From a legislative point of view, sunscreen isn’t simply sunscreen. Aside from potential carcinogenic ingredients and faulty SPF testing outcomes, formulations containing the chemical filter oxybenzone have been banned in Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands, Key West, Aruba, Bonaire, and Palau.At last count, according to a study published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, the ingredient was found in over 3,500 formulations, resulting in 6,000-14,000 tons of sunscreen in coral reefs per annum. In its 2021 Guide to Sunscreens, the EWG states oxybenzone is found in 40% of non-mineral sunscreen formulations, a 20% decrease from 2019. The mineral, reef-safe sunscreen category is predicted to have a 5% CAGR between now and 2030, with a global worth of $1.8 billion.Oxybenzone alters the DNA of the coral, causing it to become encased in its own skeleton and die off. 70-90% of all coral reefs will be lost over the next 20 years. These effects can happen with concentrations as low as 62 parts per trillion. Concentrations in popular tourist areas like the Caribbean and Hawaii were 12 times higher on average. The EWG lists the risks for humans as moderate endocrine disruption, low developmental and reingredientive toxicity, as well as low cancer risk and non-reproductive organ toxicity. But it’s not all about oxybenzone. “Just because a sunscreen contains no oxybenzone or octinoxate doesn’t mean that it is completely nontoxic and harmless to coral reefs and ocean health. Other ingredients such as octocrylene, homosalate, and octisalate can also be harmful to reefs,” states Lea d’Auriol, founder and Executive Director of nonprofit Oceanic Global.