Can Sunscreens Have a Devastating Effect on Coral Reefs?

Palau's Rock Islands

Coral reefs generally appear in the news regarding the threat of coral bleaching, due to climate change. But there is another unusual threat which some researchers believe is killing off coral reefs and damaging marine environments: sunscreens. This has recently been seen in the case of Palau, which has become the first country to ban sunscreens to protect its coral reefs. According to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the law passed this week in Palau describes the prohibited "reef-toxic" sunscreens as containing one of ten chemicals, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are found in several sunscreens sold in the U.S. The law clearly indicates that  retailers who break the prohibition will be fined $1,000. Olkeriil Kazuo, spokesman of President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr., stated that the force behind the ban was a 2017 report by the Coral Reef Research Foundation which uncovered extensive sunscreen toxins in Palau's Jellyfish Lake, a popular tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage site. The report urged visitors to promptly switch to "more biologically friendly" sunscreen products. Mr. Kazuo further added that Palau will immediately stop importing reef-toxic sunscreen, but retailers have until 2020, when the law goes into effect, to sell their remaining stock.

Jellyfish Lake

I find it very fascinating that sunscreen products pose a threat to the world's coral reefs. At the same time, I find that it is worth noting about the harmful effects sunscreen can have on coral reefs. A study in 2015 by researchers from University of Central Florida showed that oxybenzone presents a threat to coral conservation by depleting coral of its nutrients and bleaching it white. This implies that sunscreen products containing oxybenzone attribute to coral bleaching, which has and continues to threaten coral reefs worldwide. I really believe that the findings made by such studies should be taken into serious consideration if the global community is to save the coral reefs from further decimation. Places like Palau and Hawaii have already passed laws banning "reef-toxic" sunscreens, which do not go into effect until 2020 and 2021 respectively. I don't believe people should wait that long to go swimming and snorkeling in tropical seas. If they care about the health and well-being of coral reefs and want to do such aquatic activities, they should purchase sunscreen products containing micronized zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (check the ingredients on the bottle or tube). Not only do these minerals serve as safe alternatives to the reef-toxic chemicals, they also protect the skin by reflecting the harmful rays away. This is especially useful since there is an increase in the rate of skin cancers. Hawaii, Palau, and various other islands in the South Pacific rely on tourism as their source of income. Hundreds of visitors are drawn to these tropical islands by their sun-soaked beaches and crystal-clear waters that house coral reefs. The reefs themselves are part of the tourist sector and if they continue to be devastated by coral bleaching, it can negatively affect the economies of these island nations and the livelihoods of their people.

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