In our 2019 Parade/Cleveland Clinic Healthy Now survey, 14 percent of respondents said they were concerned that sunscreen may be bad for the environment. And there is cause for worry: According to the National Ocean Service, chemicals found in sunscreen, such as oxybenzone, benzophenone-1, benzophenone-8, OD-PABA, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, 3-enzylidene camphor, nano-titanium dioxide, and nano-Zinc oxide may indeed harm marine life, such as coral reefs.
“Many people are concerned about the impact of sunscreen on the environment,” says David J. Leffell, MD, the David Paige Smith Professor of dermatology and surgery at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
So what is the risk precisely, and is there such a thing as reef safe sunscreen? How can you help the environment without sacrificing the protection you need against skin cancer and other sun damage? Read on to find out all the 411, and decide how you want to do your ecological part.
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Which sunscreen ingredients to avoid?
First of all, we don’t yet know the complete answer to that question. So far, though, there is evidence of damage occurring on multiple fronts. Research from the Government Offices of Sweden’s Ministries of the Environment and Energy found that oxybenzone, which has been looked at the most by scientists, has shown it can bleach coral fragments and cells from different types of hard coral, especially in warm ocean water. Coral larvae can also be damaged by this chemical, as can the DNA of coral, and its ability to reproduce successfully. Obviously, this kind of potential harm could cause the destruction of coral reefs long-term.
Although the researchers point out that studies thus far have only been regarding short-term exposure to oxybenzone on coral reef structures, it is conceivable, they believe, that this chemical could threaten reefs permanently if exposure occurs in high enough concentrations.
And coral reefs are just the tip of the iceberg. According to the National Ocean Service, the chemicals in sunscreens can also adversely affect other types of marine life, fish and sea mammals. For example, the growth of green algae may be stunted; defects can occur in young mussels; sea urchins can be born deformed, and may not be able to reproduce; fish can suffer fertility and reproductive problems, such as female characteristics appearing in male fish; and dolphins can suffer tissue buildup of the chemicals, which they may then pass on to their offspring. None of this is good news.
Why should I consider using reef safe sunscreen?
When you apply sunscreen containing chemicals that may damage the environment, that sunscreen can wash off when you hit the ocean, and enter the ecosystem. You can also cause damage, potentially, by even washing it off in the sink or shower, as the sunscreen may enter the water system by flowing down your drain. That’s why reef safe sunscreen may be our best bet.
Healthy Now Tip
“While much remains to be done in a rigorous scientific fashion to understand the true impact of sunscreen, avoiding chemical sunscreen is a reasonable and safe approach,” Leffell points out. Still, you must never skip sun protection. “It’s important to balance protection against the harmful effects of the sun and ensuring that our environment is also not harmed,” Leffell continues. He recommends wearing sunblock rather than sunscreen. “Zinc oxide, the main ingredient in mineral sunblock is a naturally occurring compound and may have less impact on the environment while providing protection against both ultraviolet A rays and ultraviolet B rays.”
It’s also key to read the label on any product before you buy it. “While oxybenzone is considered a main culprit, there are many other ingredients or additives that may have an impact on the marine environment. So the simplest rule of thumb is to use a pure zinc oxide product. Read the label carefully and be aware that titanium dioxide may have nanoparticles that should also be avoided,” Leffell suggests.
What else can I do to help the environment—and my health?
The National Ocean Service urges everyone to avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m, when rays are strongest. Also, several states, including Hawaii and Florida, are taking legislative steps to ban sunscreen products that pose a danger to the environment. But just because sunscreen ingredients may pose environmental risk factors, that doesn’t mean that those ingredients will necessarily harm you. The American Academy of Dermatology gave Parade.com the following statement information on the issue:
“While there is emerging evidence that chemical sunscreen ingredients could enter the water supply and affect marine life, including fish and coral reefs, more research will be necessary to draw any firm conclusions, and there have been no demonstrable harmful effects in humans,” says author Henry W. Lim, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and chair emeritus of the dermatology department at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “What we do know is that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and UV exposure is a major skin cancer risk factor. As such, everyone should still take steps to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays.”
“All of the active ingredients in U.S. sunscreens have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective for human use,” adds board-certified dermatologist Suzanne M. Olbricht, MD, FAAD, president of the AAD. “Claims that any of these ingredients are toxic or a hazard to human health have not been proven. In fact, scientific evidence supports the benefits of applying sunscreen to minimize short- and long-term damage to the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays.”
Bottom line: choose your sunscreen carefully … but use it! It’s crucial to respect and protect the environment, and yourself as well.