Does ‘Reef Safe’ Actually Mean Anything?
Is there such thing as ‘reef safe’?
I know there are sunscreen ingredients that are harmful to coral reefs, so I’ve always shopped for reef-friendly formulas. But recently I’ve noticed other beauty products, like skin care and hair care, using the term “reef safe.” What gives? And how do I know which ingredients to avoid when I’m in the ocean?
If you’re an eco-aware beauty shopper (or have traveled to Hawaii), you’re probably seen products labeled “reef safe.” I find that term highly problematic. Let me explain why, then I’ll give you other guidelines for shopping more … marine-consciously.
First, there is no legal definition for reef safe, reef conscious, or reef friendly, partly because “there are no standardized methods to test for reef safety,” says cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline, the founder of KKT Consultants. One could argue that many consumers believe a reef-safe label means that a product is free of oxybenzone and octinoxate, two sunscreen ingredients implicated for coral bleaching in early research. (In fact, that seems to be what plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits against Big Lots and against Wegmans are doing.) But even if there were standardized tests for reef safety, there are tens of thousands of other ingredients used in beauty products, and the majority of them have not been studied for their environmental effects. “It’s likely that every ingredient will have some sort of negative effect on coral at some concentration, since the dose makes the poison,” says chemist Michelle Wong, author of the new book The Science of Beauty: Debunk the Myths and Discover What Goes Into Your Beauty Routine.
There are also philosophical issues at play here. “I think [“reef safe”] is really misleading,” Wong says. “Many coral scientists consider it a cynical distraction from the much more significant threats to coral, which are harder to act on than simply using different products.” I see their point: If I were to buy something labeled reef safe, I might assume that I’d made the right choice for the environment and there’d be no need to make any other changes to my behavior to minimize my impact.
What’s an environmentally conscious beauty lover to do — buy whatever you want, fish be damned? You could go that route. But if you’re like me, you realize there are no free passes when it comes to beauty products, and even the most carefully and consciously packaged consumer goods will have some sort of negative effect on the environment. So you try to make the best choices possible in hopes that even a small difference is better than no difference at all. If that’s the case, here’s what I’d recommend:
1. Use less stuff.
Since there are thousands of ingredients that haven’t been tested for reef safety — and some that are pretty likely to cause harm — use as few beauty products as possible when you’re swimming in natural bodies of water. Skip the makeup and hair-styling products, and wear sun-protective clothing like swim leggings and rash guards to cover as much of your body as possible so you need less sunscreen.
2. Wear non-micronized mineral sunscreen that’s very water resistant.
For the remainder of your skin that’s exposed, Wong suggests “using very water-resistant sunscreen to reduce wash off.” And while there are no “safe” sunscreens, mineral formulas that rely on non-nano titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide are thought to be a better option for marine life than chemical sunscreens, according to a report published by the National Academies.
3. Use readily biodegradable formulas.
It may not be a foolproof method for judging the environmental impact of a product, but Koestline says that biodegradable formulas are probably better for oceans, in part because they don’t contain PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals. However, the term biodegradable has its own issues (marketers can claim something is biodegradable “even if it takes 50 years to degrade,” says Koestline). She suggests looking for formulas that are “readily biodegradable,” meaning most of the formula will break down within 28 days. (The sunscreens from Stream2Sea make the cut.)
Stream2sea Sunscreen for Face and Body SPF 20
One last thought: Even though there is no legal definition of “reef safe,” I don’t think you should assume companies using the term are being purposefully deceptive. In the absence of industry standards, many brands have come up with their own tests for reef safety, and they’re selling products they believe to be healthier for the environment — for example, by making their formulas readily biodegradable and using mono-material packaging that’s easier to recycle. The problem is that their responsible choices overshadow all the other companies who are just slapping on a “reef safe” label, using whatever justification they like for doing so. “It’s so frustrating to see marketers use that language without understanding the implications,” says Koestline.
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