Sunscreen and coral: Can 'reef protection factor' save your skin and the sea?

Scientists have developed a sunscreen that protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, while promoting the growth of corals threatened by the chemicals found in many of these products. Photo: AFP

Although beneficial for combating the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays, sun creams and tanning oils are far less beneficial for coral reefs. This is due to the presence of chemical compounds such as oxybenzone, which contribute to the coral bleaching process, and the ultimate decline of reefs.

To counter this, scientists in Eilat, on the shores of the Red Sea, have developed a sunscreen formulated to nourish endangered corals.

Tourists use between 16,000 and 25,000 tonnes of sunscreen each year in tropical regions, potentially releasing between 4,000 and 6,000 tonnes of sunscreen into reef areas, according to the findings of a study published in the scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

While it's impossible, and even totally inadvisable, to stop protecting ourselves from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays, many brands are now working to offer sun protection products with cleaner formulas.

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This includes eliminating the most harmful chemical compounds, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, but scientists are trying to go even further by proposing products that could actually reverse – as far as possible – the mechanism that contributes to coral bleaching.

Indeed, marine biologists and skincare experts have worked hand in hand to develop a sunscreen that protects against the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays while promoting the growth of endangered coral reefs.

The initiative came about in sunny Eilat, a seaside town in southern Israel which is home to the Coral Beach underwater reserve, featuring around a hundred species of coral and several hundred species of fish.

This is an area that the local municipality is working hard to preserve from the ravages of mass tourism, and more particularly, from the dangers inherent in the use of sunscreens not formulated to protect the oceans.

A combination of trace minerals

Called Reef Relief, this new kind of sun protection is a nanoparticle-free, titanium dioxide-based mineral sunscreen, and contains a "bespoke blend of FDA-compliant trace minerals used by coral farmers to feed and support healthy growth in coral", the experts behind the initiative explain in a news release.

With a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 to 50, this sunscreen also boasts a new certification: RPF for "reef protection factor".

The aim is to encourage the establishment of a new industry-wide standard to help consumers make informed choices.

"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," says Giovanni Giallongo, marine biologist at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Eilat.

"Reef Relief could feed into the health of communities underwater and on land."

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The scientist adds that RPF certification is a way of identifying sunscreen that truly cares for coral.

"An RPF marque as an industry standard: this could be game-changing," he points out.

However, vacationers won't be able to slather on this sunscreen just yet, since it is still undergoing tests and trials at this stage.

"We thank you for your patience and hopefully, Reef Relief will be available for purchase soon," reads the product website.

In the meantime, you can opt for a sunscreen that excludes the most problematic chemical compounds in order to protect the health of your skin and that of the sea. – AFP Relaxnews