Sunscreen & environment: Know everything
Sunscreen vs environment
What are the impacts of solar creams on the environment?
Today, it is essential to use a sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV (sunburns, skin cancers ...). However, certain solar products have harmful consequences on the environment and participate in the destruction of the marine eco-system (fish, corals, algae ...). Here are some figures showing the extent of the sundrums:
Water pollution by solar creams is mainly due to swimming in summer. A blatant example is when 3000 people are present on a beach in summer, around 5 to 32kg of solar creams are released in the water.
Solar filters: good or bad?
Solar products are made up of one or more solar filters to protect the skin from UV rays. However, some filters are not necessarily good for the environment and cause many harmful consequences. Two types of solar filters exist: mineral filters and organic filters.
Here is a list listing the best known organic filters and their environmental impacts:
- 4-MBC (4-Methylbenzilidene Camphor) : presence of residues in river basins and coastal waters. Qualified as very toxic to wildlife (effect on reproduction and behavior) and sea flora.
- Octinoxate or octylmethoxycinnamate (WTO) : presence of residues at the levels of the sea coast. This organic filter is bioacculable, it has effects on the reproduction of aquatic invertebrates as well as hormonal effects in fish.
- Homosalatia : organic filter most detected in the coastal environment of Hawaii and corals. It is toxic to microflora and marine microfaun.
- Octocrylene : This organic filter is present at the maritime coast. It has effects on marine flora and fauna: bioaccumulation, threats to aquaculture and coral barrier.
Organic filters
Mineral filters
Two mineral filters exist: titanium dioxde and zinc oxide. They are considered better for the environment except when they are in the form of nanoparticles (recognizable on the label of solar creams by the box [nano]).
Why do nanoparticles?
Mineral filters are very difficult to spread out on the skin and leave white traces that are not very aesthetic. To remedy this, the filters were designed in very fine particles, the nanoparticles, which eliminate this white rendering. However, these particles are so small that it can infiltrate everywhere, including within organisms.
The consequences of mineral filters [nano] on the environment:
- titanium dioxide: This mineral filter is toxic to certain species belonging to marine fauna and it is eco -dual for corals.
- Zinc oxide: This mineral filter causes coral whitening, impacts the biological functioning of certain species of fish and disrupts the growth of reeds.
What to choose?
Today you have the choice between two types of environmentally friendly and health solar filters: non -nano mineral filters or new generation organic filters. New generation organic filters? To remedy the problems caused by organic health and environment filters, new organic filters have been developed called "new generation organic filters".
The Monjour Solar range effectively protects children, parents and pregnant women from the harmful effects of the sun. With its new generation organic filters, it respects the health of young and old while preserving the environment. Monjour solar products are ETOXISAFE certified, ensuring the preservation of seaweed.
My day protects young and old from the harmful effects of the sun.
The Monjour team
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