When we travel, it’s not only our carbon footprint that can take its toll on the environment, there are also a whole host of other ways in which we can cause damage. One way is by the seemingly innocuous decision of which sunscreen we use!
According to a 2005 research paper, a whopping 6,000 to 14,000 tons of sunscreen is believed to wash off us and into the ocean around our coral reefs each year. This “wash off” can contain a myriad of chemicals, many of which can have devastating effects on aquatic life, and in particular on our coral reefs and the marine life that rely on them for their survival.
The environmental impact of chemicals from sunscreens can be so catastrophic, that several countries e.g. Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands, Bonaire, and Palau, have now enacted legislation that bans (or will ban in the near future) the sale of sunscreens containing certain chemicals known to cause damage.
The main chemical offenders are oxybenzone octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and octocrylene, but nano-particles (really small particles) of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are also thought to cause damage, as well some ingredients contained in sunscreen for reasons other than providing sun protection e.g. fragrances, and preservatives such as parabens or triclosan.
Given the above, simple ways in which we can minimise our impact on the environment, and most notably the ocean, include: covering up rather than just slathering up (think rash vest and hat as a minimum) and, using a “Reef Friendly” or “Reef Safe” sunscreen i.e. one that is free from chemicals that are known to be harmful to our marine life.
Unfortunately, to date, the usage of the terms “Reef Safe” and “Reef Friendly” are not regulated by governments. This means that these claims can be made on a product without it ever having been demonstrated that said product does not harm aquatic life!
So how do we make sure we are buying a Reed Safe or Reef Friendly product? One option is is good old fashioned label checking! The Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (HEL) has published a list of chemicals that are known pollutants. You can find that list here. Before buying a sunscreen, you can check that it’s free from any of the ingredients on this list. Alternatively, you could look for a product that bears the Protect Land and Sea Certification seal. This certificate means that the product has been independently tested by HEL to ensure that it does not contain anything on the HEL list.
As a general rule, non-nano mineral sunscreens (those containing only non-nano zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide) are a safer bet than chemical sunscreens, and the less ingredients a product contains the better.
If you are interested in knowing more about the chemicals in sunscreen, and their effects on the ocean, the Reefs and Risk project has made a great video that you can watch here.
#ReefsAtRisk #ProtectOurHome.