Cbs news benzene in sunscreen7/14/2023 ![]() In December, for instance, Procter & Gamble recalled aerosol dry shampoo and conditioner spray products from six brands sold nationwide after finding benzene in some of them. Thankfully, the list of benzene-contaminated sunscreens is published online, as well as a much longer list of sunscreens that were found to contain no detectable benzene at all. Unilever in late March recalled two Suave 24-hour protection aerosol antiperspirants after an internal review found slightly elevated levels of benzene in some samples.įour other companies have recalled products this year after finding benzene in samples, and more than half a dozen recalls came for the same reason last year. An independent lab detected benzene, a known carcinogen, in dozens of popular drug-store sunscreens. People are most typically exposed by breathing the chemical in the air, but they can also absorb it into their bodies by touching petroleum products, or by eating or drinking contaminated food or beverages. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the most commonly made chemicals in the U.S., benzene is present in gasoline and cigarette smoke, according to the U.S. Daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in testing "would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences," Unilever said. The conglomerate sells roughly 400 products around the globe, from Ben & Jerry's ice cream to Hellmann's mayonnaise.Įxposure to benzene can result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the blood marrow, as well as life-threatening blood disorders. The recall is the second this year for Unilever involving a product possibly containing benzene. Photo of some products recalled by Unilever. People who purchased the affected aerosol dry shampoo products should stop using them and visit for reimbursement instructions. "Even small amounts constitute big action," added Light, citing the global recall that ensued after benzene was found in bottles of Perrier mineral water more than three decades ago.Īerosol-type products are more at risk of containing benzene than the general sphere of consumer products, as are petroleum-derived products such as gels, lotions, creams and sunscreens, said Light. This is a very problematic compound, and it shouldn't be ignored," he said. Still, "Benzene should not be confused with a lot of other areas of concern. That's not to say anyone who has used one of the recalled products will get cancer, emphasized Light, a biotech entrepreneur and scientist. "Benzene is such a bad molecule - it's at the very top of the FDA's list of 70-some solvents not to use," Light told CBS MoneyWatch, adding that unlike with some chemicals, "there's no argument about whether or not it causes cancer in human beings." ![]() ![]() People should take the benzene-related recalls seriously, as they involve a far more dangerous contaminant than most, according to David Light, CEO of Valisure, an independent lab in New Haven, Connecticut, that alerted the Food and Drug Administration to its findings of benzene in sunscreen sprays last year. ![]()
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