‘I’d do anything to help the environment’

Violetta Tavadova, 26, Armenian

“I never knew that sunscreens contain chemicals that damage the environment, especially the coral reefs. When I go to the beach, I use sunscreen to protect my skin, and also tanning oil to get colour.

“I also normally go for a swim. While the places I swim in don’t usually have coral reefs, I would still consider switching to organic products for the sake of protecting the environment, especially when I travel.”

Harry Heathcote, 19, Briton

“I’ve not come across research that has to do with environment and sunscreens. Usually when I’m in the UAE, I go to the beach every two weeks.

“When I’m outside the country, visiting Europe during a holi- day, I would also go for a swim at the beach. Now that I know that certain chemicals found in sunscreens are deemed harmful to the environment, I would pay more attention to list of chemical listed on the sunscreen labels.

“I’d do anything to help the environment. I’d also make sure the bottles are disposed of and recycled in an environmentally-friendly manner.”

Lena Sarkies, 28, Egyptian

“I had no idea this was the case. I’m a pharmacist and I am hearing about it for the first time. I go to the beach once a week.

“If I’m really tanned, I’ll use sunscreen with an spf 50 or higher. I use a lot more sunscreen in the summer because the sun is very strong. Scientifically speaking, sunscreens prevent skin cancer.

“People may ask themselves, would they rather damage their skin or sea life. The option is to either not use sunscreens or to not swim in the sea.

“I’ve also never heard of organic sunscreens, but if they are available, I would switch to using them.”