Suntan lotions and Sunscreens

[kissman]

I might be rambling here but one thing I worry about with corals and the ocean in general is the amount of suntan lotion and or sunscreen that is used on a persons body multiplied by the number of people on the beach around the world all day everyday. Its never ending. I can't imagine putting it in my reef tank so I don't see why it should be in the ocean. I know that some companies have started making "Reef Safe" lotions and sun screens. I think something should be done to force companies to make ALL REEF SAFE! Atleast to help make the public aware. Please feel free to comment on this. I would love to hear your thoughts and what as Reefers we can do to help this happen!

 

[Wolverine]

It's a good idea, but probably won't take off. One problem is that companies are going to charge more if they can make that environmental claim (even if it doesn't cost them anymore).

The bigger issue is location. If you go to reefs near beaches where there are a ton of people, you're probably looking at a lot of algae and a few corals. If you want to see really nice reefs, you have to get to more remote locations, at which point you don't have enough people to make a huge impact.

 

[jgraz]

Are you kidding me? Whatever "safe" stuff is made, it always works worse, and eco friendly stuff never works and usually cost more. I'll take regular old sunscreen and have a fighting chance against cancer.

 

[kissman]

its just a thought no need in getting upset, lol! just thought it would be fun to debate. I think life causes cancer, so does, Red M&M's i think it was?

 

[Luiz Rocha]

It is a good idea, but in my opinion there are many other, much, much larger problems that should be tackled before this one.

 

[Qcks]

I think it might be ok.

UV absorbing material is pretty inert. Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, long chain carbon compounds with lots of double bonds (oil and waxes).....

Titanium dioxide is completely inert. It's biocompatible, which is why people get titanium rods and stuff put in them when they have badly broken bones.
Zinc oxide.... especially in a basic solution isn't soluble and just drifts to the bottom of the ocean.

Organic UV blockers might be a bit more troublesome, but luckily there's some impediments to them becoming an issue. First, they aren't really soluble in water, which is pretty much self explanatory.
Second, these lipids are different then the bottle of cooking oil in your kitchen. These lipids are large molecules (19-20 carbon molcules in length), and they actually sink, rather then float, especially when blended with The inorganic mentioned above...
These two characteristics means that, when taken in tandem, organic UV absorbing material either stick to the person putting it on (because people have oily skin), or it sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

If you can put a lipid into contact with a soil or sand substrate, it can be broken down through bacterial action, and the micro organisms in the ocean probably enjoy the extra carbon, considering they're bombarded with nitrogenous waste from all the discarded hair and skin cells.
Carbon dosing works for a reason ya?

The carrier lotion might be more the issue, but, depending on the formulation, it's not impossible to work around that. Avoid using sunscreens that use lighter oils, so that they don't float on the water.

 

[kissman]

Wow nice write up!

 

[rwb500]

funny you should mention this. this exact problem is priority #123213793287239847239472398472394723985734095306945068 on the EPA's to-do list.

 

[jerpa]

funny you should mention this. How to tax this exact problem is priority #1 on the EPA's to-do list.

FTFY:thumbsup:

 

[doctorgori]

I'm thinking more enviormental impact is in those plastic sunscreen bottles destined for the nearest landfill or great Pacific plastic patch

 

[TheFishTeen]

It may seem like so many people and so many beaches, but the ocean is big. Very, very, very, very big. There are boats and machines dumping chemicals 10x more destructive than sunscreen into the oceans. There is a bigger threat to the reef from dive boats dropping anchors on coral colonies and reef life than the small amounts of sunscreen polluting the ocean IMO. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, this is mine.

 

[bmhair03]

Certain sunscreens are banned at some tourist spots in Mexico. They claim certain sunscreen in smaller Lagoon type reefs were lowering the O2 levels of the water. Just what I was told at these spots,not scientific.

 

[jeffreylesser]

Here is the science

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/f...1289/ehp.10966

 

[jeffreylesser]

Article moved. Try this link:

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.10966

 

[kissman]

Thanks Jeff good article!

 

[bc1281]

Are you kidding me? Whatever "safe" stuff is made, it always works worse, and eco friendly stuff never works and usually cost more. I'll take regular old sunscreen and have a fighting chance against cancer.

If your trying to avoid cancer, then stay away from sunscreen.

 

[Janet92]

Whatever "safe" stuff is made, it always works worse, and eco friendly stuff never works and usually cost more.

 

[El Mujadore]

I think it might be ok.

UV absorbing material is pretty inert. Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, long chain carbon compounds with lots of double bonds (oil and waxes).....
.

So Coppertone has no copper... I like this topic,
and not to steal or re-direct its thunder...
is the lack of water treatments before our poo and chemical waste concoction hits the ocean. In the developed world it is bad enough that we do nothing to take caustic compounds, hormones, perfumes, and other synthetic chemicals out of the sewage, but in many countries raw dumping or burning is still the primary way.