#Check Your Sunscreen
Certain chemicals in sunscreen are harmful to the marine animals of the ocean. When a sunscreen does not contain these chemicals, they are knows as eco-safe, eco-friendly, reef-safe, etc. If the sunscreen is safe, NON-NANO ZINC OXIDE would be the active ingredient.
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Chemicals to watch out for are:
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Oxybenzone
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Ocinoxate
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Avobenzone
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Ethylhexl
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Hydrogen Peroxide
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Ethoxycnnamate
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Homosalate
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Octisalate/Octocrylene
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These chemicals are what have been causing coral bleaching. Every year, coral is exposed to over 6,000 tons of sunscreen. Oxybenzone and Octinoxate are the most damaging chemicals to coral. When applied on skin, the chemicals protect it from UV rays. But, when it is in the water, it decreases the coral’s defense to bleaching. The chemicals, along with other stressors, damage coral’s DNA and development abilities. Coral bleaching is when the algae called zooxanthellae departs from the coral leaving the corals skeleton exposed. This can starve the coral and eventually kill it. Even if it does not die it suffers major damage to it’s DNA ladder.
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Even if you did not go swimming after applying sunscreen, it will still end up in the ocean when you shower. In Hawaii, there will soon be a law that bans sunscreens containing oxybenzone and ocinoxate. But, that will only start in 2021. More details of the bill can be read about below.
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Effects of Unsafe Sunscreen
The chemicals found in unsafe sunscreens can collect on adult dolphins and be passed on to the young.
Unsafe sunscreen can cause reduced fertility and female characteristics in male fish. The substances found inside of these unsafe sunscreens can also impair green algae from growing and/or reproducing. Coral bleaching may be the most famous consequence from global climate change and unsafe sunscreen pollution.
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Sunscreen Bill
Before purchasing sunscreen you should always take a moment to check the listed ingredients. If you find any of those chemicals, it is dangerous for coral, so please do not wear it!
The bill that was passed will only be banning the sale of sunscreens that contain those two chemicals (oxybenzone and octinoxate). Although they are not the only ones causing harm, they are a major contributor to the bleaching of coral. The bill does not grant legal authority to take foreign sunscreen away from users, so if a tourist flies into Hawaii with harmful sunscreens, police are not allowed to forcefully take it away. Since the bill only bans the sale of anti-reef safe sunscreens, locals are still able to keep sunscreen that was bought before the bill. The ban has its limits, but this is still a big step for the restoration of coral reefs. If you would like more information of the bill, you can see it by clicking on the button below.