4e Brands Hand Sanitizer Class Action Lawsuit Follows Recall

Three customers have filed a class action lawsuit against 4e Brand North America, criticizing the supposed presence of methanol alcohol in a range of hand sanitizers made by the company. This 4e brands hand sanitizer class action lawsuit comes on the heels of a 4e hand sanitizer recall issued by the FDA over similar concerns.

New York customers Katherine Pepe, Patricia Donadio, and June Vonderchek say they purchased 4e Brands hand sanitizers to protect themselves and their families from the coronavirus. However, they were shocked to discover that the hand sanitizers contained methanol, as opposed to ethanol alcohol.

The plaintiffs note that methanol is dangerous to human health, and can cause a range of serious side effects from exposure, including, blurred vision, permanent blindness, nausea, vomiting, nervous system damage, coma, and even death.

The customers say that the 4e Brands hand sanitizer products are incorrectly labeled, not disclosing the presence of the dangerous chemical. Instead, the hand sanitizers supposedly list Ethyl Alcohol 70% on the back of their labels as “active ingredient.” However, the customers assert that the products’ active ingredient is really methanol, or at least that the products are contaminated with methanol.

Pepe, Donadio, and Vonderchek say that, had they known that the hand sanitizers contained methanol alcohol, they would never have purchased them. They argue that many other customers were similarly injured and were misled into thinking that the products were safe because of their labeling. 

The customers say that the products are “wholly toxic, worthless, and unsuitable for use as hadn’t sanitizers,” and aim to hold 4e Brands liable for their injury. They contend that methanol is toxic and should not come into contact with humans, and especially should not be consumed. They aim to take 4e Brands to task for allegedly exposing customers to a dangerous substance in the interest of its own profits.

The 4e Brands hand sanitizer class action lawsuit goes on to recount the three women’s experience with the hand sanitizers, and their interactions with the products’ makers.

The consumers stress that the branding of the products and the company at large are in contrast with the existence of a dangerous chemical in the hand sanitizers. Allegedly, the company touts that it can make “positive change in your life,” and advertises its commitment to “promoting a good and healthy well-being.”

However, the customers say that no reasonable customer would appreciate the presence dangerous and toxic chemical in what is supposed to be a product that protects their health.

In the eyes of the three women, no reasonable consumer would consider that chemical something that makes a “positive change in their lives,” or something that would promote a “good and healthy well-being.”

In stark contrast, the consumers say that methanol is well known to do the exact opposite, imperiling the health and safety of those who come into contact with it. The 4e Brands hand sanitizer class action lawsuit argues that 4e knew or should have known that exposure to methanol is dangerous.

The three women then point to a hand sanitizer recall press release issued by the Food and Drug Administration on July 2, 2020, in which the FDA warns that methanol is not a suitable active ingredient for hand sanitizer, because it can “be toxic when absorbed through the skin as well as life-threatening when ingested.” The FDA reportedly noted that adverse events have been recorded in the case of both adults and children who were exposed to the chemical.

The FDA warns consumers on its hand sanitizer recall website that some companies might try to take “advantage of the increased usage of hand sanitizer” by peddling shoddy and dangerous products to desperate consumers needing to protect themselves from a deadly virus.

Echoing the concerns expressed by Pepe, Donadio, and Vonderchek in their 4e Brands hand sanitizers class action lawsuit, the FDA took action against the company by issuing a recall of its hand sanitizers over the issue. The products were reportedly distributed around the country through a range of retailers and distributors. 

What brand of hand sanitizer do you use to protect yourself? Why do you like it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Katherine Pepe, Patricia Donadio, and June Vonderchek are represented by Philip L. Fraietta of Bursor & Fisher PA.

The 4e Brands Hand Sanitizer Methanol Active Ingredient Class Action Lawsuit is Katherine Pepe, et al. v. 4e Brand North America LLC, Case No. 7:20-cv-06494, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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