WASHINGTON — A new report from the Environmental Working Group claims a shocking number of sun protection products don’t meet the group’s standards for safety or effectiveness.
The Environmental Working Group’s 2024 Guide to Sunscreens Report tested 1,700 sunscreen products and found only 25% meet EWG's standards.
“Only two ingredients reviewed by the FDA have been classified as safe and effective and those are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide -- both mineral sunscreen ingredients," said Emily Spilman of the Environmental Working Group. "There are 12 other ingredients that are approved for use in the U.S. But after U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviews, they could not be classified as safe and effective due to insufficient safety data.”
Spilman said concerns include evidence of allergic reactions and hormone disruption in people and the environment.
EWG warns consumers that SPF ratings can be inadequate as well because SPF is only a measure of UV-B radiation, which is responsible for sunburn. It is important to also protect for UV-A radiation, which is a contributor to skin cancer, doctors say. Sunscreens should protect against both, EWG advises.
In addition to checking EWG's report for approved sunscreen products, the organization offers the following tips:
- Look for mineral-based ingredients that are not linked to toxicity concerns (Zinc oxide and Titanium oxide)
- Avoid spray-on sunscreens, which EWG claims frequently include worrisome chemical ingredients
- Make sure the sunscreen blocks both UV-A and UV-B radiation
- Use an SPF range of 30-50. Higher ratings are generally not any more effective according to EWG
The sunscreen industry is represented by the Personal Care Products Council, which says the EWG report “misleads consumers into assuming sunscreen products are unsafe, thereby jeopardizing public health.” The Personal Care Products Council joins EWG in calling on the FDA to modernize its standards and consider new ingredients.
“The FDA has not approved new UV filters since 1999," the council wrote in a statement. "Additionally, globally approved filters used in Europe and other regions are not available in the U.S., greatly limiting options for American consumers."
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