Lotions containing oxybenzone are the worst offenders.īabo Botanicals, a Certified B Corp, makes a variety of non-nano mineral sunscreens, including this SPF 30 Zinc Oxide spray sunscreen. This can make choosing a reef-safe sunscreen difficult.Īccording to the Oceanic Society, physical sunscreens (aka mineral sunscreens) made with “non-nano” zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are safest for reefs. In fact, the FDA admits its sunscreen regulations need a serious refreshing, and allow products to advertise SPF contents disproportionate to its actual effectiveness.
While oxybenzone and octinoxate have been identified as harmful by the Food and Drug Administration, other harmful chemicals are still under-regulated due to gaps in research and can show up in “reef friendly” sunscreens. The lab also marks products that do not contain any of these ingredients with a “Protect Land + Sea” certification seal.
ECO FRIENDLY REEF SAFE SUNSCREEN SKIN
In addition to oxybenzone, the Haereticus Environmental Lab identifies octinoxate, octocrylene, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, all parabens (found in many skin products), triclosane, Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), all microplastic beads or spheres, and certain nanoparticles as harmful to marine environments. According to Haereticus Environmental Lab, oxybenzone has been shown to cause “bleaching, DNA damage, planula deformity, mortality, and skeletal endocrine disruption.”
It’s also devastating to coral, and invertebrates in general. Once inside the body, oxybenzone is a powerful endocrine disrupter that may be carcinogenic. In humans, this chemical easily penetrates the body and can show itself in urine within a half hour of application. Oxybenzone is the top chemical to avoid in sunscreens and cosmetics as it’s harmful to both coral reefs and humans. You should be careful about your sunscreen for yourself (see below), and wherever there are shores and sunshine. People are more likely to snorkel and dive into warm waters, but for the intrepid, seasonal divers, bathers, and beach walkers, there are coral reefs in the Puget Sound and many other cooler coastal waters. With nearly one billion people heading to the seashores each year, using reef safe sunscreens and sunscreen alternatives is crucial to maintaining a healthy coral system. The effects of these chemicals rival climate change as the top threat to coral systems. These two chemicals cause harm to coral reefs and were recently banned in Hawaii, Key West and vacation destinations. Much of that sunscreen contains oxybenzone and octinoxate. See what the means here.Īccording to a 2016 study, up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen – or 60 million bottles-worth – wash off humans and into reef environments each year.
This article may contain affiliate links. See why reef safe sun protection matters and what your options are. While sunscreen provides protection from harmful UV rays, the sunscreen industry is under-regulated and contains products with chemicals that are harmful to both humans and coral reefs. For people paled by the long winter, a trip to the beach isn’t complete without hourly slatherings of high-SPF sunscreen.
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