Sunscreen and our oceans
After a long winter, temperatures are finally rising, and as the weather begins to warm, new spring and summer activities begin to open up. Fortunately, Maine is home to a long coastline, enabling numerous aquatic opportunities, and even if not in the state this summer, many Colby students of the College will still be in close proximity to water. Inevitably, people will spend time swimming.
When thinking about immediate sustainable impacts an individual can make, it is important to consider sunscreen choice when intending to swim at the beach.The health of bodies of water is crucial to supporting ecosystems, and pollution, whether it be sewage or oil, poses great risk to the sanctity of these environments. While many of these threats are posed by larger entities, like corporations or municipalities, individuals can cause harm as well.
A report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that topical products are vastly under-regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The study notes that other places, like the European Union, have banned thousands of compounds, while the United States has only banned eleven.
This lack of regulation allows toxic chemicals to be released into the water without the user’s understanding. Most notably, sunscreen is known to have negative ramifications for coral reefs, but many other aquatic organisms also face potential harm.
The National Library of Medicine found that triclosan, a chemical found in cosmetics, has negative hormonal effects on fish, causing issues with species reproduction as byproducts of the exposure reduce the sperm count in male fish. Triclosan is also found in hand sanitizer, something to consider when using the product before swimming.
The toxic chemicals found in sunscreen (and other products) reach the ocean ecosystem in ways other than direct contact with the water. For example, if you were to sunbathe outside or use a pool, the sunscreen would stay on your skin. Taking a shower or washing your hands would then carry the chemicals down the drain.
According to the NOAA, water sanitization systems do not filter for things like triclosan before releasing them back into the environment. In this case, even without swimming in the ocean, by using a toxic sunscreen, there are still many negative impacts on the environment.
However, there is hope. There is an emerging economy of brands that pride themselves on being environmentally-friendly, and with a quick Google search, many of these companies can be found.
For example, a popular sunscreen manufacturer is the Australian Blue Lizard. They choose to eliminate oxybenzone and octinoxate from their formula, as both are known for contributing to coral bleaching. This is just one example of an ethical approach to sunscreen.
A typical criticism of environmentally-safe sunscreens is their ability to blend into one’s skin. However, this seems to be a small price to pay when considering the larger implications sunscreen has on the aquatic world. As people who have grown up able to enjoy the oceans, it is important we make an effort to preserve them for generations to come. Making a small decision like choosing which sunscreen to buy at the pharmacy is a step in the right direction.
~ Adrian Visscher `24
