Holland & Barrett bans ocean-damaging chemicals from entire sun cream range

Many sun protection options on the market contain ingredients which harm fish and damage coral reefs, reports Saman Javed

Chemicals in SPF can cause damage to coral reefs and harm fish (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Hight street health store Holland & Barrett has announced that it will stop sales of all SPF lotions which contain ingredients that damage the ocean.

In a statement this week, the retailer said it will discontinue all products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate – two popular ingredients in chemical suncare – in favour of mineral-based lotions.

The decision comes after a 2015 study, published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology journal, found a direct link between the two ingredients and damage to vulnerable marine life, such as coral reefs and mussels, fish and dolphins that can absorb the chemicals.

Researchers found that just one drop of oxybenzone in the equivalent of six-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools of water is enough to cause damage.

The decision is in line with the governments of Thailand and Hawaii, which have already banned the chemicals.

One way chemicals from sunscreen enter the ocean is when beachgoers go swimming in the ocean. According to Ocean Conservancy, a US-based environmental group, coral reefs in Hawaii are exposed to more than 6,000 tonnes of SPF lotion every year.

The chemicals have adverse effects on marine life in several ways. They have been found to impair growth of photosynthesis of green algae, and can induce bleaching, DNA damage and even kill coral reefs.

When absorbed by mussels, the chemicals can cause defects in the young. In sea urchins, oxybenzone and octinoxate can damage immune systems.

The chemicals also impair the reproductive systems of many fish, the US National Ocean Service reports.

Jo Ruxton from Ocean Generation, a charity that campaigns to eliminate human threats to the ocean, highlights that our chemical sunscreens may damage the ocean, even if we don’t go swimming.

“Even if we don’t swim soon after applying lotion, those chemicals can still reach the ocean when we shower or use an aerosol application,” Ruxton said.

“Our ocean has been bombarded with toxic chemicals following decades of industrial and agricultural waste pouring into it. Now we know the damage these can do, every step we can take to prevent it worsening is critical.”

Save the Reef has issued guidance on which sunscreens it considers “ocean safe”. It says the key is to look for an SPF that uses physical UVA and UVB filters, as opposed to chemical ingredients.

Most commonly, these physical filters are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. “The term reef safe typically means that the sunscreen contains only mineral UV-blocking ingredients like oxide and titanium dioxide,” Joshua Zeichner, US-based dermatologist in New York City said.

“Both nano particle – a smaller particle size – and traditional zinc oxide sunscreens are both safe and effective, and both will be considered safe for reefs.”

Holland & Barrett has launched a new mineral-based range of sunscreens in SPF 15, 30 and 50.

The news has been welcomed by Ocean Conservation Trust. Nicole Bridge, head of ocean advocacy and engagement at the charity said: “We are really excited to hear that Holland & Barrett is taking this huge step to support a thriving ocean.

“Everyone can make simple changes in their daily lives to help protect our ocean and we recommend using sustainable sunscreen as a great way to keep yourself and the ocean safe.

“Hopefully other retailers will be inspired to do the same for the health of our ocean.”