Your sunscreen may be killing the ocean and it’s marine life by By Daisy Thompson
We’ve all grown up knowing that we should “slip, slop, slap” whenever we’re exposed to the sun, but what often slips the mind is the fact that our traditional chemical sunscreens may not only be disrupting our delicate hormone balance, it may actually also be killing the ocean and it’s marine life.
Research has shown that a staggering 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen enters reef areas annually!
With this volume of chemicals entering the ocean, it’s no wonder why more than 60% of our coral reefs are being impacted.
Oxybenzone, and the other various toxins found in traditional sunscreens have also been found to cause coral viruses, ultimately leading to coral bleaching and death.
While these findings are certainly worrying, there are steps you can take to ensure you are doing your part to protect our precious coral reefs – starting with a reef friendly sunscreen!
The nasty sunscreen chemicals killing our oceans (and damaging your skin!)
When sunscreen is applied to the skin it may wash off when we swim, or enter the waterways when we shower.
Some sunscreen chemicals are quickly absorbed by the skin and be passed through the body in urine, therefore entering the waterways through sewerage.
The NOAA have found that sunscreen chemicals can affect different marine life in the following ways:
- Green Algae: Can impair growth and photosynthesis.
- Coral: Accumulates in tissues. Can induce bleaching, damage DNA, deform young, and even kill.
- Mussels: Can induce defects in young.
- Sea Urchins: Can damage immune and reproductive systems, and deform young.
- Fish: Can decrease fertility and reproduction, and cause female characteristics in male fish.
- Dolphins: Can accumulate in tissue and be transferred to young.
How to choose a reef friendly sunscreen
Zinc Oxide is a natural, physical sunscreen which creates a layer on top of skin that blocks ultraviolet rays like UVA1, UVA2 and UVB.
As well as being reef friendly, it is stable in chlorine and will not degrade to cause harmful free radicals, skin irritation or hormone disruption in humans.
Look for ‘non-nano’ or micronised sunscreen – Non-nano and micronised zinc particles contain particles which are large enough to not be ingested by corals.
When looking for a sunscreen avoid the below chemicals:
- Oxybenzone
- Benzophenone-2
- Octinoxate
- Homosalate
- Avobenzone
- Methylisothiazolinone
- Dimethicone
- Parabens
- BHT
- Nanoparticles
- Propylene glycol
- Fragrances
- Retinyl palmitate
Tip
Stick to creams – Sunscreens in the form of aerosols can leave residue on the sand and be washed back into the ocean. Applying a cream sunscreen and waiting 10-20 minutes for the cream to properly absorb into the skin can help protect reefs from chemical exposure.
Look for a sunscreen tube made out of recycled and/or recyclable material.