You may have seen headlines recently about bans of two common sunscreen ingredients—oxybenzone and octinoxate—going into effect in Hawaii and Key West, Florida. With the health of our planet’s oceans hanging in the balance, many of us are searching for ways to protect our skin and the environment. Unfortunately, it may not be as easy as grabbing the nearest sunscreen marked “reef-safe.”
Why is sunscreen harmful to coral reefs?
In addition to global warming and pollution, sunscreen has been linked to the declining health of coral reef systems around the world. (Experts estimate that up to 6,000 tons of sunscreen are washed into the ocean every year—that’s a lot.) Recent studies have shown that exposing coral reefs to certain sunscreen ingredients (namely, oxybenzone and octinoxate) results in damage, including coral bleaching.
What is reef-safe sunscreen?
It’s important to note that “reef-safe” isn’t a term that’s regulated by the FDA, which means that sunscreen brands aren’t required to perform testing to prove that their products won’t harm coral reefs. There’s no consensus in the scientific community about which sunscreen ingredients are safe for aquatic life and which aren’t—in fact, no sunscreen has been proven totally safe. So the “reef-safe” label on your SPF doesn’t mean much, unfortunately.
How to protect yourself from the sun without harming coral reefs
All of this doesn’t mean you should head to the beach without sunscreen. Here are some reef-friendly ways to protect yourself from sun damage.
Cover up. Slathering yourself with SPF isn’t the only way to defend your skin from UV rays. Umbrellas, hats, and protective clothing—especially UV-rated fabrics—can protect you from sunburn, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation while keeping sunscreen out of the ocean.
Grab a non-nano mineral sunscreen. Look for sunscreens powered by non-nano zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. (“Non-nano” means the mineral particles are larger than 100 nanometers.) These mineral (aka physical) UV filters are considered safer for coral reefs, according to the National Park Service.
Avoid oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octocrylene. When shopping for SPF, scan the ingredients list to avoid these common UV filters—they’ve all been linked to coral reef damage.
