Less cream for the planet, we like it :)
52 kg of sunscreen washed into the Mediterranean Sea on a beach in Marseilles
Although sunscreen is essential for protecting our skin from the harmful effects of the sun, its massive use raises major ecological concerns. Every summer, impressive quantities of sunscreen are dumped into the sea, seriously affecting the marine ecosystem. Jérôme Labille, a researcher at the CNRS, has estimated that in a single day, around 52 kg of sunscreen are discharged into the Mediterranean Sea from a beach in Marseille. These UV filters, whether organic or mineral, are toxic to aquatic organisms. Organic filters penetrate human skin and can end up in the bloodstream, while mineral filters, composed of nanoparticles, pose significant risks to the environment, particularly to algae and coral. The cumulative impact on seagrass and marine biodiversity is dramatic, leading places like Hawaii to ban certain types of sunscreen to protect their fragile environment.
The choice between protecting health and the environment thus becomes a complex dilemma. Sunscreens, whether hydrophobic or hydrophilic, affect the ecosystem in different ways.
The choice between protecting health and the environment therefore becomes a complex dilemma. Sunscreens, whether hydrophobic or hydrophilic, affect the ecosystem in different ways. Hydrophobic sunscreens float on the water surface, blocking light and disrupting photosynthesis, while hydrophilic sunscreens are more easily absorbed by marine organisms. Experts recommend several solutions to minimize this impact: choose creams that are not too greasy, wait before swimming after application, or opt for physical alternatives such as wearing anti-UV clothing. However, these practices are often difficult to adopt, not least because of restrictions such as the closure of showers on beaches. Finally, consumer education and improved sunscreen formulations seem to be crucial steps in limiting damage, both to our health and to the environment.
Less plastic for the planet, we like :)
Every year, some 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world's seas.
Plastic pollution in the oceans has become a real environmental disaster, endangering marine life and ecosystems. Every year, some 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world's seas. This staggering figure is the result of our excessive consumption of single-use plastic products, such as bottles, bags and packaging. Once in the water, plastic waste slowly decomposes into microplastics, particles invisible to the naked eye that are ingested by marine animals, contaminating the entire food chain, right up to humans. Turtles, fish, seabirds and many other species are often trapped, suffocated or poisoned by this debris, leading to an alarming decline in marine biodiversity.
Each and every one of us can play a part by reducing our everyday use of plastic, recycling and adopting sustainable alternatives, to protect the oceans and future generations.
This pollution affects not only wildlife, but marine ecosystems as a whole. In addition to being ingested, microplastics are deposited on the seabed, disrupting fragile habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. What's more, large patches of plastic waste, dubbed "plastic continents", are drifting in the oceans, with the infamous example of the waste vortex in the North Pacific, three times the size of France. Faced with this crisis, initiatives are multiplying to reduce plastic pollution: banning certain single-use plastics, cleaning up beaches, raising awareness of the need to reduce plastic consumption, but there's still a long way to go. Each and every one of us can play a part by reducing our daily use of plastic, recycling and adopting sustainable alternatives, to protect the oceans and future generations.