Hawaiian Tropic “Reef Friendly” Sunscreen Products Class Action

Certain chemicals found in sunscreens can “bleach” or damage coral reefs. Awareness of this has led consumers to seek out sunscreens that do not cause this damage. The complaint for this class action brings suit against Edgewell Personal Care, LLC for its Hawaiian Tropic Reef Friendly Sunscreen products, which the complaint alleges are not in fact “reef-friendly.”

The class for this action is all people who bought any of the sunscreen products that represents itself as “reef friendly” during the applicable statutes of limitations. The products include the following:

• Silk Hydration Weightless Lotion
• Silk Hydration Weightless Lotion for Face
• Antioxidant + Lotion
• Matte Effect Lotion

Coral reefs are very diverse ecosystems, the complaint says, with about 25% of ocean fish depending on them. The complaint refers to a website as saying that “[f]ish and other organisms shelter, find food, reproduce, and rear their young in the many nooks and crannies formed by corals.”

The complaint reproduces an infographic about the harm that sunscreen chemicals can do to reefs and marine life. For example, it says, “Coral: Accumulates in tissues. Can induce bleaching, damage DNA, deform young and even kill.” Effects are also shown for green algae, sea urchins, fish, mussels, and dolphins. It lists harmful chemicals that can be found in some sunscreens and advise for other kinds of sun protection.

Consumers who are aware of the damage sunscreen chemicals may do to reefs will often seek out sunscreens that are advertised or labeled as being “reef friendly.” But in the case of Edgewell’s Hawaiian Tropic Reef Friendly Sunscreen products, the complaint claims that the products are not really “reef friendly.” It claims that they contain chemical that can damage or kill coral reefs, including avobenzone, homosalate, and octocrylene.

Because of this, the complaint alleges, the company “has engaged in widespread false and deceptive conduct” by misrepresenting the sunscreen products as “reef friendly.”

The complaint reviews each of the allegedly harmful ingredients, making reference to the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, the National Ocean Service, the Kohala Center, the European Commission, and their studies related to the ingredients.

Also, it says, Hawaiian lawmakers have banned the use of certain chemicals in sunscreens, including avobenzone and octocrylene: “Octocrylene and Avobenzone were specifically banned for their toxic impact on marine life, particularly coral, and their endocrine disruptive attributes.” The US Virgin Islands has also banned sunscreens with octocrylene.

The complaint alleges that Edgewell “employs professional chemists to create the Sunscreen Products. Therefore, [Edgewell], through its employees, knew or should have known that the Sunscreen Products are not ‘Reef Friendly’ and that it was deceiving consumers by labeling the Sunscreen Products with the Reef Friendly Claims.”

Article Type: Lawsuit
Topic: Consumer
Tags: Deceptive Advertising, Deceptive Labels, Made or Constructed with Harmful Chemicals