Every year it is estimated that somewhere between 6,000–14,000 tons of sunscreen washes off our skin when we are in the sea. Studies have shown that common chemicals that are found in many sunscreen lotions are highly toxic to marine life, especially coral. Sunscreen pollutants are reaching coastal environments through wastewater discharge, killing off entire marine ecosystems in the process.
These pollutants are toxic that the President of Palau, a Unesco World Heritage Site, signed a law that went into effect this year which prohibits the sale and use of sunscreens containing ten critical ingredients known to cause damage to marine life.
Navigating the world of cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics can be tricky enough without the added responsibility of figuring out if the product is reef-friendly too.
Don’t panic — I’ve got you covered!
