The perfect tropical holiday image always includes a white sandy beach, a blue-green sea, and a ritual of applying sunscreen to protect your skin from the hot sun. However, there is a brutal paradox behind this peaceful landscape. Humans try to protect their skin from burns and cancer, but the products they depend on are poisoning one of the most important ecosystems on the planet. Chemical sunscreens washed out of swimmers' bodies are causing coral whitening and DNA damage. As coral reefs die, the consequences are spreading like waves, disrupting the diversity of marine life and devastating coastal economies.
The main factor behind this environmental disaster is the chemical composition of commonly used sunscreens. Researchers have found that chemical filters like oxybenzone and octinoxate are the primary problems. Once these substances get into the aquatic environment, they are not just diluted but rather taken up by the corals, acting as endocrine disruptors and toxins at the same time. Coral DNA is severely damaged, deformations and disturbances in the growth of larvae are among the adverse effects attributed to these chemicals. Moreover, these substances reduce the amount of heat that coral receives before it bleaches. The phenomenon of bleaching occurs when a stressed coral expels the symbiotic algae that live in its tissues and turns white, thus becoming more susceptible to diseases or even death. If the base of the reef crumbles, the diverse fish species that used coral reefs for their habitat and food will be reduced, thus lacking the whole marine ecosystem's stability.
The dying of the reef is not only an interruption in nature cycles, but also a disaster that has happened to mankind. The reef is the nursery of the ocean and it acts as a natural shield to the coastline against storm surges and erosion. Coral reefs would render coastal structures and infrastructure open to the elements. As if that was not enough, a lot of developing countries still consider the “blue economy” as their sole source of income.
However, the good news is that this is a problem with a guaranteed solution which consumers can actually take action upon. First of all, consumers can simply switch to "reef-safe" sunscreens. On the contrary to chemical filters, mineral sun-blockers are composed of non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These minerals, instead of being absorbed, are deposited on the skin's surface reflecting the ultraviolet rays and besides it, they are water-soluble and not harmful to marine organisms. Reducing the total chemical amounts released into the sea is another necessary and important action. Wearing protective swimwear like rashguards and long-sleeved swim shirts can help reduce the amount of skin exposed to sunscreens, and also cut down the number of chemicals getting washed off into the sea significantly.
Nonetheless, consumers shouldn't allow themselves the luxury of being careless. The expression "reef-safe" is not stringent worldwide, and it could potentially be a form of greenwashing, a marketing tool that manipulates the consumers to purchase an item that is falsely eco-friendly. Thus, it is necessary to scrutinize the label minutely to find out if the product consists of oxybenzone and octinoxate. Authorities and institutions should also install signs on the beaches to inform the visitors about alternatives to conventional sunscreens and their impact on coral reefs.
In conclusion, while the decision to use chemical sunscreens may seem trivial to individuals, their cumulative effects are significant. It can take hundreds of years for damaged coral reefs to recover, meaning the devastation that has occurred today will remain for generations. By switching to mineral - based products, wearing protective clothing, and raising awareness, we can protect our skin without sacrificing the ocean.
References Used:
https://www.bworldonline.com/science-environment/2015/10/23/11679/
https://time.com/4080985/sunscreen-coral-reefs/
https://woods.stanford.edu/news/understanding-how-sunscreens-damage-coral
https://enviroliteracy.org/how-does-sunscreen-affect-coral-reefs
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/sunscreen-damage-coral-reef-oxybenzone
https://cen.acs.org/environment/pollution/Sunscreen-chemical-kills-corals-scientists/100/web/2022/05