An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will review the state of science on use of sunscreen ingredients that are currently marketed in the United States, their fates and effects in aquatic environments (focusing on U.S. aquatic environments but with consideration of international studies) and the potential public health implications associated with reduced use. For this review, UV filters will be considered broadly in terms of active ingredients and formulations.
Section 1: Review of fates and effects in aquatic environments. This section will be organized to provide information for future application in ecological risk assessment as outlined below:
1. Problem Formulation: provide chemical profiles for UV filters and applicable degradates (environmental and metabolic), including mode of action for intended use and indirect mode of action where known.
2. Exposure Analysis: Identify sources and relative quantities of UV filters entering the variety of aquatic environments (e.g., estuary, lake, coral reef), their fate and transport, as well as measured concentrations in these environments and the biota; identify potential routes of exposure to UV filters and their degradates and the potential for bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms.
3. Effects Analysis: identify potential effects of UV filters on aquatic organisms, including potential for endocrine disruption, photo-activation, and other reported effects on molecular, cellular, organismal, population, and/or community-level endpoints; identify organisms that are listed (Endangered Species Act) or are the subject of targeted management plans that have a high likelihood of exposure; and assess ecosystem-level impacts of UV filters on ecologically-, economically-, and commercially-important habitats (e.g., coral reefs, eel grass beds).
4. Identification of Research Needs: determine information gaps in the above listed areas to identify research priorities to inform both screening and higher-tier ecological risk assessments.
Section 2: Implications of potential changes in sunscreen usage on public health. This section will review and summarize the available literature on the use of sunscreen to prevent skin damage in humans from excess exposure to UV in sunlight, including:
1. Summary of information on chemical and mineral UV filter efficacy in preventing UV-damage to humans.
2. Potential for changes in sunscreen usage through reduced or less frequent application of UV filters based on concerns about the possible environmental impacts or ease of use of alternative sunscreen formulations. The report will consider use patterns associated with aquatic activities and for outdoors activities in general.
3. Anticipated health consequences of abstention from or reduced use of currently marketed sunscreen ingredients or substitution of alternative UV filters.
Following release of the committee’s report, a workshop will be organized to disseminate and further explore the research needs identified in the report. The presentations and discussions at the workshop will be documented in a workshop proceedings, written by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.