Banana Boat recalls spray sunscreen product after tests detect carcinogen benzene

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Sunscreen brand Banana Boat has recalled certain products after tests found trace levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene.

On Friday, Edgewell Personal Care Company, the company that owns Banana Boat, announced the recall in a press release. The release explained that three batches of Banana Boat’s Hair and Scalp sunscreen, which are packaged in aerosol cans, were being recalled.

The recall refers to six ounce Banana Boat Hair and Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 with lot codes 20016AF, 20084BF, and 21139AF and expiration dates ​​of December 2022, February 2023 or April 2024.

The company, which noted that the carcinogen is not an ingredient in any Banana Boat products, shared that tests found the chemical “came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can”.

“While benzene is not an ingredient in any Banana Boat products, the review showed that unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can,” the company said.

Edgewell Personal Care Company also said that it has not received any reports of adverse reactions related to the recall, and that “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 modeling guidelines”.

Benzene, which can be colourless or light-yellow, can cause cancer in humans, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, cancer of the blood-forming organs,” the agency states.

Edgewell Personal Care Company says that it has asked retailers to remove the Banana Boat products containing the substance, which were distributed nationwide throughout the US and online, from shelves immediately. It also warns consumers who have the product to stop using it and make sure that it is appropriately discarded. They said they will offer reimbursement for consumers who purchased the recalled product.

In addition to directing consumers with questions to contact Edgewell Personal Care at 1-888-686-3988, consumers may also reach out with questions on www.bananaboat.com. The company implores any consumers who have health problems or questions related to the use of the aerosol sunscreen to contact their physician or healthcare provider.