Sun, sea and a slippery slope: What your sunscreen isn’t telling you

Oxybenzone, in particular, is toxic to juvenile corals even at concentrations as low as 62 parts per trillion. This is the equivalent to a single drop in six and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools

Studies have shown that up to 25% of sunscreen applied to the skin can be released into the water within just 20 minutes of swimming

Ah, the Irish summer. That fleeting, magical few weeks when we lose the run of ourselves. Armed with floppy hats and an overzealous application of SPF50, we hit the beaches in pursuit of vitamin D and something resembling relaxation.

We’re a pale-skinned nation with a proud tradition of getting sunburnt in 16°C weather, so sunscreen is non-negotiable. But while we’re busy slathering it on like mayonnaise at a summer BBQ, it turns out that what’s good for your epidermis might not be so good for the environment. So, before you dive headfirst into the sea this summer, it might be worth asking: what exactly are you leaving behind in the water?