Info NAS releases report on sunscreens

[tursiops]

The U.S. National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine has released a new report about sunscreens:
Review of Fate, Exposure, and Effects of Sunscreens in Aquatic Environments and Implications for Sunscreen Usage on Human Health
Full report available at Review of Fate, Exposure, and Effects of Sunscreens in Aquatic Environments and Implications for Sunscreen Usage and Human Health |The National Academies Press
Public Briefing summary at https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/08-09-2022/docs/DE8D2F37D568907A008E22A468DB43C041D0711627BA

As with most such reports, "more study is needed." The trade-off is reduced effectiveness as a UV sunscreen for humans, versus increased safety for the environment. In plain-speak, the best sunscreens are the worst for the environment.

Bottom line, read the ingredients list, not the marketing label that says "reef safe." Avoid especially organic UV filters and focus on inorganic UV filters. Here is a list from slide #6 of the Briefing:

Organic UV Filters​

Aminobenzoic acid​

Avobenzone Cinoxate​

Dioxybenzone​

Ecamsule​

Ensulizole​

Homosalate​

Meradimate​

Octinoxate​

Octisalate​

Octocrylene​

Oxybenzone​

Padimate O​

Sulisobenzone​

Trolamine salicylate​

Inorganic UV Filters​

Titanium dioxide (TiO2)​

Zinc oxide (ZnO)​

 

[Jcp2]

Best sunscreen is diveskin, buff, beanies, thin work gloves, and keep mask and regulator on until on boat and seated in the shade. Bonus points for cold water lip shield.

 

[tursiops]

Best sunscreen is diveskin, buff, beanies, thin work gloves, and keep mask and regulator on until on boat and seated in the shade. Bonus points for cold water lip shield.

FYI, Bonaire does not allow gloves without a doctor's note and STINAPA permission.

 

[wnissen]

The U.S. National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine has released a new report about sunscreens:
Review of Fate, Exposure, and Effects of Sunscreens in Aquatic Environments and Implications for Sunscreen Usage on Human Health
Full report available at Review of Fate, Exposure, and Effects of Sunscreens in Aquatic Environments and Implications for Sunscreen Usage and Human Health |The National Academies Press
Public Briefing summary at https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/08-09-2022/docs/DE8D2F37D568907A008E22A468DB43C041D0711627BA

As with most such reports, "more study is needed." The trade-off is reduced effectiveness as a UV sunscreen for humans, versus increased safety for the environment. In plain-speak, the best sunscreens are the worst for the environment.

Bottom line, read the ingredients list, not the marketing label that says "reef safe." Avoid especially organic UV filters and focus on inorganic UV filters. Here is a list from slide #6 of the Briefing:

Organic UV Filters​

Aminobenzoic acid​

Avobenzone Cinoxate​

Dioxybenzone​

Ecamsule​

Ensulizole​

Homosalate​

Meradimate​

Octinoxate​

Octisalate​

Octocrylene​

Oxybenzone​

Padimate O​

Sulisobenzone​

Trolamine salicylate​

Inorganic UV Filters​

Titanium dioxide (TiO2)​

Zinc oxide (ZnO)​

This does seem remarkably inconclusive, even by scientific standards. On the one hand acute toxicity isn't even possible for many of these chemicals because their solubility in water isn't high enough to permit it. On the other hand it seems like very little to nothing is known about chronic toxicity, which is what you really care about. Acute is much easier to measure but probably about as relevant as the studies on cancer where they feed 10 or 100x the typical dose. For instance avobenzone appears to be toxic to some marine life as low as 10 micrograms per liter. But an ounce of sunscreen has only 1000 micrograms, so the concentration in water is going to be diluted by what, a factor of a million? And it has the advantage of being made of only carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, versus the inorganic sunscreens which use titanium or zinc that are going to accumulate in the environment. And the acute toxicity of "safe" zinc appears to be almost as high as oxybenzone and avobenzone.

The older I get the more I agree with Jcp2 that there is no substitute for coverage when it comes to the sun.

 

[-JD-]

Maybe I'm missing something (looked at slide deck and skimmed the report) but I keep seeing
Concentrations are typically below 1 μg/L (max 10)
Acute toxicity has been observed under 1,000 μg/L

Feels a lot like feeding mice with pounds of Saccharine significantly elevates their cancer risk. So ban Saccharine ...

ETA: @wnissen beat me to the punch ...

 

[RobPNW]

FYI, Bonaire does not allow gloves without a doctor's note and STINAPA permission.

Seen a few places like that. Why is that? I don't get cold easy but in a wreck let's say, I could see someone might want protection for their hands.

 

[JohnN]

Seen a few places like that. Why is that? I don't get cold easy but in a wreck let's say, I could see someone might want protection for their hands.

My guess is they assume without gloves, some bozo diver touches the fire coral, then they'll stay well away the next time.

Put gloves on, no lesson learned

 

[tursiops]

Research studies have looked at diver interactions with the reef as a function of gender, gloves, camera. The worst (most touching and harming of the reef) is a male photographer wearing gloves. No gloves rules are an attempt to minimize touching the reef.

 

[-JD-]

Research studies have looked at diver interactions with the reef as a function of gender, gloves, camera. The worst (most touching and harming of the reef) is a male photographer wearing gloves. No gloves rules are an attempt to minimize touching the reef.

Do you know if that study included a category: (Male) DMs kicking the s..t out of the reef to show us stuff after lecturing us about being careful in the dive briefing?

Kinda thinking that is a bit worse. Also marine park rules against dive knives preventing active mitigation ...

 

[tursiops]

Do you know if that study included a category: (Male) DMs kicking the s..t out of the reef to show us stuff after lecturing us about being careful in the dive briefing?

Kinda thinking that is a bit worse. Also marine park rules against dive knives preventing active mitigation ...

LOL. It is always someone else touching the reef....

I don't think there is a rule against dive knifes.