sunscreens and the reef

The chemicals that help us by filtering UV rays are causing severe damage to Hawaii's marine environment, according to a study by Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, a nonprofit scientific organization. They show up in coastal waters after beachgoers swim in the ocean and via discharges from wastewater treatment plants. The study found that the chemicals seep into young coral and contribute to coral bleaching, which occurs when an increase in sea temperatures kills the algae that grows inside coral, turning reefs white and eliminating nutrients that sustain other marine life. About 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter the world's reefs every year, according to a 2015 paper published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.

- CNN