A Survey of Beachgoers to Estimate Sunscreen Coastal Water Input and Potential Eco-Label Consumption: Contributions to Sustainable Tourism

The rise of sun and beach tourism has led to concerns about the environmental impact of sunscreens on marine ecosystems. Although the contaminants included in sunscreens are being studied from various perspectives, there are still gaps in the understanding of beachgoers’ habits and sunscreen use, an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2024-10, Vol.16 (19), p.8575
Main Authors: Pallero-Flores, Cristina, Oviedo, José L, Tovar-Sánchez, Antonio, Moreno, Carlos, Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beaches
Bioaccumulation
Ecolabeling
Ecosystems
Ecotourism
Environmental aspects
Field study
Public opinion
Skin
Sociodemographics
Spain
Sunscreen
Sunscreens (Cosmetics)
Sustainable tourism
Tourist attractions
Water pollution
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The rise of sun and beach tourism has led to concerns about the environmental impact of sunscreens on marine ecosystems. Although the contaminants included in sunscreens are being studied from various perspectives, there are still gaps in the understanding of beachgoers’ habits and sunscreen use, and their awareness of the problems these products can cause. But do we even know how much sunscreen ends up in the ocean when beachgoers apply it? To estimate the amount of sunscreen entering coastal waters during a summer season, a survey (n = 429) was conducted at two urban beaches in southern Spain (La Caleta and La Bajadilla). It was estimated that 76.3 to 109.3 mL of sunscreen per beachgoer enters the water during the season. For this estimation, it was crucial that we the analyze beachgoers’ behavior statistically. Additionally, our study calculated their willingness to pay (WTP) for eco-labeled sunscreen alternatives. The results showed significant differences between the two sites, with La Bajadilla reporting higher sunscreen usage (11.9 mL vs. 7.9 mL per application) and a greater WTP for eco-labeled sunscreen (€14.2 vs. €11.5). These findings highlight the need for more field studies to better understand the input of sunscreen into coastal waters, which is closely linked to beach use and its social factors. This approach, which considers specific sunscreen input and characterizes beachgoers’ habits, behaviors, and preferences for alternatives, provides valuable insights for decision-makers and may guide future research on the potential impact of sunscreens on marine ecosystems using behavioral data as well as alternative approaches to solving the problem.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su16198575