The intent is to protect coral reefs. Currently, oxybenzone and octinoxate are commonly used in sunscreen lotions, but some are available that do not use these ingredients.
I had read of this several years ago and bought a long sleeved swim jacket to wear while snorkeling in the Keys. That protected my arms. There are swim leggings also for legs. I just covered up when I got back on the boat.
I have a swim jacket too and it’s great! Also a “sunscreen shirt” that I throw on while walking the dog if it’s hot and sunny.
Those mineral based sunscreens though are awful. Just horribly thick and oily. Hopefully someone will be able to make one that isn’t so bad. Hawaii is a big enough market, and Australia is a huge market. They should be racing to come up with a reef-friendly sunscreen.
Great move. I remember a trip to Mexico’s Xcaret, where they were insisting on biodegradable sunscreen. This was 15 years ago. Apparently Mexico cares more about their environment than we do.
How has suntan lotion changed over the years? I ask because I’ve noticed far more suntan lotion gunk accumulating in resort pools and in the water next to beaches. We snorkel quite a bit and you can see a layer of gunk on the surface. I don’t remember seeing so much in the past. Maybe lotion usage has significantly increased over the decades and that’s the problem.
You know what else is a huge problem? Spray on sunblock. About half of it ends up blown by the wind into the air and will eventually end up in the ocean.
The long-sleeved and short-sleeved tops are called “rash guards” in HI and are widely available, I closing at Costco and Sam’s Club and WalMart for prices of $20 and less. There are also “higher end” ones costing considerably more. They are nade for all ages and most body types.
Board shorts are also pretty widely available and reasonable as well.
When we vacation in HI, we wake up very early and hit the beach by 8 am. No sunblocks is needed yet. We relax, then go snorkeling wearing our rash guards. Then we dry off in the shade for an hour or so and go back inside. Mid-day is usually relaxation on the lanai or dryland activities. We go back to the beach later in the day, around 4-4:30 pm, when the sun is not so scorching. That way, we minimize the use of sunblock, mineral or not.
“Those mineral based sunscreens though are awful. Just horribly thick and oily. Hopefully someone will be able to make one that isn’t so bad. Hawaii is a big enough market, and Australia is a huge market. They should be racing to come up with a reef-friendly sunscreen.”
There are some nice mineral based sunscreens that aren’t thick and oily at all, but they’re expensive. The Coola Mineral SPF 30 Cucumber Matte stuff is fantastic. None of the oxy ingredients that harm the reefs. Nice, nongreasy texture to apply and sinks in completely to a dry finish no matter how oily your skin is. I’m on a boat 3-4 days a week in Florida and with a redhead’s complexion, I burn in about 10 minutes without sunscreen. But between long sleeve sun protective clothing ( I prefer the Columbia SPF wear for outside the water rather than a rash guard because the Columbia SPF wear is cooler, more breathable), a hat and the Coola, I don’t even tan. Unfortunately, the Coola is expensive, so wouldn’t be something you’d want to wear on your whole body unless price is no object.
Oxybenzone shouldn’t be in sunscreens. It’a hazardous to humans as well as the coral. It is a phenobenzone, which was the contact allergen of the year in 2014. Oxybenzone is the #1 photoallergen in sunscreens and it helps other allergens penetrate the skin. It may also be a hormone disruptor. I’m one of those unfortunate people for him oxybenzone actually causes photosensitivity. In other words, wearing sunscreen with this ingredient makes me react like I’m allergic to the sun.
There are plenty of sunscreens that don’t contain that ingredient.
I feel sorry for folks baking under the scorching sun.