Plastic Pollution and Coral Reefs
Can single-use plastic products be considered ‘reef friendly’ or ‘reef safe’ if plastic pollution is damaging coral reefs?
The first time you realized life on earth is completely interconnected could have been seeing bees pollinate your favorite apple tree or when in 9th grade science class you fully understood photosynthesis. Then you realize that when one part of the system is compromised the entire system is also compromised. I’ve spent the good part of my summer scuba diving on the Mesoamerican Reef, being underwater is a quick reminder of just how interconnected all life forms are and how fragile the reef ecosystem is and most importantly why when one species collapses the health of the entire reef is at risk.
As an ocean lover I am super conscious of pollution. That includes trash, specifically plastic debris. When diving I carry a mesh bag to collect garbage, my bag never seems to be empty. It’s big stuff - fishing line, bottle caps, plastic containers, gear bits, and zip ties but this is only the stuff we see. What about the things we can’t see, the water is flooded with microplastics.
You hear a lot about plastic pollution and its impact on fish, marine mammals, and sea birds. But what about the impact of plastic pollution on coral reefs? As a brand developing a ‘reef-safe’, ‘earth-safe’ sunscreen I want to understand how plastic pollution impacts coral reefs. This is what I’ve learned so far.
What are coral reefs and why are they important
Let’s first define what coral reefs are and establish why they demand our protection.
Coral reefs are large underwater structures composed of the skeletons of colonial marine invertebrates called coral. The coral species that build reefs are known as hermatypic, or "hard," corals because they extract calcium carbonate from seawater to create a hard, durable exoskeleton that protects their soft, sac-like bodies. Other species of corals that are not involved in reef building are known as “soft” corals. These types of corals are flexible organisms often resembling plants and trees and include species such as sea fans and sea whips according to the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), a nonprofit environmental organization.
Coral reefs are living museums; natural history museums that tell stories of evolution and biodiversity and catalog the human experience across diverse cultures.
Coral reefs are critical marine habitat
While coral reefs cover only 1% of the earth surface, they are home to 25% of the world’s plant and animal diversity. Fishes, corals, lobsters, mollusks, seahorses, sponges, and sea turtles are only a few of the thousands of creatures that rely on reefs for their survival.
People rely on coral reefs too with more than 850 million people depending on them for livelihoods and tourism. Coral reefs are also a natural barrier protecting our shorelines from degradation and acting like a buffer during dangerous storms.
Coral reefs are integral to life as we know it and it’s critical that their heath be protected.
The biggest threat to coral is coral bleaching
Coral bleaching due to temperature increase is the primary threat to coral. It’s forecasted that more than 75% of coral reefs will be severely bleached in the next 50 years due to temperature increase. Other stressors, including chemical toxins and plastic pollution, make coral more vulnerable and can accelerate the coral decline.
Sunscreen and chemicals toxic to coral reefs
We know that certain ingredients in chemical sunscreens damage coral. Oxybenzone and Octinoxate are proven to harm coral by Increasing a coral’s susceptibility to bleaching, damaging coral DNA which then interferes with reproduction thereby stunting growth and causing deformities and growth anomalies. Other chemicals and fragrances commonly found in sunscreens are under scrutiny for potentially harming coral as well.
But what about the single use plastic containers that most sunscreens come in? Plastic accumulating in our oceans and on our beaches is a global crisis. How is coral being impacted?
Plastic pollution and coral reefs
Plastic doesn’t disappear; instead, it breaks down into small particles called microplastics, these microplastics have a devastating effect on coral reefs as well as the entire marine ecosystem.
There are approximately 6000 different species of coral, microplastics can cause them both physical and chemical harm. Though it’s still not completely understood how, we know that dealing with microplastics both internally and externally require increased energy expenditure that negatively affects corals.
Here are a few of the ways microplastics threaten coral.
Internal: Ingesting microplastics
Coral ingest microplastics because they have a similar shape and size to microscopic organisms called zooplankton that live in the water which coral filter from the seawater. Ingesting microplastics is bad for coral in few different ways:
Creates a false sense of fullness and subsequent reduction of their natural diet.
Creates blockages throughout the gut cavity of corals and other internal damage.
Redirects high amounts of energy to clean out microplastics; this energy would otherwise be used for growth and survival.
Increases susceptibility to pollutants and harmful microorganisms stuck to the ingested plastic particles.
External: Microplastics on the outside of coral tissue
Microplastics impact coral externally as well. Research has shown that microplastics adhering to or scraping coral tissue can:
Prevents coral from capturing prey.
Creates wounds increasing vulnerability to fungal or bacterial infection.
Redirects precious energy needed for growth and maintaining health to removing microplastics from their surface.
All these negative effects are not restricted to the corals—they affect all living creatures on the reef and beyond eventually reaching humans.
Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Coral is the backbone and life force of reef systems. Now that you better understand the relationship between plastic pollution and coral, can a sunscreen be truly ‘reef-safe’ when sold in a single-use plastic container? We don’t think so. It’s why when creating our Reef-Safe Sunscreen, Bee Wild Outside considers how the sunscreen formula and the packaging impact the reef. It’s why we’ve created a non-toxic mineral sunscreen formula that comes with a reusable dispenser and 100% recyclable aluminum refill cartridges. It is also why we’re advocating for new Reef-Safe criteria that consider packaging impacts as well as the formula ingredients.
Small Actions Create Big Impact
Plastic touches almost every aspect of human life; while reducing plastic production and plastic waste are both critical for improving the health and survival of coral reefs, the plastic problem feels overwhelming. Admittedly, it appears so huge that our individual actions don’t seem to matter, but they do. Tens of millions of single-use plastic sunscreens are sold annually in the US, they all end up in landfill or worse, littered in our favorite environments. Together, with one small habit shift, we can reduce the number. Our small actions in curbing plastic pollution can create a large impact.
So, what can you do? Here are a few of our favorite shifts:
Shop for refillable and reusable. Refill shops are popping up all over the country. Here’s a link to my local shop Soap & Supply. By shopping here, I reduce waste, support a local business, and meet like-minded people in my community.
Make packaging part of your purchase decision.
Can’t live with your favorite product even though it comes in single-use plastic containers? Contact the brand via email, direct message, or phone, to let them know you’re concerned about the packaging.
Ask yourself, do I need this? This simple question reduces your consumption of non-essential products and saves money!
Participate in or even organize a cleanup at your local beach, waterway, or trail.
Inspire change by sharing what you learn with family and friends!
Join our journey to remove single-use plastic from sun care.
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