Coral Reef Safe Sunscreen is one of the best ways you can help prevent coral bleaching. The next time you think about taking a dip in the waters of Hawaii or Caribean there may be 80,000 + chemicals from personal care products joining you on your swim from according to Marine Safe, a marine conservation nonprofit.
You may have noticed in the news recently regarding Hawaii’s ban on chemically based sunscreen. On May 1st, the state passed a bill that will prevent the sale of sunscreen containing common UV-filtering ingredients, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. These chemicals have been linked to coral bleaching and Hawaii is taking a stand. Companies of your favorite sunscreen will have to change their sunscreen or stop selling it in Hawaii.
Here are some quick facts.
- Coral is an animal and like humans, they can get sick. (30% of the reefs in Hawaii are gone)
- Don’t use aerosol cans of sunscreen. The wind can take the chemicals to the ocean.
- Even if you don’t go swimming oxybenzone and octinoxate can be found in your urine and then can be transferred to the sea.
How to help.
- Don’t use sunscreen with oxybenzone and octinoxate.
- Use a sunscreen that has Zinc Oxide as it’s active ingredient.
Here is a list of reef safe sunscreen. Do your part to save our reefs.