You'll be totally shocked by how your sun cream is destroying marine life. Here's what you can do about it

Unless you’ve been living in blissful ignorance, you’ll know that our oceans are in a bad way. If you’ve binge-watched Netflix's David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, which exposed how many of our choices have a devastating impact on marine life, or found yourself deeply upset by the effect of plastic consumption on ocean wildlife presented in Seaspiracy, hopefully you’ll already be on the lookout for ways to help preserve our precious oceans.

Here at GLAMOUR HQ, we're all about finding the seemingly small, simple and sustainable steps that can make the world of difference to the planet, environment, oceans and animals that inhabit them. Which is why when news hit the headlines that Thailand has banned sunscreens that contain certain reef-damaging ingredients, we were over the moon.

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If coral reefs and marine life didn't crossed your mind the last time you were sat on a sun-drenched beach, sipping Whispering Angel whilst slathering on your sun cream, we can’t blame you. Because the truth is, we’ve kept in the dark about the potentially devastating effects our SPF habits have been having on our oceans.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the ‘reef-friendly’ badges you’ve seen cropping up on SPF bottles over the past couple of years were little more than a marketing ploy, but they actually mean a whole lot to the planet. Every year, 14,000 tons of sun cream are discharged into the oceans. And while for the most part this seems to come at no cost to the planet, there are certain ingredients common in sunscreen formulas that pose a threat.

Chemical filters prevalent in a number of sunscreens, such as oxybenzone, octinoxate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and butylparaben, have the potential to bleach coral reefs, causing them to deteriorate and subsequently, destroying their ecosystems. And while places such as Hawaii, Fiji, Palau and parts of Florida have also banned the sale of SPFs containing these chemicals, Thailand’s recent decision is monumental.

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You see, while there is plenty of evidence to suggest these chemicals do cause coral reef bleaching, as with many moves in sustainability, there are sceptics (that argue the amount in our sunscreen is too small to cause damage, although there is evidence to counteract this claim) that have the power to limit progression.

A country like Thailand, that relies heavily on tourism and is considered a global hotspot, making the decision to ban the use of sunscreens that contain these chemicals in its marine national parks sets the precedent for other nations to follow suit.

And the craziest thing is, swapping to reef-friendly formulas that don’t contain any of these marine damaging chemicals is easier than ever. With mineral SPF formulas becoming common place on shelves, you can protect your skin from the sun safe in the knowledge that a quick dip in the sea won’t be detrimental to the reefs.

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