Sustainable Reef – Safe Sunscreen

Not all sunscreens are friends of the sea.

Recent research has revealed that Benzophenone-3 (BP-3; Oxybenzone), a common ingredient in sunscreen and personal care products, contributes to coral bleaching and reef degradation by disrupting coral reproduction and growth, even in small doses equivalent to one drop in 6.5 Olympic swimming pools.

Despite being labelled as “water-resistant,” sunscreens can lose 50 percent of their sun protection factor after 40 minutes of bathing, as per regulations from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the EU. This has raised concerns among consumers regarding the impact of UV creams on coral reefs and the marine ecosystem as a whole. Hawaii has taken steps to ban the sale of sunscreens containing these coral-harming chemicals.

Friend of the Sea has developed a standard for the certification of Sustainable and reef-safe UV creams to help consumers make responsible choices.

Friend of the Sea Reef-Safe Sunscreen standard

For a Sunscreen to be certified Friend of the Sea Sustainable and reef-safe, the product must pass a Friend of the Sea audit to verify that:

• It releases less than 20% of its chemicals into the water after 80 minutes
• It does not contain chemicals that damage corals and marine life in general
• Evidence of testing from independent laboratories are required
• It offsets its plastic content by means of
• Friend of the Sea plastic offsets

Apply for Friend of the Sea Certification of Sustainable Reef- Safe Sunscreen

Request a quotation for Friend of the Sea Certification of Sustainable Reef-Safe Sunscreen Your Company can request for a quotation for audit and royalties to use the Friend of the Sea registered trademark logo, by filling out the online Preliminary Information Form.

• All the information will be kept strictly confidential and implies NO commitment from your company.
• The Friend of the Sea certification is voluntary and NOT mandatory to gain access to markets.
• The application process is NOT discriminatory on size, scale, management, minimum number of operators and number of vessels involved. Nonetheless, enhanced fisheries and enhancement activities, regarding wild catches, cannot apply for certification.
• Friend of the Sea is a NGO and it strives to make participation in the audits affordable for all companies.
• Please, contact us for more information on Government funding which might be available in your Country for sustainability certifications: info@friendofthesea.org
• Find here out pricelist