Illegal sunscreen pulled from shelf of major USVI retailer

By Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#USVirginIslands, July 26, 2023 – Following a routine inspection on June 30th by the Enforcement Division of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA), a large quantity of illegal sunscreen was pulled from the shelves of a major retailer in the US Virgin Islands.

Carried out at the retail outlet, the inspection revealed that the illegal product contravened Act Number 8185.

Under the Act signed into law in 2019 by Albert Bryan, US Virgin Islands Governor, the sale or offer for sale, distribution, and importation for retail purposes of topical sunscreen products containing oxybenzone, octinoxate, and octocrylene is banned.

The reason for this is that these chemicals are a danger to coral reefs and so these kinds of offenses are taken seriously as there are monetary charges attached to them.

“Any person or entity found to have violated this law, may receive a $1,000 citation for the first offense and a $2,000 one for each subsequent offense by the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs after notice and an opportunity for a hearing,” highlighted the DLCA.

Even though efforts are being made to free the country from the selling of these products, they are still sold widely as expressed by Richard Evangelista, DLCA Commissioner.

“Unfortunately, there is still a proliferation of this illegal product throughout the USVI that enters either via the retail market or by our visitors.”