TAGS: Sun Care
A company owned by ADParticles, ADP Cosmetics offers a real and sustainable alternative for coral protection. Broad-spectrum non-nanometric mineral UV filters that effectively protect against UVB and UVA radiation (UVA / UVB ratio> 0.6).
EnhanceU filters are composed by zinc and / or titanium oxide and allow the development of sustainable formulas for sun protection and skin care. The filters are stable over time and photostable, without the need to combine them with other filters. The range is completed with mineral filters and pigments with iron oxides in its composition for color cosmetics.
Bleaching Causes Rapid Decline in Corals
The ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University detected the worst coral bleaching event on record to date of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the largest living structure on the planet, and World Heritage Site since 1981.
Bleaching occurs when corals expel symbiotic algae living in their-tissues, zooxanthellae, due to factors, such as water temperature, excess sunlight, or pollutants. Because algae are their main source of food, corals weaken, become ill, and if conditions do not improve, they die. Frequent and severe bleaching episodes have been observed in recent years, causing a rapid decline in corals.
Effect of Cosmetics on Marine Environment
Water quality is one of the environmental threats. Any effort to reduce pollution can contribute to coral survival or recovery of a degraded area. The potential impact of sunscreens on corals and algae from different areas of the world was evaluated and concluded that the chemical filters octinoxate (ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate) and oxybenzone cause coral bleaching at all the concentrations.
The conclusions of these and other studies have led to the prohibition of such filters in Palau (Western Pacific, 2020), Hawaii (except by prescription) and Key West, Florida (effective 2021). The Virgin Islands (USA) and the island of Bonaire (Netherlands), in the Caribbean, have banned sun creams containing oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene (2020).
Sunscreen with Non-nano Mineral Filters
To date, no official testing conditions have been established to determine if a cosmetic product is reef-friendly. Sunscreen products with
titanium dioxide and
zinc oxide are accepted as "safe" and are recommended.
The authors, such as Corinaldesi et al (2018) or Adler et al (2020) concluded that nanometric ZnO causes coral bleaching. The thesis of E.C. Johnsen compares 43 marine toxicity studies performed with chemical and mineral filters, nanometric and non-nanometric.
These investigations conclude the importance of avoiding chemical filters and using non-nano TiO
2 and ZnO mineral filters, with a larger particle size and lower rates of solubility in sea water, to reduce the exposure of organisms in coral reefs to toxic substances.
The recommendations to use sun creams with products respectful of marine biodiversity are also found on the coasts. The industry, and ADP Cosmetics as part of it can also reduce the ecological footprint using non-nanometric mineral UV filters made in Spain.
Source: ADP Cosmetics