Our ocean ecosystem here in the Mexican Caribbean is fragile and beautiful. At Riviera Maya Catamarans we have the privilege of sharing some great snorkeling and sea life with our amazing clients. We ask all our clients to use no sunscreen prior to snorkeling and if not possible that you use only reef-safe sunscreen.
Why is this important? Because both have been linked to coral bleaching.
When you snorkel or swim, you wash away all the sunscreen you’ve applied to your skin. If such sunscreen is from the regular type, it will leave a trail of chemicals across the water. Those substances hurt the creatures living there and it bleaches the coral beds, killing it, and ensuring that our marine life loses food, shelter and safety.
Many states in the United States such as Hawaii have banned sunscreens that are not safe for the environment many places prevent the sale of sunscreen containing common UV-filtering ingredients, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate.
Coral reefs are very important for many reasons beyond economics.
They provide shelter for organisms of all sizes.
You don’t have to get rid of all your products. Use your remaining regular sunscreen while on the pool or when you’re going out for a hike. Next time you’ll buy sunscreen, you’ll be able to make the right choice