Some of the most influential scientific advisors in the nation want authorities to focus more on the dangers sunscreen products bring to aquatic environments.
EPA Investigate the Hazards Caused By Sunscreens
Members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are worried about ultraviolet filters since they are a persistent contaminant that has been found in aquatic ecosystems and is a significant component of sunscreen, as per E&E News.
The National Academies urged EPA to carry out an ecological risk assessment of UV filters to better understand the potential problems they may pose.
The scientists suggested that such an assessment is necessary to safeguard aquatic life as well as human health, as sunscreen is essential for preventing cancer and other sun-related disorders in humans.
According to Charles Menzie, chair of the committee that produced the paper, an ecological risk assessment will help influence efforts to understand the environmental implications of UV filters, and possibly define a road forward for managing sunscreens.
While navigating the protection of both the environment and human health, it is evident that decision-makers require more information.
UV filters are essential for skin protection and are widely used throughout the summertime and in hot locations to help block the sun's rays.
But because they are the main component of sunscreen, they also bring up a lot of concerns about toxicity and damage to the ecosystem.
According to the report's authors, there is no question that a variety of substances included in the combination of chemical pollution entering our ecosystems is a significant cause of ecological deterioration.
In addition to the two inorganic filters used in mineral sunscreen and a variety of organic filters used in chemical sunscreen, the 17 UV filters now in use across the United States were examined in the paper.
The bioaccumulation of toxins and the potential harm they could do to aquatic life in the form of plant and animal tissue were just a few of the issues the authors brought up concerning those filters.
However, science is, at best, hazy on the entire implications of UV filters.
When barely a third of Americans wear sunscreen frequently, the National Academies report expressed worry about the possibility of reducing its usage.
In discussions about sunscreen, balancing environmental conservation with consideration for people is nothing new.
Concerns surrounding some sunscreen components have been raised for years by groups like the Environmental Working Group, which also stresses the importance of sun protection.
Also Read: Exposure to Chemicals in Sunscreen
What To Know About Sunscreens?
Sunscreen has been around for a very long time; many of the plant-based remedies that were utilized by ancient civilizations to protect themselves from the more severe effects of the sun are still included in many sunscreen products today, as per GraceMed.
Even sunscreen ingredients like zinc oxide have been around for more than a century.
The sunscreen business would like you to believe that sunscreen is invisible, unbreakable protection against the sun, but this is not the case.
Sun protection is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.
Aminobenzoic acid, avobenzone octisalate, octocrylene, and oxybenzone are among the substances that absorb UV radiation.
The effectiveness and potential risks of putting these compounds to the skin have been hotly debated in recent years.
Particularly, Oxybenzone is thought to interfere with the production of natural hormones and disrupt hormone balance.
The only component of sunscreen that has been proven to block UVA rays is avobenzone, but there are some worries that the chemical itself may be harmful to humans.
The use and efficacy of sunscreens in preventing cancer have only been examined in four research studies.
Even though there have been more and better sunscreen options since the 1950s, skin cancer rates have been climbing ever since.
The usage of sunscreen may encourage people to spend more time in the sun, increasing their exposure and risk of developing skin cancer, as a result of the increase in sunscreen recommendations over the years.
Sunscreen use has a direct impact on its effectiveness.
The use of sunscreen to prevent skin cancer is thus still up for debate.
Related Article: Sunscreen Prevents Cancer, Right? Well, It's Complicated.