Prosecutors said Edgewell Personal Care LLC did not disclose its products contained ingredients harmful to corals and aquatic life.
SAN JOSE – The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is suing the maker of two chemical sunscreens for allegedly falsely advertising its products as “reef-friendly.”San Jose hotel owner gets more time to land new financing for towerSan Jose cold case: Imprisoned man sentenced to eight years to life for 1994 Oakridge Mall kidnappingThe first-of-its-kind consumer protection lawsuit claims Edgewell Personal Care LLC marketed its Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic sunscreens as “reef friendly” or “reef safe”; while the products were free of oxybenzone and octinoxate – two ingredients banned by Hawaii in 2018 – they contained avobenzone and octocrylene – two ingredients that are also harmful to corals and aquatic life around reefs.
The company did not disclose that the ingredients were harmful and made the reef-friendly claim without scientific support, prosecutors said, adding that the “advertising was misleading and took unfair advantage of that fact that California consumers are likely to consider the environmental impact of a product while shopping.” Between 2020 and 2022, Edgewell reported sales of at least 10 million Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic chemical sunscreens in California, generating at least $60 million in gross revenue, the suit states. The complaint seeks civil penalties from the company, as well as a court order to prohibit any “reef-friendly” or “reef-safe” advertising of its chemical sunscreens in the future. “An environmental catchphrase may be profitable to the company’s bottom line but our bottom line is the law that protects consumers from irresponsible advertising,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement., and since 2018, bans have been adopted by the state of Hawaii, the Republic of Palau, the island of Bonaire, the city of Key West, Fla., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mineral sunscreens are considered to be a more environmentally friendly alternative.Asking Eric: I need a snappy comeback to busybodies who comment on my unmarried daughterDear Abby: Another outburst will cost me my job, but it's so hard to hold in my indignationMiss Manners: If only one of you is wearing clothes, then you're not friends Harriette Cole: I’ve been dodging him for weeks because I can’t repay him. Is there a way out of this? Harriette Cole: I've been dodging him for weeks because I can't repay him. Is there a way out of this?Dear Abby: They nag me when I post about my unusual hobby. What can I do other than unfriend them?Yosemite National Park: Caltrans announces opening date for road closed by huge rockslide
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