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Protecting your skin from the sun is a no-brainer when it comes to the beach. But Emily F. introduces us to new research connecting coral reef deterioration and water pollution to elevated levels of chemicals commonly found in sunscreens . It's important to find sunscreens that are devoid of the harmful chemicals but still protect your skin from the sun.
By Emily F.
People should wear eco-friendly sunscreen. Sunscreens that are not eco-friendly contain the chemicals oxybenzone or BP-3. These are found in around 3,500 skin care products and sunscreens. This chemical is affecting lakes and rivers, coral reefs, and aquatic animals. An overwhelmingly large amount of sunscreen containing 5% oxybenzone is released into coral reef spaces each year. The chemical oxybenzone can cause major losses in aquatic habitat.
The first reason that people should wear sunscreen with eco-friendly materials is because these chemicals are affecting lakes and rivers. The sunscreen is destroying freshwater food chains by killing fish, according to Benedictine College. This kind of sunscreen can also disturb reproduction and can cause DNA failure. These chemicals have already lowered numbers of some species such as water fleas, who are an important layer in fresh water food chains. The sunscreen left these bugs unable to get around in their own eco- system.
The second reason people should wear eco-friendly sunscreen is because it is affecting coral reefs, which are big homes to fish and aquatic life. When sunscreen falls into the ocean, coral reefs bleach. This is when they turn completely white. According to NOAA, when a coral bleaches, it lowers the chance of growth and reproductive capacity, and gives coral a higher chance of disease and death. According to HRSD, 6,000 to 14,000 tons of sunscreen with chemicals released into coral reefs each year will end up in the coral reefs and turn up white.
Most importantly, people should wear eco-friendly sunscreen because aquatic life is being harmed. According to Beachapedia, chemicals being released into the ocean can cause higher risk of disease and miscarriages in sea animals. It can also lead to impacts on the immune system, and finally brain function and reproductive abilities of aquatic life. Also, due to the harmful chemicals destroying Coral reefs, fish are losing their habitats and their environment.
In conclusion, people should wear eco-friendly sunscreen to protect aquatic life because it is causing damage to the lakes and rivers, it is killing and bleaching coral reefs, and aquatic life is decreasing.
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