Coral reefs make up less than 1% of our ocean area but are home to 25% of known sea life. The most famous of the world’s reefs, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is home to nearly 9,000 species, including more than 400 coral species and six of the world’s seven turtle species. Coral Triangle in Southeast Asia, meanwhile, is the world’s most biologically diverse marine ecosystem. Unfortunately, these special places – and the benefits they provide - are at risk. There are a few things we can do as individuals to help, and one of them comes down to using the right kind of sun protection.

Why Coral Reefs Are Important

Before we get into how we can help, why should we be concerned about coral reefs? Well, in addition to all the sea life that uses them for food, habitat, and breeding/raising their young, coral reefs are incredibly important to the environment and people. They provide protection for coastal communities by reducing wave energy by up to 97%, serving as a barrier during strong storms, and helping safeguard habitats including mangroves, which have better carbon-storing capabilities than forests.

The economic benefits of coral reefs are also significant, as they support fisheries, other marine industries, and tourism. The tourism benefits extend beyond reef visits, too, with hotels, restaurants, and other businesses getting a boost from divers and snorkelers. The Great Barrier Reef alone brings in about $6.4 billion per year and supports about 64,000 full-time jobs. Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says more than half of U.S. fisheries species rely on reefs for some of their life cycle, which means these habitats provide more than $100 million in economic benefit to that American industry alone. 

As if that weren't enough, coral reefs are also a source of emerging medications for a variety of conditions, including cancer, asthma, heart disease, arthritis, and bacterial infections.

How Sunscreen Can Harm Coral Reefs

While damage from the sun is a serious health matter and it’s important to take steps to avoid it, we may be hurting these important ecosystems in our efforts to protect our skin. If your sunscreen uses certain chemicals, they can spell disaster for our coral reefs. The impacts aren't limited to sunscreen washing off people swimming near reefs, either. We can also contribute to the problem by spraying aerosols at the beach, which can get on sand that ends up in the water. Sunscreen can be rinsed off in the shower, too, with the chemicals ultimately ending up in the ocean after going down the drain. Either way, it’s estimated that about 14,000 tons of sunscreen may end up in our oceans every year.

There are two different types of sunscreens, those that use chemicals to absorb harmful UV rays before they reach the skin and those that block the rays with minerals. When it comes to the former, there are certain compounds they typically use that cause problems for our coral reefs. The primary harmful ingredients you’ll want to avoid are oxybenzone and octinoxate, though the NOAA says you’ll also want to watch out for 3-benzylidene camphor, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, octocrylene, benzophenone-1 and 8, OD-PABA, nano-titanium dioxide, and nano-zinc oxide. Avobenzone, homosalate, and octisalate are also problematic.

Research first began to show how these chemicals can harm coral reefs in 2008. A study published that year found that chemicals including benzophenone and camphor derivatives can activate dormant viral infections in zooxanthellae, algae that live in coral tissue and provide nutrients through photosynthesis. Coral bleaching comes about when these algae die or leave the reef. In the 2008 study, the researchers found that reawakening viruses in the algae caused them to replicate until their hosts exploded, sending viruses out into the water, infecting nearby coral communities, and leading to bleaching.

A pair of studies led by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers and partners in 2013 and 2016 uncovered more impacts. The first study, published in Ecotoxicology, found that benzophenone-2, or BP-2, can kill juvenile corals, cause colorful corals to bleach, and increase mutations by damaging coral DNA. This compound also isn’t filtered out of most municipal water treatment facilities and is found in a variety of personal care products, including sunscreen.

The 2016 study, meanwhile, published in Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, found that oxybenzone, or BP-3, impacts developing coral by increasing their susceptibility to bleaching and causing DNA damage, abnormal skeleton growth, and deformities in baby coral. This compound also gets into the environment through wastewater and is found in more than 3500 skin care products aimed at sun protection.

Which Sun Protection to Choose Instead

To avoid using these harmful ingredients, experts recommend finding mineral sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which provide protection from the sun by blocking and reflecting UV rays, not absorbing them. Just be sure they’re not made with nanoparticles, which can also be harmful. Experts say it’s important to read ingredients on sunscreens, as well, because a “reef-friendly” label may not actually be accurate.

There are also things you can do to minimize the need for sunscreen. Those can include avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., seeking shade from a beach umbrella, using sun hats, and using clothing that also protects against the sun, even when you’re swimming. This cuts down on the area on your body that requires sunscreen.

Other Threats Facing Coral Reefs

Sunscreen is just one among many pollutants threatening our coral reefs. These pollutants often get into the water due to land run-off, which is worsened by development along coastal areas, another threat. Overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and other irresponsible human use can be damaging, as well.

Climate change is the main risk, however, with higher sea temperatures promoting bleaching, more significant damage from storms, and infectious disease. Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide also lead to acidification, while sea level rise can increase sedimentation.

Other Ways We Can Help Reefs

In addition to choosing self-care products free from coral-damaging ingredients, we can help save reefs and our oceans by reducing our carbon footprint, reducing our plastic consumption, picking up litter, minimizing our own role in microplastic pollution by doing things like changing our laundry habits, advocating for legislation that benefits our oceans and tackles climate change, and answering trivia at FreeTheOcean.com daily to help support beach cleanup efforts.

You can also join us as we work with other partners to remove trash, conserve ocean habitat, and address illegal fishing. To learn more, click below!