PABA (Aminobenzoic Acid)
A legacy UVB filter no longer found in mainstream sunscreens.
Banned in
- Palau
Also excluded where only mineral sunscreen is allowed
- Maui County
- Hawaiʻi County
Where it’s restricted
Named in the law or guidance
| Location | Status | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Palau law text ↗ | In force | January 1, 2020 |
Also not allowed under mineral-only rules
PABA (Aminobenzoic Acid) isn’t named in these laws, but they allow only mineral (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) sunscreens, so a product containing it is excluded anyway.
- Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) (in force since October 1, 2022)
- Hawaiʻi County (Big Island) (in force since December 1, 2022)
Why it’s regulated
The EU removed PABA from its permitted UV filter list, after its scientific committee found the safety dossier did not meet current standards. On 10 September 2026 the US FDA issued a final order removing PABA and trolamine salicylate from the OTC sunscreen monograph, saying the risks of these ingredients in sunscreen outweigh their benefits.
What the reef research says
No study of PABA itself on corals or other reef organisms was found in this run. Danovaro et al. (2008, Environmental Health Perspectives) selected seven compounds typically present in sunscreens for single-ingredient tests on Acropora spp. corals. Among the compounds tested, butylparaben, ethylhexylmethoxycinnamate, benzophenone-3 and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor caused complete bleaching even at very low concentrations. The UV filters the study names as standard test compounds do not include PABA, so its results cannot be applied to PABA directly. Whether PABA affects reef organisms is therefore unknown from the sources reviewed.
- Commission Directive 2008/123/EC amending Directive 76/768/EEC (UK legislation archive copy of EU text)
- FDA: Questions and answers on FDA's regulatory actions on OTC sunscreen
- Danovaro et al. 2008, Environ Health Perspect 116(4):441-447: Sunscreens Cause Coral Bleaching by Promoting Viral Infections
Related ingredients: Trolamine Salicylate, Padimate O
Last reviewed October 14, 2026.