Coral and sunscreen

Coral and sunscreen

Coral polyps are tiny, soft bodied, marine invertebrates which are related to sea anemones and jellyfish. At the base of corals, there is a protective limestone skeleton which is called a calicle. Reefs begin when a polyp attaches itself to a rock and then divides, making thousands of clones of itself, called a colony. The colonies work as one individual organism, with the calicles of the polyps all joining together into one. Over hundreds and thousands of years, these colonies join together, creating a coral reef.

Corals can have venomous tentacles that they stick out, usually at night-time to grab zooplankton or even small fish to feed on. However, coral get most of their nutrients from the algae which they host (this also gives coral reefs their interesting and vast range of colours).



When under stress from things such as temperature change or water pollution, the coral will evict their algae boarders. This leads to bleaching, which can eventually kill the entire colony/reef if not mitigated quickly.

So, where does sunscreen come into this story?

According to the National Park Service, 4,000 to 6,000 tons of sunscreen enter reef areas annually, and many sunscreens contain chemicals which can interfere with coral reproduction and growth cycles, again leading to bleaching. A large portion of this is from swimmers/ snorkellers, with their sunscreen washing off directly into the ocean. However, this is not the only method of sunscreen reaching the oceans and ultimately, the coral reefs.

When people shower after a long day in the sun, the sunscreen is washed down the drain. Water treatment technologies do not have the capabilities to remove these chemicals from the water system, and so, we have another pathway for them to reach the oceans. Additionally, when applying sunscreen on the shore, especially those that come in aerosol form, it sprays the sand and not just the person. When the tide comes in, these chemicals are washed back out to sea, giving another (more direct) pathway for this pollution to reach the coral reefs.

So, what do we do?

The chemicals which are named as the most harmful to coral reefs are oxybenzone and octinoxate. In May 2018, Hawaii passed a bill which banned the sale and use of sunscreens which contain these chemicals, coming into effect in 2021. Palau also announced in 2018 that it would be banning the sale and use of sunscreens which are harmful to the reefs.

When shopping for sunscreens which are not harmful to reefs, you should look out for a ‘reef friendly’ or ‘reef safe’ label and avoid those which contain oxybenzone or octinoxate. A good alternative is those which have titanium oxide or zinc oxide as the active ingredients.

 


Additionally, not only are the chemicals harmful to corals, but they are also not great for human health. Oxybenzone is a hormone disruptor, and when absorbed directly into our skin through application, or release into our water supply, can have detrimental impacts on growth, metabolism and much more. It is also an allergenic, having potential impacts on skin.

Therefore, buying sunscreens without these chemicals is a step towards a healthier and happier environment for both humans and the oceans – win win!

Alice 

Comments

  1. JeanieApril 26, 2021 at 10:49 AM

    Saved to 'shopping list' for future sunscreen shopping!

    ReplyDelete
  2. MargaretApril 26, 2021 at 2:01 PM

    Very interesting Alice. Another thing to look out for contaminating the water supply, though maybe not critical in Norn Iron!

    ReplyDelete
  3. BridgetApril 27, 2021 at 9:23 AM

    What Jean and Margaret said. Noted.

    ReplyDelete

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