About Us
This past year, five different cases of people setting on fire as a result of applying Banana Boat spray-on lotion were reported, resulting in the recall of half a million bottles.
The reports came fro
m the U.S. and Canada, in which people reported that they caught on fire after applying the lotion and coming into close contact with an open flame. The risk seems to be with the aerosol bottles, as 23 different types of the spray-on UltraMist sunscreen will be pulled off shelves due to the risk of the lotion igniting when in contact with an open flame.
The problem arose from a malfunction of the UltraMist spray valve, which has been releasing more product than should be. Therefore, it takes longer to dry and is more likely to catch on fire. The bottle contains a warning that reads, “Keep away from sources of ignition — no smoking.” Unless the product has completely dried, being near a flame means you will go up in flames yourself as explained here.
These cases are very rare. Aerosol cans of spray-on lotion have been around for years and it was just this year the five cases were reported. The attention to the phenomenon may be due to the recent surge in purchases of spray-on sunscreen, as compared to the traditional lotion.
Critics of this recall are saying that simple common sense should solve the problem. There is a clear warning on the bottle and even though the product is taking longer to dry, users should know not to come into close contact with fire unless the product is completely dry. Put into simple terms: do not apply wet spray-on lotion and then stand near fire.
Banana Boat will be further investigating the matter, as the sunscreen does not contain any especially flammable ingredients. Many of its components are also used in products that are in aerosol cans, so it is not expected that these problems would be exclusive to Banana Boat spray-on products.
As half a million UltraMist products are being removed from shelves, Banana Boat released a statement warning those who already purchased the spray-on bottles to not use them. It seems the threat of getting burned is from the sunscreen this time, not the sun.
School, major and year: A&S, Economics, 2015
HometownRancho Cucamonga, California
What makes the Gavel so BANGin’? We keep it fresh. It’s drippin with swagger and is home to some of the coolest cats on campus. The Gavel is always fun and I’ve met nothing short of amazing people and writers here.
You have 24 hours to give prospective students a tour of BC and convince them to enroll. How do you spend the day? I’d start by getting some coffee and a personalized omelet at Mac. Then we’d go lose our voices at a football game and wear our super awesome Superfan shirts. We would then go see one of the amazing Acapella groups perform. We’d get some Mac N Cheese from the Rat for lunch. We would go see My Mother’s Fleabag for an awesome good time. Then we’d take a break and visit the dorms (i.e. sit in my room and watch Mean Girls…because Mean Girls.). We would then go to a hockey game, then to the Mods, and end the night at Late Night.
If you could go back in time and give yourself a pep talk the night before you moved into BC as a freshman, what is the most important piece of advice that you would give to your former self? Eat your vegetables and take a lot of pictures.
What is your favorite study spot on campus? The Rat
What is your go-to meal at Late Night? That delicious Simply Orange juice the dining halls always have stocked. This and a personal pizza topped with ketchup. Judge all you want, but ketchup on pizza is the best thing to happen since Game of Thrones.
What is the #1 most played song on your iTunes? “I Always Knew” by the Vaccines
What is the best Halloween costume that you have ever worn? I was Minnie Mouse as a kid. Not trying to brag, but I rocked the ears off that costume.
If you could only eat at one restaurant for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Del Taco
If you could befriend the main characters from any TV show or movie, who would you choose and why? Easy. Harry Potter. (I’m assuming) I’d get to go to Hogwarts, be a wizard AND be friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It’s a win win, for me anyway. If I can’t be a wizard then i’d be friends with the main characters from This Is The End.
