Maintaining lubrication in hot weather is always a good thing, but it also has disadvantages for the environment. Even if you’ve purchased a water-resistant sunscreen, you can never prevent some of that cream from ending up in the sea when you go swimming. From various studies such as this one researchAt least 25 percent seems to disappear into the water this way. Even if you slather on sunscreen at home, you could always end up overboard. Approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen is diverted into our oceans each year.
Sunscreen is harmful
The ingredients in sunscreens are often harmful to marine life because they destroy plankton. It is toxic to fish and kills coral. Studies show that substances in UV filters, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, bleach corals. Coral absorbs these substances, which hinders the growth and reproduction of corals. As a result, the corals bleach and eventually die.
Durable sunscreen
Fortunately, not all sunscreens are harmful to our oceans. For example, liquid propylene glycol has little or no effect on coral. So it’s a good idea to look at the ingredients in the sunscreen bottle.
Researchers who published a study in the journal in 2022 Sciences We recommend long-wearing mineral sunscreens. Unlike regular sunscreens, it does not penetrate the skin, but rather lays a layer on the skin. Many brands contain mineral sunscreens.
So turning off sunscreen is not an option, because you have to keep your skin protected from the sun. If you go out into the sun, you can protect yourself with natural sunscreen, clothing, sunglasses, and hats.
source: Saintias/dragonfly