Sun creams and lotions are a vital tool in protecting us from the sun. But especially chemical UV filters have a negative impact on our environment. So are there any sustainable alternatives to chemical sunscreens?
Like so many things that we use, sunscreens are bad for our environment. However, there are different types of UV filters commonly used and not all of them have the same negative impact.
Generally speaking, there are two types: chemical (or organic) and mineral (or inorganic). The former are synthetic UV filters that are made from carbon. The latter are natural ones made from minerals (like rock).
And it’s mostly the chemical UV filters that are seen as damaging to marine life. There is a good body of scientific evidence that has shown that commonly used chemical sunscreen ingredients are impacting a wide range of aquatic life, including mussels, coral, fish and sea urchins. (Wheate, 2022)
A study by Danovar et al. from 2008 has shown that organic (chemical) sunscreens contribute to coral bleaching, which is a disaster for our marine ecosystem. Coral bleaching is responsible for a huge loss of biodiversity, which is bad news for our planet.
So are there any eco-friendly alternatives? Let’s find out…
Mineral Sunscreens Are Eco-Friendly Alternative To Chemical Sunscreens
While no UV filter used in sunscreens is 100% eco-friendly and safe for the environment, mineral UV filters are seen as better for marine life than chemicals ones. (Caloni et al., 2021)
However, there is a caveat: it has to be the non-nano form to have the least impact on our environment. So what does that mean?
It’s about the size of the particles used. Nanoparticles are much smaller and make the sunscreen easier to apply. It will also be more transparent, so that it doesn’t leave a whitish layer on your skin.
But these tiny particles are much more reactive than the bigger ones. This means that they produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) when the UV light hits them. And these ROS can react with other organisms and cause them harm.
To prevent this from happening, the nanoparticles are coated with materials such as alumina and silica. However, the coating will degrade in the water, leaving the nanoparticles to produce ROS. (Lewicka et al., 2013)
As a result of all these studies, scientists say that mineral sunscreens with non-nano UV filters are the best option for the environment, as they have the least impact on marine life.
Stopping to use sunscreen altogether isn’t an option, due to the risk UV radiation poses to the health of our skin. So using mineral sunscreens with non-nano UV filters is the best eco-friendly alternative to chemical sunscreens.
Zinc Oxide (ZnO) And Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)
There are only two mineral UV filters that are approved for use in sun creams and lotions: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. They are naturally occurring minerals that absorb, scatter or reflect UV rays. (Schneider et al., 2018)
Both protect the skin from UVA and UVB radiations, so are classed as broad spectrum. It’s important to use a sunscreen that protects you from both types of radiation.
Mineral UV filters also provide a higher SPF factor, as they prevent more of the UVB rays to reach the skin, thereby giving greater protection against sunburn. The NHS recommends using broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF 30 or higher.
But as we have explained above, it’s important that the mineral filters in your chosen sunscreen aren’t in nano form. Most eco-friendly brands will tell you if they use non-nano mineral UV filters.
Because chemical UV filters tend to only protect against UVB radiation, many sun creams and lotions also contain mineral filters to offer broad spectrum protection. This means to ensure you choose a sunscreen that only uses inorganic UV filters, you have to know which organic filters to avoid:
- Avobenzone – it might be called Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane on the ingredients list
- Octocrylene
- Benzophenones – other names that might appear in the ingredients list are: Benzophenone-3, Oxybenzone
- Octinoxate – another name for this UV filter is Octylmethoxycinnamate or Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
- Homosalate
- Octisalate – could be listed as: Octyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate or Butyloctyl Salicylate
- Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol – also known as Bis Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine or as its brand name Tinosorb
- Ethylhexyl Triazone – might also appear in the ingredients list as Octyl Triazone
- Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
- Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone
- Drometrizole Trisiloxane – could also be in the ingredient list under Mexoryl XL or just Trisiloxane
- TriAsorB
- Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate
- Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but we have looked through the ingredient lists of the majority of sunscreens you can buy at Boots, including all the big, well-known brands. So if you look out for these, you can be sure that you will avoid chemical UV filters.
You can read more about what ingredients in sunscreen to avoid, read our article about this topic.
It has to be said that the number of pure mineral sunscreens is limited, and often the ingredient lists don’t mention if the Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide are present in nano or non-nano form.
We have also noticed that sometimes chemical UV filters are hidden in the list for inactive ingredients, rather than active ingredients. So it pays to have a close look at what’s in the sunscreen before you buy it.
Use Other Ways To Protect Yourself From The Sun
As we have said, no UV filter is 100% safe for our environment. To minimise the impact, it’s important to also use other forms of protection, so you can use less sun lotion or cream.
Here are the things you can do to protect yourself while using less sunscreen:
- Avoid sun – sit in the shade or stay inside
- Cover up – by wearing sun-protective clothing, you can protect your skin without wearing sunscreen on the parts that are covered up
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses – the shade from the hat will protect your face from UV radiation and the glasses will protect your eyes
These things you should be doing anyway, according to advice by the NHS and other organisations and health professionals. But especially, if you want to reduce the amount of sunscreen you use.
But don’t be tempted to ditch sun creams and lotions altogether, because they’re a vital tool in keeping you safe when enjoying sunny weather. None of the methods, including using sun lotions or creams, is perfect.
Only a combination of all of these will keep you safe from the sun’s UV radiation. This is advice that you will hear from scientists and professionals around the world, including Cancer Research UK.
Do Your Best To Minimise Our Impact On The Environment
While it would be great if we could live a 100% sustainable life, it’s just not possible. Yes, there are many products we can get rid of or swap to eco-friendly alternatives. But especially when our health is at risk, we have to be sensible.
This means choosing the right balance between being eco-friendly and protecting ourselves. Sometimes the only thing we can do is minimise rather than eliminate the impact we have on our planet.
Sunscreens are such a case. By looking at what the science says, we can choose the most eco-friendly alternative to chemical sunscreens: mineral sunscreens.
As long as we make sure that we only use sun lotions and creams that contain non-nano Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide, the risk to our marine life is smaller. Not zero, but smaller.
By also using other ways to protect ourselves from the sun, we can further reduce the impact of our sun protection routine.
So just do your best, our planet will be grateful for every little thing you do for it. You can find out more about eco-friendly sunscreen here.
