Is Your Sunscreen Killing the Reefs?

It’s Aussie summer, and it’s hot hot hot. With skin cancer being a major concern in Australia, it’s now more important than ever to protect your skin. But what if the sunscreen we are using is actually harming our bodies and causing destruction to our precious coral reefs? 

With new research being released earlier this month by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) coinciding with the hottest part of the Australian summer, I thought it was timely to take up the discussion around sunscreen. The research released by the FDA was a follow up of a pilot study conducted last year, and confirms that six active ingredients commonly found in sunscreen products can be detected in the bloodstream of users after just one application.

In fact, after initial absorption, the concentration of the six chemicals in the bloodstream increased every day it was applied, and remained well above FDA safety levels at day seven, a long time after the sunscreen had been applied. It gets worse. Two of the chemicals, homosalate and oxybenzone, were still above safety levels at day twenty-one. It’s not surprising when you consider that the skin is our biggest organ, and absorbs 70% of what we put on it. The problem is that we are regularly exposing ourselves to these toxic chemicals. Oxybenzone, for example, is a known endocrine disrupterand can cause cell damage leading to skin cancer. Homosalate is also an endocrine disrupting chemical and has been known to increase the absorption of toxins into the body. Scary, right?

But it doesn’t end there. As well as disrupting our health and wellbeing, our sunscreens are also taking an irreversible toll on our ecosystems.

The whole sunscreen debate is quite ironic when you think about it. How is it that when you slip, slop, slap at the beach, you’re actually contributing to the destruction of the beautiful coral reefs offshore? There are several chemicals in sunscreen which are particularly problematic in this regard – parabens, benzophenone, oxybenzone, cinnamate and camphor. Research from the Government Offices of Sweden’s Ministries of the Environment and Energy found these common sunscreen chemicals effectively bleach the coral reefs, stripping them of their defence mechanisms and setting them up to be more susceptible to disease. Coral larvae can also be affected by these chemicals, as can the DNA of coral, and its ability to reproduce effectively. We know that this is a problem, and now it’s time to act.

And coral reefs are really just the tip of the iceberg. The chemicals in sunscreen also negatively impact other types of marine life, fish and sea mammals. The development of green algae can be stunted; defects have been detected in young mussels; sea urchins have been found unable to reproduce; and dolphins are affected by tissue build-up of the chemicals, which they can then pass on to their young. All of this is shocking news.

I am and always will be a passionate sun safety advocate. With the statistics showing the strong linkage to higher cancer rates than ever, I believe it is now more important than ever to protect yourself from the sun. I am not saying we should not use sunscreen - all I ask is that we challenge our conventional thinking that the only way to do that is through the application of chemical sunscreen.

What can we do?
Choose mineral sunscreens: Mineral sunscreens still protect effectively against UVA and UVB rays, but don’t contain so many toxic chemicals. Instead of nasty toxins, reef-safe sunscreens generally only contain mineral or physical blockers like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Unlike conventional chemical sunscreens which function by absorbing UV rays, mineral sunscreens work by physically shielding your skin from the sun’s damage. 

Take a closer look at the ingredients: Whilst no peer-reviewed studies have proven any sunscreens are 100% environmentally friendly, mineral sunscreens have not been shown to harm marine life, according to the National Park Service. Double check the ingredients when purchasing sunscreen and confirm your lotion does not contain parabens, benzophenone, oxybenzone, cinnamate or camphor.

Don’t go unprotected: I cannot overemphasise the importance of protecting your skin. You definitely want to ensure that your sunscreen is at least SPF30, and has the words ‘broad spectrum’ written on it. This means it will cover against both UVA and UVB rays, a must during our hot summers. And of course, cover up. Avoid unnecessary sun exposure. It’s been drilled into us since primary school –there’s nothing healthy about a tan. If you’re wanting to fake it, not bake it, check out my article on some great natural tan alternatives.

This is such an easy and effective change that we can all make. Make a change and opt for eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen brands. Let’s band together and save the planet we love.