Sunscreens that carry the EWG verification mark must not use marketing claims banned by the FDA, such as “sunblock,” “sweatproof” or “waterproof” and cannot be in an aerosol or powder form due to the risk of inhalation. The sunscreen must not contain ingredients restricted by the European Union and Canada as well as the FDA, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US National Toxicology Program, and California’s Proposition 65 list of known carcinogens and reproductive toxins. To obtain the EWG mark, the item must be “green,” posing little hazard to health or the environment and must list every ingredient on the label, including nanoparticles and fragrances. “All fees for the program come right back into the science and research that we do at EWG for the benefit of consumers.” “So far we have three brands with 12 products that have made it through the program, and we’re expecting it to grow,” Spilman said. Manufacturers can add an EWG mark of approval to labels if the sunscreen products meet the group’s extremely strict guidelines for verified personal care products. To do so, this year EWG expanded its verification program for personal care products to include sunscreens. “Consumers need to have confidence that the sunscreen products they use meet international standards,” Swei said. However, inclusion in the sunscreens guide doesn’t require the manufacturers to list ingredients or supply documentation on the safety of their products, said Homer Swei, senior vice president of Healthy Living Science for EWG. In the past, mineral sunscreens had a bad rap for leaving a white, chalky residue on the skin however, many of the newer options on the market have solved that issue, Spilman said. In addition to chemicals, there are two types of mineral ingredients listed in the guide that the FDA said are safe and effective: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Products were ranked from 1 to 10 (best to worst) for compliance in four major categories: The level of UVB and UVA protection separately, the balance between the two, and the stability of the active ingredients, including any tendency to break down in sunlight or react with other ingredients to become less effective. ![]() “While manufacturers may be moving away from oxybenzone, a significant portion of the market is still made up of products using the 12 ingredients which can’t be considered safe and effective without further testing,” said David Andrews, EWG’s senior scientist. Use of the ultraviolet ray blocker oxybenzone, which has been linked to human health harms and destruction of coral reefs, continues to decline, the report found. The 2023 report has some good news too, for both people and the planet. This year’s report, titled EWG 17th Annual Guide to Safer Sunscreens, was released in late May. “We found only 25% of sunscreens on the market offer good broad-spectrum protection without troublesome chemical ingredients,” said Emily Spilman, Healthy Living Science program manager for the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group that has investigated sunscreen products for 17 years. However, most sunscreen options contain one or more of a dozen chemicals the US Food and Drug Administration said should be researched by manufacturers before the ingredients can be considered GRASE or “generally regarded as safe and effective,” according to a recent analysis. Today, market shelves are packed with dozens of options, each promising to be better than the others at protecting skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe - choosing a sunscreen for summer used to be child’s play.
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