Customers in the United States are being encouraged to get rid of certain batches of suncream after a test revealed they contained trace levels of a cancer-causing chemical named benzene.
Edgewell Personal Care Company, which has its headquarters in Shelton, Connecticut, voluntarily issued a nationwide recall following the test which was conducted as part of an internal review.
The company parents brands including Wilkinson Sword, Bull Dog and Hawaiian Tropic, but the recall relates specifically to the suncream company Banana Boat.
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In an announcement submitted to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday (29 July), Edgewell recalled three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 due to the presence of benzene.
The chemical is colourless or light-yellow liquid at room temperature, and is a natural component of crude oil.
It's used mainly as a solvent in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, but is a human carcinogen, meaning exposure to it can cause leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, as well as blood disorders.
Edgewell has stressed benzene is not an ingredient in any Banana Boat products, but said 'unexpected levels' of the chemical came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can.
The recall, which is being conducted with the FDA, involves six ounce Banana Boat Hair and Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 with lot codes 20016AF (expiration date December 2022), 20084BF (expiration date February 2023), and 21139AF (expiration date April 2024). The codes can be found at the bottom of the cans.
Edgewell made clear these are the only batches that were found to contain the chemical, saying: "Importantly, no other batches of Hair & Scalp (either before or after these batch codes) and no other Banana Boat products are in the scope of this recall and may continue to be used by consumers safely and as intended."
Exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, and Edgewell points out humans around the world 'have daily exposures to it indoors and outdoors from multiple sources'.
"Daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences according to an independent health assessment using established exposure modelling guidelines," the company explained.
At the time of the announcement, Edgwell said it had not received 'any adverse events' related to the recall, but it encouraged customers to 'stop using the affected product immediately' and to 'appropriately discard' the suncreams.
Banana Boat is set to reimburse customers who bought the affected products, while those with questions relating to the recall can contact Edgewell Personal Care at 1-888-686-3988 Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm EST, or visit www.bananaboat.com for more information.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week
Emily Brown