Team:Manchester/Responsibility
Behaving Responsibly
In this section we have considered the wider impact of our project in the context of the sustainable development goals. This allowed us to view our project from a new angle and provided us with a greater understanding of how HippoSol will interact with and influence other areas of sustainability. We have also provided information to clarify areas of identified consumer confusion to ensure consumers receive adequate protection and minimise distress when using HippoSol.
Throughout this project we have made attempts to remain responsible when conducting analyses and designing our project. The first way we have done this is to consider the wider impact of our project in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable Development Goals
The ICRI plan of Action 2016-2018 is a partnership among governments, international organisations and non-government organisations. Their goals include:
- Raising awareness about the importance of coral reefs.
- Reducing human threats to coral reefs.
- Monitoring the state of coral reefs over time (1).
Part of this includes the financing for projects and initiatives which help protect and restore coral reefs and this applies to our iGEM project, suggesting those involved in the ICRI plan of Action classify as stakeholders of our project. Our project promotes ethical consumerism which has wide knock-on effects into industry and innovation driving the production of eco- conscious products in other retail areas. This will not only impact the global economy but pushes consumer preferences towards sustainable solutions.
Figure 1. The 17 Goals of Sustainable Development, set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, aiming to achieve a better and more sustainable future.
Understanding how the Goals Interact
- Coral reefs provide sustained income and economic benefits through fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. Our project aims to strengthen the resilience of corals to climate-related events by minimising other sources of oxidative stress. This will allow corals to better support the organisms that live there, healthy oceans are a necessary prerequisite for global food security.
- Sunscreen compounds have been identified in many different fish species suggesting they are bioaccumulating up the food web and this contamination may cause concern for human health problems (2). Reduction of this pollution, when using our UV filter, will contribute to the overall health of coastal communities improving biodiversity. Our project draws attention to the impact of sunscreen pollution on corals and this increased awareness will have positive effects on conservation and promotes the sustainable use of the oceans.
- Conservation of healthy oceans will contribute to a global culture of sustainable development as well as providing a resource base for low-income populations.
- Preventing marine pollution have further impacts including improved water quality, creating job opportunities for coastal regions through tourism and marine technology, contributing to sustainable economic growth especially as coasts are an attractive zone for human settlement. Our project must manage and track the lifecycle of our product to minimise ocean pollution, this includes recyclable packaging for our sunscreen, a prerequisite for reducing marine litter.
In this sense our project not only interacts with goals 12, 13 and 14 but has branching effects that influence the progression of the other sustainable development goals. In particular we have highlighted in this section goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 15. It is clear that healthy oceans are a requirement to achieve all the goals (3).
Throughout our Human Practices we have identified areas of consumer confusion
- In our surveys we found that the majority of respondents do not know the difference between physical and chemical sunscreens.
- In our YouTube analysis we noted comments asking for advice on how to select sunscreens for different skin tones and problematic or damaged skin.
- In our YouTube analysis we noticed that lots of videos explained the concept of SPF implying viewers are generally unaware of its definition.
- In our interview with Louise Laing from people4ocean we discussed consumer confusion to great lengths.
- The dermatologist explained to us how advice from sunscreen companies can be preachy and off putting.
In order to act responsibility we have produced information to clarify these areas of confusion.
Sunscreen Information You Should Know & How to Apply Sunscreen Effectively
The issue:
Overexposure to the sun results in a range of skin issues; ski cancer, sunburn, photosensitive rashes and prickly heat. Furthermore, high exposure to the sun can exacerbate existing skin conditions such as rosacea. A tan is the physical sign that the skin has been damaged by UV, the darkening of the skin tone is a defence response in the skin in an attempt to prevent further damage. This contrasts the “healthy summer glow” image that some people associate with tanned skinned. According to the British Association of Dermatologists 4 out 5 cases of skin cancer is preventable (4).
UVA and UVB:
UV radiation is transmitted in 3 wavelengths: UVA, UVB and UVC. The ozone layer provides stratospheric protection from UVC and some of the UVA and UVB radiation, in total 1–10% of UVB and 90–99% of UVA reaches our skin.
UVB:
- Damages our DNA by causing cytosine to thymine transitions.
- Associated with malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma risk.
- SPF acts to block UVB rays preventing burn of the skin and therefore, reduces cancer risk (4).
UVA:
- Penetrates deep into the skin to yield high reactive oxygen species which stress our skin (5).
- Affects the elastin in our skin resulting in sun-induced ageing, also known as photoaging.
Figure 2. The electromagnetic spectrum depicting UV-A, UV-B and UV-C wavelength ranges.
Functional Mechanism of Sunscreen
Chemical sunscreens: Contain active ingredients such as cinnametes and benzophenones. These chemical filters absorb UV radiation and redistribute it as infrared. Chemical sunscreens are associated with higher incidences of contact and photocontact (6).
Physical sunscreens: Inorganic filters contain physical agents such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These filters reflect and scatter UV radiation. These sunscreens are usually less cosmetically acceptable, often leaving a white cast across the skin which can be inappropriate for individuals with darker skin colouration. Sometimes labelled on shelves as “sunblocks”, and can be used by sun sensitive individuals such as photodermatosis patients (6).
How to Apply Sunscreen Effectively
Scientific information from studies about how to apply sunscreen effectively can be conflicting and can also be demanding.
- In a study by Diffy a mathematical model was derived to determine an effective reapplication time to maximise UV protection. The study concluded that reapplication of sunscreen at 20 minutes resulted in 60% to 85% more UV protection than reapplication at 2 hours (7).
- A study by Wright et al concluded that swimmers were significantly more likely to be burned than nonswimmers and that gaps in topical application led to failure of the sunscreen mechanism (8).
Reapplication every 20–30 minutes is an outrageous demand that is just not feasible in everyday life. Gaps in topical application are a common mechanism of sunscreen failure however, in our interview with the dermatologist, they explained how this can be improved with visual aids that demonstrate how to apply sunscreen.
Therefore, we have combined advice to provide information about how to apply sunscreen effectively that is not preachy or unrealistic in its message.
- Use sunscreen before sun exposure, if you know you are going to be exposed to high UV levels in advance, attempt to apply sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving. This will allow it to absorb into the skin to minimise wash off.
- Shake well before use.
- Reapply sunscreen after water exposure or strenuous exercise. Reapply sunscreen every 2—3 hours, if this is not feasible for full body application, reapply to exposed skin areas only.
What to look for on sunscreen packaging
- “Broad Spectrum” - provides protection from UVA and UVB.
- Use a minimum SPF of 15 — SPF indicates the amount of time you can be exposed without burning when using the product directly as advised.
- In Europe “UVA” in a circle means the sunscreen provides protection from UVA radiation. Stars range from 0—5 and represent the percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sunscreen compared to UVB. Generally SPF 30 with a UVA rating for 4—5 is considered a good standard of protection.
- Check the expiration date — sunscreens are less effective after the expiration date.
- “Water-resistant” and “Sweat-resistant” — these terms indicate that the sunscreen remains effective for 40-80 minutes when swimming or sweating. However, no sunscreen is fully waterproof and so ensure to reapply afterwards.
- Photostability — this means the sunscreen will not break down in the sun (4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13).
Figure 3. UVA star ratings from 0 to 5 stars, indicating how protective a sunscreen is against UVA.
How to apply sunscreen
The British Association of Dermatologists recommended applying 6 full teaspoons (36 grams) of lotion sunscreen to cover the body of an average adult (4). Please see our visual aid below to help understand how this should be distributed across the body.
Figure 4. Recommended amount of sunscreen to be applied in different areas of your body.
Figure created by Madeleine Webster-Harris in Gravit.com
Sunscreen for Difficult Skin
Dermatologists use the Fitzpatrick scale to divide skin into 6 different categories depending on their susceptibility to burning.
Darker complexion is the result of melanin, a pigment molecule which can prevent the absorption of UV radiation, the consequence of this is that fair-skinned individuals are more susceptible to burning, carcinogenesis and photodamage (4).
- Skin type 1: Very fair, cannot tan, skin damage is prevalent after exposure without protection, recommend using a high SPF of 30 or above combined with high UVA protection, protective clothing and general avoidance of the sun is recommended during the hottest parts of the day.
- Skin type 4: Mediterranean skin, more UV needed to initiate tan, reduced chance of melanoma development however, susceptible to skin aging with sun exposure.
- Skin type 5—6: Dark and Asian skin, tan easily and so need less damage to initiate the tanning process. Darker skinned individuals do not need to routinely use sunscreens, however the effects of photoaging can be slow. Therefore, sunscreen use is recommended to prevent photoaging during prolonged exposure.
- Use of protective clothing is recommended for types 1 and 2 at all times, and types 5 and 6 during prolonged exposure.
Figure 5. The Fitzpatrick color chart categorises how different skin types respond to UV light into Type I through to Type VI.
Atopic/Seborrheic Dermatitis
Sunscreens contain chemicals that can irritate the skin exacerbating atopic dermatitis outbreaks. Inflammation of the skin breaks its natural barrier creating more opportunities for the absorption of active ingredients. Similarly, for seborrheic dermatitis patients their skin is more prone to absorption of topically applied agents and more sensitive to potential irritants.
- Chemical agents are highly penetrative and can enter the bloodstream more easily, for this reason physical sunscreens may be more appropriate for atopic dermatitis patients.
- Physical blockers sit on the surface of the skin rather than being absorbed meaning they are less likely to induce inflammation.
- Seborrheic dermatitis patients also show elevated oxidative damage and reduced redox capacity, this means they regularly produce free radicals which stresses the skin.
- Patients may benefit from using sunscreens that contain antioxidants.
- Acne and hive prone skin will benefit from oil-free formulations and avoidance of active chemical ingredients such as avobenzone and oxybenzone (14, 15, 16).
