Austin petition calls for banning aerosol sunscreen at Barton Springs

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An Austin resident is advocating for a ban on aerosol sunscreen at one of the city's most popular water recreation sites.

Native Austinite Melissa Barber launched the petition to ban aerosol sunscreen at Barton Springs back in May, and it's picked up momentum as the summer months have rolled in. More than 1,400 signatures have been added to the petition, with 50 names signed this week alone.

The motivation behind the petition came out of exasperation, Barber said: As a new mother, she said she's been so careful about what her son eats and puts on his skin, and that concern has extended to what he's now breathing in.

"I decided to start this petition out of frustration -- being [at Barton Springs] with my new baby and feeling and tasting the air full of aerosol sunscreen, and having him breathe it in and just knowing that this isn't good for him," Barber said.

Barber said she's paired up with environmental specialists behind Hawaii's ban on chemical sunscreens, who found those chemicals -- including oxybenzone -- were negatively impacting the coral reefs and aquatic life.

And it's not just Hawaii tracking those effects: The National Park Service estimates between 4,000 and 6,000 tons of sunscreen wash off people and end up in the ocean each year, with substantial effects on corals, fish and mammals living in the sea.

"Not only can it bleach or deform corals, but it can also impair the growth of green algae, an essential part of the food web," the National Park Service reported. "The effects can be seen all the way up the food chain, even affecting at-risk species like the Hawaiian green sea turtle or honu."

Barber said she's been in contact with the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department and its aquatic division. A PARD spokesperson confirmed to KXAN that the department does provide its staff with non-aerosol sunscreen sans oxybenzone.

PARD added the department is running an awareness campaign "to raise public awareness of proper sunscreen application" with online and onsite resources. The spokesperson said visitors to Barton Springs should apply sunscreen before visiting the springs or any pool "to allow sufficient absorption into the skin."

While Barber said educational awareness on sunscreen use is important, she added people need to also know the effects of some of these chemicals on their bodies. She's currently part of an independent research project that's taking water samples and fish samples and sending them back to labs for chemical evaluations. So far, she said they're showing a higher concentration of oxybenzone and other chemicals.

The biggest issues right now with making this proposal tangible, Barber said, is the enforcement side of a potential ban as well as making alternative products as accessible as possible.

When asked if PARD is considering any implementation of an aerosol sunscreen ban, the department spokesperson confirmed that's ultimately under council jurisdiction.

"Austin Parks and Recreation Department appreciates community input," the emailed statement read in part. "However, there are established civic procedures for recommendations from Austin residents. Initiatives such as this petition should be directed to the City of Austin City Council for potential action."

Barber said she'll continually provide updates on her research project's findings to the petition page, adding she hopes potential changes at natural springs like Barton Springs Pool and Deep Eddy Pool could serve as a template for more Austin and Texas sites down the road.

"[Barton Springs has] just always been a really special place to me. I think of it as the soul of Austin," she said. "And I think it's why our city is where it is. It's been a gathering point around this water -- so it means a lot to me."

Those interested can learn more about the petition online.