"When you apply sunscreen at the beach, it doesn't necessarily stay on your skin. Some of that sunscreen can wash off when you swim, and the chemicals that shield you from ultraviolet rays end up damaging marine life such as coral reefs, sea urchins, and green algae. Each year, an estimated 6,000 to 14,000 metric tons of commercial sunscreen gets into the ocean. Places like Hawaii and Aruba have already banned certain sunscreens."
"A new sunscreen created by material scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, however, doesn't harm corals. And it's not a mineral sunscreen either, which are often thick and can leave a white cast on your skin. Instead of using chemical or mineral filters, it blocks UV waves, thanks to the pollen in camellia flowers-and it also keeps your skin cool in the sunlight."
Sunscreen applied at the beach can wash off during swimming and release chemicals that damage marine life, including coral reefs, sea urchins, and green algae. An estimated 6,000 to 14,000 metric tons of commercial sunscreen enter the ocean annually, leading to bans in places like Hawaii and Aruba. Material scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore developed a sunscreen that does not harm corals and is not mineral-based. The formula uses processed inner parts of camellia pollen shells to form a biodegradable microgel that applies as an ultra-thin, transparent layer on skin. The microgels block ultraviolet waves while allowing most visible and near-infrared light to pass, producing a cooling effect without leaving a white cast.
Read at Fast Company
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