Banana Boat benzene class action moves forward despite trims

 

Update:

• A federal judge ruled to limit but allow a Banana Boat sunscreen class action lawsuit to continue in Connecticut federal court.
• U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer says that a specific set of sunscreens tested by Valisure showed between 0.11 and 0.43 parts per million of benzene. 
• He ruled the benzene appeared through “some aspect of the manufacturing process” and therefore dismissed claims involving Banana Boat products not involved in that same process.
• The complaints of four plaintiffs continued in the class action lawsuit, while three plaintiffs’ claims were dismissed.
• The claims that continued involved Banana Boat Dry Oil Sunscreen Spray, UltraMist Deep Tanning Dry Oil Continuous Clear Spray SPF 15, Ultra Sport Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 4, Ultra Sport Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 100, Dry Oil Clear Sunscreen Spray with Coconut Oil SPF 15 and Kids Max Protect & Play Sunscreen Spray.

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Banana Boat sunscreen class action lawsuit overview:  

• Who: Consumers nationwide who purchased Banana Boat sunscreen.  
• Why: Allegedly, certain products in the Banana Boat sunscreen line may contain benzene, a chemical that may cause cancer and other health problems.  
• Where: A class action lawsuit was filed against the maker of Banana Boat sunscreen in Connecticut federal court Wednesday. 

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(July 30, 2021)

More than half a dozen types of Banana Boat sunscreen contain benzene, a chemical that has been linked to cancer and other health problems, according to a class action lawsuit filed in Connecticut federal court Wednesday. 

Lead plaintiffs Bryan Clinger, Monica Barba and Heather Rudy want to represent U.S. consumers who purchased Banana Boat sunscreens that may contain a known carcinogen. The plaintiffs filed the class action in the wake of an announcement by an independent lab that called for the recall of more than 70 products that tested positive for benzene in May.  

The plaintiffs each claim to have purchased Banana Boat sunscreen, including kids’ versions. They say the manufacturer, Edgewell Personal Care Brands LLC, sold an adulterated product, violating federal safety regulations.  

Each of the plaintiffs say they would not have purchased or paid as much for the Banana Boat sunscreen had they known it contained benzene.  

How did benzene get into Banana Boat sunscreen? 

The class action lawsuit points out Edgewell does not list benzene as an ingredient on Banana Boat sunscreens. Instead, the chemical is likely a byproduct of the manufacturing process, the plaintiffs say.  

The independent lab which tested Banana Boat sunscreen allegedly ruled out the possibility that benzene was created as the sunscreen degraded over time and concluded that the carcinogenic chemical got into the products as they were made.  

Further, the plaintiffs point out that not all of the sunscreens tested by the lab contained the chemical, indicating that benzene contamination is not necessary during the manufacturing process.  

What Banana Boat sunscreen may contain benzene?  

The class action lawsuit claims that the following Banana Boat sunscreens may contain benzene, along with others that have not yet been tested for the substance:  

• Kids Max Protect & Play Sunscreen Spray
• Kids Sport Sunscreen 
• Protective Dry Oil Clear Sunscreen Spray 
• Simply Protect Kids Sunscreen Spray 
• Ultra Defense Ultra Mist Clear Sunscreen Spray 
• Ultra Sport Clear Sunscreen Spray 
• UltraMist Deep Tanning Dry Oil Continuous Clear Spray 

The plaintiffs want to represent a nationwide class of consumers who purchased Banana Boat sunscreen, as well as Florida and Illinois subclasses. They accuse Edgewell of fraud and violating state consumer protection law.  

The plaintiffs are seeking damages for themselves and class members.  

Have you used Banana Boat sunscreen? Are you concerned about benzene? Tell us about it in the comment section below! 

The plaintiffs are represented by Joseph P. Guglielmo of Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law; Gillian L. Wade and Marc A. Castaneda of Milstein Jackson Fairchild & Wade LLP; Hank Bates, David Slade and Sam Jackson of Carney Bates & Pulliam PLLC; and Ryan Casey of Casey Law Firm LLC.  

The Banana Boat sunscreen class action lawsuit is Clinger, et al. v. Edgewell Personal Care Brands LLC, Case No. 3:21-cv-01040-AVC, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.  

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Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Banana Boat Sunscreens Contain Carcinogenic Petrochemical, Class Action Lawsuit Claims
• More Than 70 Sunscreens Should Be Recalled Over Cancer-Causing Ingredient, Says Lab
• Banana Boat Class Action Takes Issue with Kids SPF 50 Sunscreen
• Banana Boat Class Action Says SPF 100 Sunscreen Closer to 24