World’s First Sunscreen That Nourishes Coral Reefs

Israel has developed the world’s first sunscreen that protects coral reefs, as well as human skin.

Not only is it formulated without ingredients that harm the reefs, it actually contains minerals that nourish their growth. 

The resort city of Eilat has partnered with marine and skincare specialists to develop Reef Relief, a sunscreen that includes minerals used by coral farmers, and which is currently undergoing consumer trials. 

Giovanni Giallongo, Marine Biologist at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Eilat, said: “The development of a sunscreen that not only doesn’t harm coral, but has the potential to feed and nourish our reefs, is an important step towards protecting and preserving our oceans.

“Reef Relief could feed into the health of communities underwater and on land.”

An estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in the world’s oceans every year. It washes off when we swim or shower, and enters our waterways. 

Most sunscreens – as many as 80 percent – contain chemicals that harm coral reefs, causing bleaching (when algae, its primary food source, is expelled from the coral’s tissue), and impairing photosynthesis and growth. 

While some manufacturers have begun to remove harmful chemicals like oxybenzone, no formulation has included minerals that actually benefit coral reefs until now. 

The new sunscreen also includes a new certification called RPF, or Reef Protection Factor. The city hopes that this certification will become an industry standard and help consumers make responsible choices worldwide. 

“This is a way of identifying sunscreen that truly cares for coral,” said Giallongo. “An RPF marque as an industry standard: this could be game-changing.”

Eilat is home to the planet’s northernmost shallow-water reef, with more than 100 types of stony coral and 650 species of fish.