The chemical compounds that block UV rays may lead to bleaching of coral and a decrease in fish fertility
Urgent investigation is needed into the potential impact sunscreen is having on marine environments, according to a new report. Sunscreens contain chemical compounds, known as pseudo persistent pollutants, which block the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays and can lead to bleaching and deformity in coral or a decrease in fish fertility. The global sunscreen market is booming, with sales predicted to reach $13.6bn by 2028. The products are washed off into the world’s oceans in surprisingly high volumes, according to the review. One featured study calculated that, assuming that 50% washes off, if the average person applies 36g of sunscreen with a reapplication of the same amount occurring after 90 minutes, a single beach with 1,000 visitors could lead to 35kg entering the ocean. The review, published by the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, looked at more than 110 publications linked to sunscreen, UV filters and their environmental and ecotoxicological impact. An estimated 6,000-14,000 tonnes of UV filters are released each year into coral reef zones alone, leading scientists to emphasise the growing need for comprehensive studies into the effects of sunscreen pollution on marine life. “Current research has only scratched the surface of understanding how these chemicals can affect marine life,” says Anneliese Hodge, the study’s lead author and PhD researcher at Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth.
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Why is the article illustrated with a black hand? Black folks can get skin cancer, but it's mostly atypical and not the kind that sunscreen would prevent. I use sunscreen but with a low SFP which typically don't contain the pseudo persistent pollutants and I stop using it when I'm dark enough.