Environmental concerns are always in the news and on most people’s minds. This past summer concerns over damages to the Earth’s coral reefs started to pop up in headlines, and blog posts alike. Once vibrant, and full of life coral reefs have lost their color and have been dying for years. Although, many factors have played a role in the death of reefs, multiple studies list sunscreen as a major cause for the damage. Therefore, some places have a solution: ban chemicals damaging ocean life.
Last summer Hawaii became the first US state to ban sunscreen products containing chemicals that have been shown to harm coral reefs. A study by Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, a non-profit scientific organization, has found that oxybenzone and octinoxate, two of the most commonly used UV filters in sun protection products, cause a myriad of environmental hazards. These include bleaching, deformities, DNA-damage, and death in coral, among others. Upon the publication of this study, and others like it, Hawaii signed a bill going into effect January 2021, banning the chemicals listed.
There was backlash over the signing of this bill, causing some to question how accurate the tests were, and how it was possible that these chemicals damaged reefs while others didn’t. Craig Downs, a forensic ecotoxicologist, explains that both chemicals disrupt the vital symbiotic relationship between coral and algae. He also states that oxybenzone is “really toxic” to the juvenile form of corals. This information is consistent with the principle that young individuals usually are a lot more sensitive to toxins than adults. Downs research has been instrumental for constituting the current ban, it was not the first to find that these sunscreens are harmful to corals.
The ban of oxybenzone and octinoxate was opposed by among other conventional sunscreen manufacturers and American dermatologists. Manufacturers aren’t interested in going through the costly process of changing their ingredients, on what they claim to be an inconclusive study. The latter expressing a fear that the restrictions could lead to an increase in skin cancer, which is said to be more common in Hawaii than the US national average.
The opposing sunscreen producers point out that these chemicals are “safe and effective”, as well as approved by FDA, the Federal Drug Administration authority, and question the fact that the ban is based on one single study. Allegedly, the limited number of FDA-approved filters will make it challenging to find suitable substitutes for the existing formulas. Today, oxybenzone and octinoxate are used as ingredient in over 3500 popular sunscreen products.
“Environmental issues is one very important part of the sun protection debate and we certainly need to do what we can to limit pollution. We have alternatives, such as physical filters. The corals don’t”, says Johan Heilborn, Skin Specialist at Hudcentrum Hagastaden.
As noted earlier, sun protection products are not the only threat to healthy coral reefs. Other risks include global warming, overfishing and pollution from sewage. The recurring El Niño climate phenomenon is known for causing severe coral death in affected areas as well. However, sunscreen pollution from swimmers will result in a gradual decline over time, with “no new generations coming in” according to Craig Downs. Currently, an estimated 14 000 tons of sun protection products is believed to be deposited in the oceans annually, with the greatest damage done in coral reef areas in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Hawaii is not the only place to have laws banning sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate and has likely started a worldwide trend.
However, as important as it is to take care of our planet the American dermatologists concerns are valid. We know that UV damage is a serious health risk, and one that will multiply if sunscreen is skipped altogether. A solution would be to make sunscreen without these ingredients, using natural UV blockers such as zinc oxide, but that takes time to make, and few manufactures are on board. Hawaiian beaches have already been offering environmentally friendly sunscreens on their beaches (pictured below). Another solution is to cover up and hide from the sun. However, this is also impractical, and could potentially have adverse health effects. Perhaps, a better solution is to use UV indicators, this way you know how much time you can spend in the sun, and when you need to avoid it. By doing this you’re not only protecting your body, but also the planet.
CDC, 2019. “UV Radiation” United States Center for Disease Control. [Online] Available at: [LINK]
Glusac, E., 2018. “Hawaii Passes Bill Banning Sunscreen That Can Harm Coral Reefs” The New York Times. [Online] Available at: [LINK]
McMahon, S., 2019. “6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know” Smarter Travel. [Online] Available at: [LINK]
Moulite, M., 2018. ”Hawaii bans sunscreens that harm coral reefs” CNN. [Online] Available at: [LINK]
Rosen, E. & Zachos, E., 2018. “What sunscreens are best for you—and the planet?” National Geographic. [Online] Available at: [LINK]
Trager, R., 2018. “Hawaii bans sunscreens containing chemicals thought to harm coral” Chemistry Wold. [Online] Available at: [LINK]