The US EPA has advised eight technology companies that dealers are using their platforms to sell illegal disinfectant products that claim to be effective against the coronavirus Covid-19.
The companies include Facebook, Ebay, Alibaba, Shopify, Qoo10, JoyBuy.com, Wish.com and banggood.com.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said he met with online retailers and third-party platforms, and advised them "to take action" against dishonest dealers and "immediately take illegal products off of their sites".
Earlier this month, the agency noted learning "through tips, complaints and research" about imposter disinfectants on the US market: products that falsely claim to be effective against the coronavirus. It also prevented – together with US Customs and Border Protection – several shipments of an illegal product from entering US Pacific ports.
Welcoming the agency’s actions, the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA) said e-commerce platforms are one of the last sales venues that are allowed to self-regulate products.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for the US government to crack down on these sellers … and HCPA will continue to advocate for regulations that protect consumers from this threat," said the association’s executive vice president of government relations and public policy, Owen Caine.