ReefClean has arrived and now is your chance to do your bit to help keep our marine environment clean! When out and about cleaning up our waterways, staff are encouraged to remain sun safe. If you are participating in a ReefClean event it’s important to ‘slip, slop slap’ because things are really heating up for Summer. Ironically, sunscreen can harm the very thing we are trying to protect causing the coral reef to deteriorate. So, to keep ocean life happy, the key is to find an SPF that uses physical UVA and UVB filters without those harsh chemicals.
It's not just sunscreen that ends up in our waterways and before finding its way to the ocean, it’s likely anything you wash down the drain, including that favourite exfoliant scrub or washing liquid. “How do I know if a sunscreen is ‘reef friendly’?” you may ask. We must pay careful attention to and be mindful that “reef friendly” labels are not regulated. So, it’s always important to check ingredients on labels to ensure that reef-harming chemicals are not included.
To do this, familiarise yourself with the “HEL List” and make sure your sunscreen does not contain the known harmful substances. The HEL LIST includes:
• Any form of microplastic sphere or beads.
• Any nanoparticles like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
• Oxybenzone
• Octinoxate
• 4-methylbenzylidene camphor
• Octocrylene
• Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
• Methyl Paraben
• Ethyl Paraben
• Propyl Paraben
• Butyl Paraben
• Benzyl Paraben
• Triclosan
Additionally, we love nothing more than showcasing local Queensland Communities and if you haven’t heard of Ochre Sun before, now is the chance to check out their wonderful range of HEL List chemical free sunscreen.