Will Most Sunscreens Be Eventually Banned? by Dr. Mercola
Will Most Sunscreens Be Eventually Banned?
December 06, 2017 • 15,107views
Story at-a-glance
The
primary function of oxybenzone (benzophenone-3), commonly found in
chemical sunscreen products, is to prevent your skin from absorbing
ultraviolet light; it has weak estrogenic and powerful antiadrenergic
effects
Oxybenzone
is linked to deaths of coral reefs that provide a home to 25 percent of
all marine life across the world and that shelter coastlines from
erosion from ocean waves and currents
Working
with supporters, Hawaii's democratic state senator Will Espero has
proposed a bill that would ban the sale of products using oxybenzone to
protect the reefs and tourism in Hawaii
All
sunscreen eventually reaches the waterways as users shower and chemicals
enter the sewer system; physical barriers, such as clothing, zinc oxide
or titanium dioxide products (not nanoparticle products) are safer
By Dr. Mercola
Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3)1
is one of the most common ingredients found in sunscreen products. Its
primary function is to prevent your skin from absorbing ultraviolet (UV)
light. Since the chemical is cost effective and increases the sunblock
protection in a sunscreen product, it can be found in nearly 3,500
brands of sunscreen worldwide.2
If you reapply the product every two hours as directed, an average
day at the beach may mean you are exposed to 2 to 4 ounces of a product
containing chemicals known to disrupt human hormones.3 Studies have also suggested oxybenzone is a hormone disruptor in marine creatures.4
Although much media attention is focused on oxybenzone, other
chemicals in sunscreens trigger damage to human health and the
environment. These include octinoxate, which has demonstrated hormone
disruption in animals and behavioral alterations, homosalate, which is
unstable and breaks down in the sun, and avobenzone that may damage
sperm.5
As you swim, sunscreen
is released into the water, necessitating reapplication. However, this
release also dumps up to 14,000 metric tons of product into coral reef
areas each year.6
Much of the sunscreen contains oxybenzone that may damage marine life
at levels as low as 62 drops per trillion, or the equivalent of one drop
in 6.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water.7
In an effort to protect the coral reefs surrounding the Hawaiian
Islands, democratic state senator for Hawaii’s 19th District, Will
Espero, has introduced legislation that would ban the use of sunscreen
that contains oxybenzone on the Islands in an effort to protect the
surrounding coral reefs.8
How Sunscreen Works
Sunscreen use has risen dramatically in the past decade as the
medical community began warning against sunburn and sun exposure to
reduce the risk of skin cancer.9
This created a growing billion-dollar sunscreen industry. According to
industry analysts, the global market for sun care products is projected
to hit $11.1 billion by 2020.10
Sunscreen products work one of two ways to protect your skin from UV rays from the sun. The first is a mechanical barrier
used by mineral products that create a physical barrier to protect your
skin. The two most common are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. In the
past, these products were a thick white paste. However, in response to
consumer demand for more visually pleasing products, manufacturers have
turned to using nanoparticles of the same chemicals.
While much of the danger to humans is inhalation of these nanoparticles,11
which is why spray-on products are best avoided, these nanoparticles
have also been shown to cause ecological and aquatic damage after being
released into the environment.12 The second form of sunscreen product, chemical filters, hold greater potential for harm to the environment and human health.
A chemical filter works by undergoing a chemical reaction after it is absorbed into your skin,13
in the presence of UV light and heat. This means it gradually loses
protective properties and requires reapplication every two to three
hours.14
These sunscreens also include other ingredients meant to increase the
penetration of the chemicals into your skin, called "penetration
enhancers."15
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports that oxybenzone, one of
the most "worrisome" chemicals found in sunscreen, is in 65 percent of
sunscreen products on the market.16
Laboratory testing has demonstrated this chemical causes allergic skin
reactions, and has weak estrogenic and powerful antiandrogenic effects
in the body. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report
found oxybenzone in more than 96 percent of people living in the U.S.17
Data collected from adolescents reveal young boys with higher levels of oxybenzone had lower levels of testosterone.18
EWG gives oxybenzone a hazard score of 8 out of 10 in humans based on
skin penetration, widespread use and links with skin allergies and hormone disruption.19
Oxybenzone: Sunscreen Chemical Damages Coral Reefs
The potential damage by oxybenzone is not limited to human health.
Research has associated this chemical with death and damage to the
vibrant coral reefs off the coasts of Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.20 An international team21 led by Craig Downs, Ph.D., forensic ecotoxicologist22
and executive director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, found
the highest concentrations of oxybenzone along reefs popular with
tourists in the Caribbean and along Hawaii's coastline.
Downs explained the concentration of oxybenzone illuminates why they
didn't observe a healthy number of baby coral in the area, as oxybenzone is fatal to young coral
and alters the DNA of adults, making them more prone to lethal
bleaching and death. Even small amounts of the chemical have been shown
to alter DNA in a baby coral, causing it to encase itself in its
skeleton and die.
Oxybenzone also creates a situation in which the coral starves. Most
reef building coral have a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae. The
algae supply sugar for energy to the coral and the coral provides a
sheltered home and carbon dioxide from metabolism to the algae.23 When the algae are poisoned by oxybenzone, the coral expel them and then die from lack of nutrients.
This means tourists snorkeling along the coral reefs for an up close
and personal experience with one of nature's truly amazing and unique
sights may well be depositing chemicals during their swim that are
killing the reefs. In an effort to fight for the health of the local
environment, Espero and his team put together a bill to ban the sale of
sunscreen containing oxybenzone in Hawaii.
The irony is that damage to the environment by oxybenzone is more
potent in sunny environments, and the sunnier the area the more
sunscreen tourists use each day.24
As you may expect, this bill is being met with resistance by cosmetic
companies as they predict a ban would have a large negative impact on
their immediate revenue. However, while the bill was not successful in
2017, Espero and his supporters plan to continue to push for a ban on
the sale of sunscreen with oxybenzone in Hawaii. If passed, it is likely
other states will follow suit.25
Cosmetic Companies Concerned With Financial Losses
In this short news video, you'll see the extent of the damage to the
coral reef along the coastline of the big island in Hawaii and hear from
Robert Richmond, Ph.D., biologist, who studies the effect of oxybenzone
on marine life. Large cosmetic companies and their trade associations
blocked the legislation during the current state legislative calendar,
claiming the case against oxybenzone is not strong enough to warrant
impacting the financial gain of their companies.
A group representing nearly 90 percent of the personal care product industry commented,26
"There is no conclusive, scientific evidence that sunscreen ingredients
negatively impact coral reefs at levels that have been detected in
tourist areas." Richmond strongly disagrees with this opinion.
Levels found in the waters off the coasts of Hawaii and the Virgin
Islands are known to have a biological impact on coral. While personal care product
companies are concerned over a loss of sales, Espero argues that
reef-friendly sunscreen is already on the market, so a ban of the more
dangerous products should not hurt the market.27
In November 2015, a group from the European Union attempted a similar ban but the push has stalled.28
It is anticipated that should the ban in Hawaii pass, it could give the
ban in Europe the support needed to pass and protect more marine and
human life. Any bill that included oxybenzone-related regulation has met
with resistance by the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee in
the House29
that regulates trade, business and other matters pertinent to consumer
protection or protection of commerce and industry in the state.30
Although using sunscreen with oxybenzone at the beach has a
significant risk of washing off into the ocean water, it is important to
remember that anytime sunscreen is used and the wearer showers, the
chemicals wind up in the sewer system and eventually into the waterways.31
As Hawaii fights to protect their coral reefs locally, it is important
to note that the sunscreen you use in the Midwest may have an impact on
the health of coral reefs as the chemicals wash downstream into the
ocean waters.
Coral Reefs Protect the Coastline From Damaging Storms and More
Although coral reefs are beautiful, they also serve a unique and
compelling purpose for the protection of the coastline. They are a
priceless part of the marine ecosystem as they provide a habitat for
fish and other sea creatures and help absorb carbon dioxide from the
environment and protect coastal cities. Nearly 25 percent of all marine
life on the planet can be found in the coral reefs around the world.32
Together the marine plants and animals form an ecosystem that support marine biodiversity, performing critically important functions.33
As all ecosystems are complex and interconnected, the loss of
biodiversity in marine life over the past decades has significantly
impacted basic food sources for marine animals and ultimately humans.
The physical framework of coral reefs serves as a mechanical buffer,
protecting the coastline from ocean waves and currents. Passing over the
reefs, the energy in ocean waves may be reduced by as much as 90
percent.34
This protects the coastline from erosion and loss of more delicate
plant life, including mangroves, seagrass beds and the destruction of
coastal communities.
The reefs perform a number of other functions as well.35
They change molecular nitrogen in the water and convert it to products
marine life are able to use. They supply sediment that washes up on
shore, helping to line the coastline with white sand. The skeletons of
the coral can provide scientists with historical accounts of
environmental conditions and can be used as a tool to measure the impact
of environmental disturbances.
The value of the coral reefs along the U.S. coastlines has been set
between $30 and $172 billion each year as the areas provide food,
shoreline protection, increased tourism and even medicines.36
Marine organisms found along the reefs are rich in compounds they use
to protect themselves from predators, but which scientists have used in
medicines, including cancer agents, anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants
and bone grafts.37
These reefs may also form the backbone of local economies, funneling
tourist dollars into restaurants, hotels, diving equipment, boats and
entertainment facilities. These may be sustainable when tourists are
monitored to reduce damage to the local environment through damage to
the reefs. In 2001, it was estimated the commercial value to U.S.
fisheries from the reefs topped $100 million each year.38
Using Chemical Sunscreens May Increase Your Risk of Disease
While protecting the coral reefs is an important responsibility as
they protect our coastline and marine wildlife, chemical sunscreens also
affect your health. Oxybenzone is a known hormone disruptor, acting
like estrogen in the body, altering sperm production in men and
contributing to the development of endometriosis in women.39
A comparison of daily use of sunscreen against physical barriers,
such as wearing long sleeves and a hat or seeking shade, was evaluated
in respect to the development of two of the more common types of skin
cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
(cSCC). Over a period of 4.5 years and 1,600 Australian participants,
the researchers found no difference in the rate of development of these
types of skin cancer.40
I don't recommend spending enough time in the sun to be burned, but a
one-size-fits-all recommendation to apply sunscreen daily may have a
higher risk profile than anticipated. Some sunscreens may increase your
risk of skin cancer as they contain retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that has been found to promote the development of skin tumors41 when applied topically and exposed to the sun.42 Despite this knowledge, there are no warning labels to alert consumers of this potential danger.
It is important to remember the SPF rating on sunscreen refers to
protection against UVB light, which are the rays within the light
spectrum that allow your body to produce vitamin D.
However, the rating doesn't indicate protection against UVA rays linked
with skin damage and cancer. Blocking the ability of your body to
produce vitamin D increases your risk of cancers. One study found
vitamin D levels above 40 ng/mL are associated with a more than 65
percent lower risk of cancer. The researchers commented:43
"We found a clear association between 25(OH)D
[vitamin D] serum concentration and cancer risk, according to multiple
types of analyses. These results suggest the importance of vitamin D for
the prevention of cancer. Women with 25(OH)D concentrations ≥40 ng/ml
had a significantly lower risk of cancer (~70 [percent]) compared to
women with concentrations <20 ng/ml."
Naturally Enjoy Sensible Sun Exposure
Sensible sun exposure is important to your body's ability to produce
vitamin D and for a number of other functions, including improving
mental health,44 preventing chronic illnesses, improving cardiovascular health45 and reducing your risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.46
As there are thousands of different sunscreen products on the market,
it may seem challenging to find one without hormone disruptors that is
safe for pregnant women and children and that does not have carcinogenic
potential. The worst products contain synthetic fragrances, retinyl
palmitate and oxybenzones, and are created with nanoparticles. Safe
choices are lotions or creams with zinc oxide, as it is stable in the
sun and provides the best protection against UVA rays.47
It is important to ensure the product does not contain nanoparticles
and protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Although not harmful, the
higher SPF rating may engender a false sense of security, resulting in
staying longer in the sun without adequate UVA protection. For more tips
on sensible sun exposure, see my previous article, "Is Your Sunscreen Doing More Harm Than Good?"
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