those with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are allowed to be sold and used.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Hawaii island bans disposable bodyboards, adds a $100 fine