Scientists have warned about the impact of toxic material found in sunscreen, claiming that a quarter of lotion applied by people ends up in the water
12:06, 24 Mar 2025
Woman Applying Sunscreen Cream On Her Face At The Beach
Woman Applying Sunscreen Cream On Her Face At The Beach(Image: Getty)
Summer is just months away and no doubt sun lotion will become a must-have for those heading to the beach to soak up the sun. Warnings about the dangers of UV rays to our skin are fairly common, but now scientists are raising concerns that chemicals in sunscreen could be penetrating the food chain.
Marine experts are sounding the alarm on the potential harm caused by "sunscreen-derived chemicals" and the compounds found in many lotions. According to a study by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, these products may be contaminating marine life.
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As consumers prepare to stock up on sun protection for the warmer months, recent research has exposed "significant gaps" in our knowledge of how sunscreen affects marine ecosystems. The UV filters in these lotions can enter the ocean not only through swimming and water activities, but also when washing towels that have come into contact with sunscreen.
Lead author Anneliese Hodge, PhD researcher at Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth, said: "This review indicates that current research has only scratched the surface of understanding how these chemicals can affect marine life.
"What's particularly concerning is that these compounds are considered 'pseudo-persistent pollutants' due to their continuous introduction into marine environments as well as an overall lack of understanding of how these chemicals then interact with others in the sea."
Stock image of a woman spraying sunscreen on her left arm on a sunny day at the beach
The study claimed that a single beach with 1,000 visitors could result in over 35kg of sunscreen entering the sea daily(Image: Oscar Wong via Getty Images)
She continued: "That's why it's so important for us to be researching the effects of these compounds on marine life from all geographical regions – temperate and tropical, including the work we are conducting here at PML and the University of Plymouth on UK marine organisms. We really need to understand how these chemicals interact in the marine environment and if they have the potential to bioaccumulate within the food chain.
"With coastal urbanisation and tourism expected to increase, understanding the full impact of these compounds on marine life is crucial for developing effective environmental protection strategies."
The study, which was published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, shed light on the significant pollution caused by sunscreen, noting that up to 25% of the lotion applied by swimmers washes off in the water. It was estimated that a single beach with 1,000 visitors could result in over 35kg of sunscreen entering the marine ecosystem daily.
In addition, the common practice of showering off sunscreen contributes to the pollution problem.
Stock image of a young brunette woman, wearing an orange swim suit, sitting on a beach and applying sunscreen on her right arm.
Experts studied the effects of "sunscreen-derived chemicals" and compounds found in sun lotions(Image: Westend61 via Getty Images)
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Beyond sun creams, the study found that an array of personal care products such as shampoos, moisturisers, lipsticks and shower gels also contain UV filters to protect against the sun's damaging rays. These protective elements are included in a variety of commercial goods such as plastics, rubber, paints and cement to enhance light resistance and prevent photodegradation.
Study co-author Dr Frances Hopkins, a PhD supervisor and marine biogeochemist at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, said: "This review highlights the mindboggling range of sunscreen-derived chemicals that we know are released into coastal marine environments – and demonstrates that our understanding of the effects of these toxic compounds on marine organisms is surprisingly limited.
"Such environments face a range of human-induced stressors, from marine heatwaves and eutrophication to longer-term ocean warming and acidification, so it is vital we understand the additional impact of this pervasive chemical pollution on these already stressed ecosystems."