10 eco-friendly, marine/ coral safe and plastic-free sunscreens

As summer is approaching so is the need to protect yourself from harmful UV rays. So here our shortlist of marine & coral safe, zero-waste and non-toxic sunscreens.

1. Sol de Ibiza

2. Suntribe

3. Mama Kuleana

4. Manda Organic

5. Dirty Hippie

6. Herbal Chest

7. Empire-squid Organics

8. SurfDurt

9. YeaBah

10. Eir NYC

What are the ingredients to look out for in sunscreens that are harmful for marine-life? Here the list of toxic chemicals for us and our oceans:

• Oxybenzone
• Octinoaxate
• Octocrylene
• Benzophenone-1
• Benzophenone-8
• OD-PABA
• 4-Methylbenzylidene
• Camphor
• Nano-titanium dioxide
• Nano-zinc oxide

This is how sunscreen chemicals can affect marine life:

• Green Algae: they can impair their growth and ability to photosynthesize
• Coral: they can accumulate in tissues, and induce bleaching, damage their DNA and deform their young.
• Mussels: they can affect and deform their offspring
• Sea Urchins: they can damage immune and reproductive systems and deform their young.
• Fish: they can decrease fertility/reproduction and cause female characteristics in male fish
• Dolphins: They can accumulate in tissues and be transferred to their young