The Maldives, Bahamas, Hawaii – for many of us, coral reefs are dream vacation destinations. We pack our best summer clothes and loads of sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun. But did you know that while protecting ourselves, we might also be harming the coral?
Over the past three years, one-fifth of the world’s coral reefs have died off and sunscreen chemicals have definitely played a role in that. Only a tiny amount is needed to do big damage – the equivalent of one drop in 6.5 Olympic swimming pools. Now think of up to 14,000 TONS of sunscreen sliding off humans into coral reef areas each year. Even if you’re not swimming, your sunscreen can soak into the sand which is then washed into the water. Sunscreen sprays often create a cloud that misses the skin and lands directly on the sand as well.
The two ingredients in sunscreen to stay away from are oxybenzone and . These are chemical ultraviolet (UV) filters that absorb harmful rays and help prevent skin cancer. Good for us, not so much for nature. They are harmful to coral and can cause sunscreen-induced coral bleaching. In other words, they turn white because of stress resulting from changes in the environment. What happens is the algae that normally live in their tissues, in a mutually beneficial, food-sharing relationship, are expelled, leaving the coral bone white. The good news is, bleaching is reversible if the stress factor is removed from the water quickly. If not, the coral starves to death. So we can prevent further damage and even reverse some that’s already been done.
Over the last few years, a whole movement has emerged all over the world. On November 2018, the small island nation of Palau announced it would ban selling or using sunscreens harmful to coral reefs. In May 2018, a bill was passed to ban sunscreens containing harmful chemicals in Hawaii. This bill will come into effect in January 2021. Key West in Florida joined Hawaii and is going to stop selling sunscreens containing oxybenzone and in February 2021.
You don’t have to ditch all sun protection entirely though. There are healthy alternatives to the two coral enemies. For example, non-nano zinc oxide-based formulas or non-nano titanium dioxide. Non-nano parts are bigger in size and can’t be absorbed by the coral.
Sunscreens that are safe for coral reefs
All NIVEA SUN products are free from banned UV filters oxybenzone and , making them fully compliant with the Hawaii Reef Bill. Their vast range of affordable products includes sunscreens, sprays lotions for kids and adults, for sensitive and normal skin, after-sun , special face sunscreens with shine control and even a unique Sport Cooling Sunscreen Spray. All your needs covered!
Bondi Sands suncare range is also free from chemicals considered unsafe for coral reefs. These products are water-resistant for up to four hours, moisturise your skin and have the most divine coconut aroma ever.
Some brands have only a few products in their sunscreen range that are safe for coral. These brands include Neutrogena and Banana Boat, for example. If these are your go-to brands when it comes to sun protection and you don’t feel like trying something new, make sure you read the labels properly and only buy items that don’t contain oxybenzone and .