Photo Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In separate letters to Facebook, Ebay, Alibaba, Shopify, Qoo10, JoyBuy.com, Wish.com, and banggood.com, EPA advised the firms that companies are using them to market Coronavirus disinfectants and antimicrobials that do not comply with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
The products are marketed as being able to control, prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate the Coronavirus, however, they are unregistered as required by law and appear to be making false or misleading claims. As a result, federal law forbids their distribution and sale in the United States.
“EPA takes our responsibility to protect Americans from fraudulent surface disinfectants seriously,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Earlier this month I met with online retailers and third-party platforms to ask for their help in preventing these impostor products from coming to market. Today, we are advising eight companies to take action against these dishonest dealers and immediately take these illegal products off of their sites.”
“Unregistered disinfectants can put consumers at risk, as they may be ineffective against the virus that causes COVID-19,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Susan Bodine. “EPA is working hard to stop the sale of these illegal products. We also urge consumers to see EPA’s list of approved disinfectant products, available on our website at epa.gov/coronavirus.”
“EPA is vigorously investigating fraudulent disinfectant sales to the public via online marketplaces,” said EPA Region 9 Administrator John Busterud. “Companies cannot sell illegal disinfectants and jeopardize our collective efforts to protect public health.”
For a complete list of EPA approved disinfectants: EPA-registered disinfectant products
