Jump into a lake or sea covered in Neutrogena or Coppertone sunscreen and you feel a film of sunscreen wash into your eyes. That same sunscreen that’s meant to protect you is very damaging to lakes and ocean life, and especially life that’s sensitive to environmental disturbances. Of course you can make your own sunscreen – here’s our sunscreen DIY recipe here – and while this might be less harmful to your body the elements may still harm sea life. But a company from Israel says that they have created a sunscreen that protects you from the sun and the reefs from harm. It’s called Reef Relief.
The sunscreen was formulated in the Red Sea city of Eilat, home to dying coral reefs. The company announces developing the world’s first sunscreen that is scientifically formulated not only to protect the skin from UV rays but to feed and nourish endangered coral reefs.
Eilat is home to the world’s most northernmost shallow-water reef and locals are passionate about protecting it and other coral reefs.
Coral is facing serious threats from climate change, pollution, and other human activities, with an estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen ending up in the world’s oceans every year. As many as 80% of ordinary sunscreens contain chemicals that contribute to coral bleaching and dying reefs.
While some manufacturers have begun to remove harmful chemicals like oxybenzone, Reef Relief goes further than any other sunscreen on the planet to protect coral reefs and help them thrive, the company says.
Marine and skincare specialists have developed a new formulation based on a non-nano, titanium-dioxide-based, mineral sunscreen. The base formula is Ecocert compliant and has undergone extensive aquatic safety testing, to include safety for freshwater fish, saltwater fish and coral larvae. The added reef nourishing formula is a bespoke blend of FDA-compliant trace minerals used by coral farmers to feed and support healthy growth in coral.
Giovanni Giallongo, a marine biologist from Ben Gurion University of the Negev said, “The development of a sunscreen that not only doesn’t harm coral, but has the potential to feed and nourish our reefs, is an important step towards protecting and preserving our oceans.
“Reef Relief could feed into the health of communities underwater and on land.”
Reef Relief sunscreen also presents to the world another first, a brand-new certification – not just against SPF, but also now RPF for Reef Protection Factor.
An increasing number of products claim to be ‘reef-friendly’ or ‘reef-safe’, but there is a lack of regulation in this area which means that consumers are easily being misled. It’s hoped that the new RPF marque will become an industry standard and spread beyond Israel, worldwide, helping consumers make responsible choices.
Giallongo added, “This is a way of identifying sunscreen that truly cares for coral. An RPF marque as an industry standard.”
How can you know if your sunscreen is reef safe?
Unfortunately the term “reef friendly” is not regulated, so you can’t always trust products with this description. It’s important to actually check the active ingredients label on the back of your sunscreen or personal care product to ensure that reef-harming chemicals are not included, says Save the Reef, an NGO set up to educate us about saving coral reefs. The size of minerals used in the sunscreen can also have an impact.
They say, be sure to use micro-sized (or non-nano) mineral sunscreens to avoid nanoparticles, as these smaller particles can be toxic in high concentrations. It’s also advised to stick with lotions and avoid spray or misting sunscreens, especially those that contain titanium dioxide as it can be harmful to your health if inhaled.
It’s always good to use products that cut back on single use plastic packaging, either by using containers that are reusable, have high recycled content or are made out of biodegradable plant-based materials like cardboard.
Make sure your sunscreen does not contain the following harmful substances:
- Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate
- Octocrylene
- Homosalate
- 4-methylbenzylidene camphor
- PABA
- Parabens
- Triclosan
- Any nanoparticles or “nano-sized” zinc or titanium (if it doesn’t explicitly say “micro-sized” or “non-nano” and it can rub in, it’s probably nano-sized)
- Any form of microplastic, such as “exfoliating beads”
