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* FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2009

WASHINGTON – In an affirmation of Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) three-year campaign for more effective sunscreens, 70 percent of sunscreens offered for the 2009 beach season contain strong UVA filters, compared to just 29 percent last year. Top brands reformulated to better protect against UVA radiation include Solbar, Zia Natural Skincare, Nivea, L’Oreal, and Hawaiian Tropic. This is a move in the right direction, but each of these products still rates relatively low compared to the top-ranked brands.

Another plus in 2009: 19 percent fewer sunscreens contains oxybenzone, an active ingredient that disrupts the hormone system.

But a new EWG investigation of 1,572 sunscreens and other sun-blocking products currently on the market found that 3 of 5 sunscreens either don’t protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both. Read the rest of this entry…