Is Your Sunscreen Eco-Friendly?
Is your sunscreen eco-friendly? Learn how it can impact the environment, and how to choose a safer sunscreen – for yourself and for the planet…
Summer may be coming to an end, but there are still a few pool or beach days left, and that late-summer sun can still burn! However, gone are the days of slathering yourself in layers of sunscreen and just calling it a day. Some health experts suggest that some sunscreens may actually be worse for your health than the sun. And when it comes to environmental impacts, there are definitely some things to consider before lathering up.
For example, according to this article, high levels of some of the chemicals in sunscreen in ocean water “can cause coral bleaching if the ingredients are toxic to the ocean and sea creatures.”
It is important to know how your sunscreen may impact marine life if you are wearing sunscreen while swimming.
Preserving coral reefs is important for the sake of ocean and human life on the planet. No sunscreen is 100% safe for marine life, oceans, and reefs in particular. However, some sunscreen brands (specifically sunscreen without oxybenzone and octinoxate) are significantly more eco-friendly compared to sunscreen with dangerous ingredients.
Here are the main ingredients to avoid when choosing a sunscreen:
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Titanium dioxide
- Butylparaben
- Tricoslan
- Paba
- Octocyclene
- Methylbenzylidene
These chemicals are toxic to humans and ocean life. Water-resistant sunscreens are generally better as less ingredients will wash off your body and face and into the ocean – so if you are looking for sunscreen for swimming, snorkeling or diving, check the water resistance duration on label…
Read more about eco-friendly sunscreens at Leafd.com…
