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Banana Boat products pulled over burn risk

Written by: QMI Agency
Oct. 19, 2012

Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 60 Spray Sunscreen.

The company that makes Banana Boat sunscreen announced Friday that it is pulling several products from store shelves because there is a risk the spray sun lotion can ignite on the skin before it dries.

Energizer Canada Inc., said it is voluntarily recalling Banana Boat Ultra Defense SPF 60 Spray Sunscreen and Banana Boat Sport Performance SPF 60 Spray Sunscreen, both of which are sold in 180 ml containers.

In the U.S., 23 Banana Boat UltraMist sunscreen sprays have been recalled.

The company said it believes the risk is associated with the size of the spray valve, which dispenses more sunscreen than is typical in the industry.

"As a result, the product is taking longer to dry on the skin than is typical with other continuous sprays," the company said in a release. "If a consumer comes into contact with a flame or spark prior to complete drying of the product on the skin, there is a potential for the product to ignite."

Energizer says it has received four reports of people suffering burns with using the products in the U.S., and one report in Canada.

In June, a Massachusetts man went up in flames after spraying himself with sunscreen while barbecuing.

"I sprayed on the spray-on sunscreen, and then rubbed it on for a few seconds. I walked over to my grill, took one of the holders to move some of the charcoal briquettes around and all of a sudden it went up my arm," Brett Sigworth of Stow, Mass., told CBS Boston affiliate WBZ-TV at the time.

"I went into complete panic mode and screamed ... I've never experienced pain like that in my life."

He suffered second-degree burns on his chest, ear and back.

In June, the company said they were taking the report "very seriously" and would begin an investigation.

Energizer says they expect to offer new continuous spray sunscreen products soon.

The sunscreen affected by the recall was sold in stores across Canada from January 2010 to Sept. 30, 2012.

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