After spending more than a year indoors, many are ready to enjoy time safely outside in the sun this summer.
Of course the occasional face mask shouldn’t be the only thing you use to protect yourself this season. Sunscreen is always essential. But like many things we used to take for granted, it seems sunscreen isn’t completely guilt-free. The negative ecological effects of many sunscreens have come to light that we should be aware of.
According to Outdoors.org, studies have shown that “municipal wastewater treatment systems may not effectively filter sunscreen from sewage.” In addition, slathering on SPF can be harming wildlife as “scientists believe long-term exposure to high concentrations of sunscreen ingredients in water and sediment harms marine plant and animal life, damaging their cells and tissue through oxidative stress and disrupting their endocrine and reproductive systems,” the outlet noted.
Two of the main ingredients in most drugstore sunscreens, oxybenzone and octinoxate, can have a very detrimental effect on the environment. Basically, those chemicals accumulate on coral, disturbing the growth of algae that is needed for coral to survive. Once the coral becomes bleached it doesn’t regenerate, eliminating shelter and food for other organisms essential to the ecosystem.
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Based on such ongoing research, many are looking for more earth-friendly sunscreen options to keep away those pesky UVs.
Some companies have been developing sunscreens that replace oxybenzone and octinoxate with “reef-safe” minerals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. While chemical sunscreens are designed to absorb UVAs, these minerals reflect the sun’s rays.
Though, especially for those with darker skin tones, these minerals cannot effectively be absorbed and flake off quickly. So the next design step has been to create smaller bits of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that will absorb or stay on the skin longer.
Of course, in the “can’t win for losing” category, these minerals have shown their own unique problems, specifically a handful of studies suggest they “may be fatal to water fleas and weaken immune defenses for mussels. Inhaling nanotized particles has been linked to lung cancer, so using spray or aerosol mineral sunscreen is not advised.”
Luckily, there are several organizations that monitor what’s in different sunscreens.
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Consumer Reports rates sunscreens for Sun Protection Factor (SPF), UVA protection, smell, and feel. And the Environmental Working Group offers handy ingredient breakdowns for more than 2,000 skincare brands.
So as usual, personal research and responsibility are in order. Check ingredients, check brand websites, and consider clothing coverage as an option. Hats and sunglasses are your friends and can also make you look way cooler than you think.
For more ideas on how you can save the planet, visit 1Thing.
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