Are You Still Using Toxic Sunscreen? In 2018 Hawaii Banned Oxybenzone and Octinoxate Sunscreens; Now They’re Banning Avobenzone and Octocrylene
The Sunscreen Bans
Maybe, you heard of the sunscreen bans – Hawaii, Palau, Bonaire, and – even closer to home – right here in the continental US, the Southernmost Tip of the United States; Key West.
Now, Hawaii plans to ban even more toxic chemicals found in some sunscreens. These are some really bad common ingredients. It’s time to educate yourself.
What to Look For
First, flip over your tube or bottle of sunscreen. Scan for Avobenzone, Avobenzine, Benzophenone, Camphor Derivatives, Cinnamates, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Formaldehyde, Hydroxymethylglycinate, Homosalate, Methylisothiazolinone, Microbeads, Octocrylene, Octinoxate, Octisalate, Oxybenzone, Parabens, Phthalates, Quaternium-15, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Lauryl, and even Zinc Oxide. Then, DEAs, MEAs, TEAs, SLS or SLES.
Next – Ok. How about if you can’t pronounce or spell it, it’s probably not good for you.
Then, check your shampoo, conditioner, and body
My Experience
Working as a boat captain means I’m outside a lot. After getting poisoned by sunscreen, I decided to conduct some research and learn as much as I could so I can avoid harmful chemicals.
Maybe you’re not sure how bad oxybenzone and
I’m aware that I should wear sunscreen, my Mom’s been telling me for years. Covering up, wearing a hat, and avoiding midday sun is common knowledge for many of us. But, not all of us are scientists. So, I’ll break it down for you.
Here’s How Bad It Is
Annually, somewhere between 6,000 and 14,00 TONS of sunscreen washes off our bodies, and finds its way into our coral reefs. This hastens coral reef bleaching, and is toxic to some species of reef fishes as well as coral larvae.
One drop of sunscreen with oxybenzone in the equivalent of six-and-a-half Olympic-size swimming pools has a toxic effect. I did a lot of research and reading to find that statistic – I found it in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. It was a tough read.
Here’s a link to the short version of the study. The title alone is: Toxicopathological Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3), on Coral Planulae and Cultured Primary Cells and Its Environmental Contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A Really Scary Fact
February 21, 2019, the American Academy of Dermatology Association released a statement including the statistic that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.
I thought it would be lung cancer, maybe. This was a surprise to me. We think sunscreen should protect us from the sun – not poison us!
Many substances are produced, thought to be helpful, then removed from production once it was realized they were bad for us.
Remember hearing about when arsenic was in vogue? Here’s a list of 35 FDA-Approved Prescription Drugs Later Pulled from the Market. Some of them, you are going to remember the advertising campaigns clearly. Accutane… Darvon… Seldane… And now, we find ingredients in the very product designed to protect us from the sun are poisoning our waterways and fish, and us.
Not Yet Convinced?
If you’re still not sure that the sunscreen sitting in your cabinet might be toxic to you and the environment, then conduct some research. Start with Women’s Voices for the Earth’s “Toxic Chemicals to Avoid During Pregnancy,” and progress to other research reports and studies. Here’s another pretty believable source; the AADA, and what they have to say about the results of exposure to the sun.
American Academy of Dermatology Association Comments on FDA Proposed Sunscreen Rule
The AADA says, “Unprotected exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a major risk factor for skin cancer.
As a result, the AADA recommends a comprehensive sun protection plan that includes seeking shade; wearing protective clothing, including a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses; and generously applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to exposed skin.”
Hey! That’s exactly what my Mom has been recommending for years! She resembles Mata Hari, the Dutch spy, when she goes outdoors; all wrapped up in a scarf and covered with a hat. Very stylish, like a movie star going incognito.
The AADA’s Commitment to Human-Safe Sunscreen Is Clear
They recently released this statement, “Because sunscreen is an important tool in the fight against skin cancer, the AADA supports any and all regulations to ensure that the public has access to safe and effective sunscreens.”
“We encourage the public to continue protecting themselves from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. If you are concerned about the safety of the ingredients in your sunscreen, talk to a board-certified dermatologist to develop a sun protection plan that works for you,” which is exactly what my Mom recommended. Mom knows best!
Here’s some more eye-opening reading, Hawaii Becomes First US State to Ban Sunscreens Harmful to Coral Reefs. Even Hawaiian Airlines has helped publicize efforts by providing reef-safe sunscreen samples to fliers.
Other Chemicals to Avoid
There are other chemicals to avoid, too. Take a photo of this list with your cellular telephone, and then save it to your “Favorites.” Then you can pull it up every time you are in a store, stocking up on anything that you are going to put on your body.
Check your shampoo, conditioner, and body
Misleading Terms
For biodegradable sunscreens, cosmetics, or personal care products, there are no federal regulations defining the use of those words like “natural” or “green.”
You’ve seen brands that put a teeny bit of something good in their formula in order to make a claim. “Includes wonderful ingredient” – yes, but – how much of that wonderful ingredient? Just enough to make the claim.
We Must Start Somewhere
Somehow, until last year, I thought I only needed to use my reef-safe sunscreen when I was on the boat. I was SO wrong.
Now I know; I need to use it all the time. Because every time I bathe; that wastewater finds its way to our environment along with whatever toxins were on my body.
Here’s an Easy Place to Start
We all need a new tube of sunscreen every year anyway. Start fresh. This year, treat yourself to one that doesn’t harm you or the environment. I’m happy mine from Stream2Sea is packaged in eco-friendly (seriously – this one is not one of those misleading
It’s time to start avoiding ingredients that are harmful to your body, and harmful to the environment. Take one easy, accomplish-able step today. Every time you pull that tube of sunscreen out of your bag; you’ll know you’re one of us, a Wavemaker; blazing the path toward a cleaner planet.
Stream2Sea IS Safe for Reefs and Human-Safe Sunscreen in Eco-Friendly Packaging
Above all, one way to be sure you are purchasing products that really are safe is to buy from Stream2Sea. Their products are safe, and owner/chemist Autumn Blum is committed to protecting the environment.
Here’s the link to eco-friendly Stream2Sea sunscreen. It comes in
I Use Stream2Sea Daily
For instance, in the sailboat cockpit, I always have a tube of Stream2Sea for everyone to use.
Here’s one of our crews for the St. Augustine Sailing Sisters‘ Spring Forward Race that leads up to our August Bikini Race that benefits the Betty Griffin Center Shelter for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in St. Augustine, and reThreaded that assists women affected by the sex trade and provides employment for survivors of human trafficking. The race is sponsored by the St. Augustine Yacht Club and others.
Anytime we can get out on the water, support a local charity, and raise awareness and appreciation of the outdoors and do it in an environmentally friendly manner; that’s a great day!
