By Grey Bayliss & Leah Pascarelli
Problem Statement
Approximately 33,188,398 Americans use sunscreen everyday causing 14,000 tons of harmful chemicals to enter the ocean. These chemicals pose imminent threats to marine life and especially coral reefs, requiring stricter regulations to protect these ecosystems. Removing Octocrylene, Oxybenxone, Avobenzone, Ecamsule, Octinoxate, homosalate & Zinc Oxide from sunscreen will drastically reduce the harm caused by these chemicals as there is no other way to prevent direct run-off.
Introduction
Seven of the 17 currently approved active ingredients in sunscreen have known detrimental impacts on the aquatic biome, with many sunscreens affecting the environment as a whole. Current regulations in the United States are inept at preventing further damage to the environment from these sunscreens. Research into the effects on humans has only recently begun, proving harm and sparking further speculation of major potential risks. Solely in regards to marine life, current research justifies the implementation of these regulations. Implementation of restrictions on all chemicals causing harm to living organisms will reduce the severity of the major threats to oceans, and will aid in prevention of major economic fallout as a loss of the oceanic tourism industry. An estimated $307 billion of the U.S. GDP and 3.3 million jobs are attributed to oceanic tourism, which emphasizes the importance of preserving aquatic ecosystems. (NOAA 2017). Sunscreen directly interacts with our oceans and bodies making regulation the only solution.
Sunscreen Regulation & Background
Sunscreen is formulated with either physical or chemical filters to prevent sun damage. Physical filters mainly work by sitting on top of the skin, reflecting the sun’s rays offering broad spectrum protection. These filters are generally regarded as a more environmental choice, but are not commonly used as many consumers do not like the white cast and feel. Whereas chemical filters are more widely produced; when the sun’s rays are absorbed a chemical reaction occurs, converting the rays’ heat to be released from the body. Chemical filters require use of multiple active ingredients to provide broad spectrum protection.
Sunscreen either enters the ocean via improper greywater management, or direct runoff (from peoples bodies when entering the ocean). 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter the ocean each year from direct runoff in the United States alone (Downs et al). Greywater treatment plants aim to filter out chemicals considered toxic in order for the water to be reused, but are not entirely effective. UV filters are only filtered out from 28-43%, demonstrating a large error margin and the inability to protect our oceans (Li Weihong et al). Improvement to greywater treatment lacks public traction due to the wide spread ideology of ‘dilution is the solution’. Reform to the system is improbable due to: financing, the large scale implementation and need for technologies that do not yet exist. Therefore, it is critical to prevent these chemicals from reaching the waterways by addressing the ultimate cause, rather than the proximate causes.
The FDA categorizes sunscreen as an over-the-counter (OTC) meaning it is regulated through their monograph process. As of 2017, of the 17 active ingredients approved by the FDA, six are major contribution factors to the endangerment of marine life. Of the eight approved ingredients most commonly used, half of them cause harm; meaning these chemicals are extremely prevalent in the most accessible and major sunscreen brands. Manufacturers are currently allowed to produce sunscreen under FDA regulation with the assumption that all ingredients used are “generally recognized as safe and effective”. However, for ingredients that are absorbed into the body at levels above .5 nanograms per milliliter, additional testing is required. In 2019, The Sunscreen Innovation Act called for more research and data to be collected, meaning this testing has been avoided until now. It has been discovered that primary ingredients such as: Avobenzone, Oxybenzone, Octocrylene and Ecamsule surpass the .5 nanoliter threshold. This raises concerns on the unknown effects of the chemicals on humans, and prompts further research on potential long term health problems. The FDA does not currently hold regulations on the “reef safe” label, causing consumers to be misled.
Effects of these Chemicals
The biological harms dealt by sunscreen are linked to Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Octocrylene, Avobenzone, Ecamsule (MBC), Homosalate and Zinc Oxide. Additionally any nanoparticle zinc or titanium particles are damaging. Figure 1 provides a holistic overview on the effects of the chemicals on marine life, and yet just scratches the surface of the wide range of damage. It is integral to analyze the individual effects of each chemical on organisms in order to ensure comprehensive regulation.
Figure 1: Overview of effects on marine life
Source: NOAA, 2020
Oxybenzone, Octocrylene and Octinoxate cause inimical effects to both marine and human health. These chemicals cause coral bleaching and complete decay of coral, along with endocrine disruption and DNA damage. Oxybenzone is credited as a contributing factor to the loss of at least 80% of coral reefs in the Caribbean (Wagner, 2015). It disrupts the symbiotic relationship between coral and algae, causing the coral to absorb more heat, encouraging coral bleaching. This prevents the algae from photosynthesizing, leaves coral unprotected from harsh UV rays, and destroys habitats of other organisms living in the coral, which further disturbs natural development of other wildlife.
Many environmentalists recommend using physical filter sunscreens with ingredients such as Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. Yet Zinc Oxide is a benzophenone (BP) that also causes coral bleaching, exponentially shortening corals lifespan and effectively killing them. BPs also increase the frequency at which mutations occur by damaging organisms’ DNA, along with transmitting viruses to algae. These transmitted viruses replicate and spread to surrounding coral, eventually killing off all of the coral in the area. Furthermore, the residue created by BPs also impacts dolphins; BPs build in their tissue, affecting their DNA, and will continue to affect multiple generations through an increased rate of birth defects.
Zinc Oxide specifically impacts coral by damaging and weakening the exoskeletons of crustaceans. Crustaceans are the base of the food chain, and when exposed to Zinc Oxide they become more vulnerable to predators and death. A dramatic decrease in crustaceans will disrupt the entire food chain, directly affecting coral as they rely on these organisms for nutrients. Zinc Oxide has also been found to disrupt PH values, making the water itself toxic.
Methyl benzylidene camphors (MBCs) are toxic to mussels and sea urchins, inducing defects in their youth. A majority of the common chemical filter active ingredients are MBCs, which induce fertility issues in female fish potentially leading to long term effects on their population. MBCs also affect human life spans, but due to their longevity it is less noticeable. They also affect fertility rates and increase the rate of birth defects. Children of mothers who used MBC sunscreen are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, Hirschsprung’s Disease, and estrogen positive cancers.
Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octocrylene, and Oxybenzone interfere with the body’s endocrine system by altering hormone production. Oxybenzone has been found in 97% of Americans urine according to a 2018 CDC study. The aforementioned FDA standards did not expect these chemicals to persist in the system, and their continued existence in a majority of Americans raises concern. Correspondingly, oxybenzone’s effects will not end with the washing off of sunscreen, rather it will continue to enter the oceans even without active application due to the sewage system.
Additionally, EWG has found that using sunblock with Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, and Homosalate possibly increases the risk of skin cancer, despite sunscreen’s primary selling point being the prevention of cancers. (EWG, 2020). Homosalte increases the skin’s ability to absorb the other chemicals applied to the skin. Octocrylene can produce oxygen radicals leading to cell death and implications of cardiovascular disease. Chemicals such as Avobenzone and Oxybenzone when combined with chlorine create harmful toxins, despite swimming pools being an intended place of use for sunscreen.
While physical filter sunscreens can be more environmentally friendly, many companies make them with nano particles to appeal more to consumers by eliminating white cast. When inhaled or ingested they can potentially cause lung and gastrointestinal damage. Current greywater treatment facilities also can not filter nanoparticles from water.
The illustrated risks of using these chemicals for both humans and the environment makes it incomprehensible as to why we continue to use these chemicals. There are alternative approved chemicals that are often cheaper and are both skin and reef safe.
The Importance of Coral Reefs
Reefs provide shelter, protection from predators, support for organisms at the base of the food chain and overall support biodiverse ecosystems. Coral reefs assist both the ecosystems and the economy, along with oceanfront/sea communities. Much of the seafood humans consume begins life in coral reefs, serving as a critical food source and income for over 500 million people. Coral reefs also serve as seawalls, protecting against storm surges due to hurricanes and cyclones, keeping coastal communities safe. The loss of the reef system will have devastating ecological effects, beginning at the lowest level of the food chain and expanding upwards. The loss of tropical fish will also dramatically affect the tourism industry, as previous attractions will lose the species that drew visitors causing further economic fallout.
Conclusions
Coral populations will continuously decrease as a result of these chemicals entering our oceans, by both direct runoff and improper waste management, should current guidelines remain the same. Research into the long term implications of the effects on humans due to these chemicals is recent, as such it is yet undiscovered if these products will lead to human harm. Implementation towards stricter federal regulation of these five harmful ingredients will both stall the rapidly progressing climate crisis in context to the rapid decline of coral reefs and ensure human safety. Banning these chemicals will contribute to preserving coral reefs and marine biodiversity, subsequently prolonging the longevity of the multimillion dollar tourism industry. Facilitation of these regulations should not cause sunscreen companies to suffer a negative economic impact. The majority of chemicals are still viable for use, and under some circumstances creating eco-friendly products can produce a higher profit margin by 30 or more cents per product. These restrictions will therefore aid both aquatic and human populations, with minimal economic downside.
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