A popular Banana Boat sunscreen is being voluntarily recalled after benzene, classified as a human carcinogen, is detected in the product.
Edgewell Personal Care Company has announced on Friday that a voluntary nationwide recall is happening after three batches of the Banana Boat Hair & Scalp SPF 30 sunscreen had traces of Benzene.
Edgewell Personal Care Co. says benzene is not an ingredient used in Banana Boat products and the trace amounts of benzene were caused by the propellant that distributes product in the packaging, according to the press release.
“Banana Boat is voluntarily recalling three production batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 aerosol sprays due to trace levels of benzene,” the statement read. “We know that you love our products, and we are conducting this recall out of an abundance of caution. 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.”
The recalled batches have expiration dates of December 2022, February 2023 or April 2024 with the lot codes 20016AF, 20084BF, and 21139AF.
It is recommended they stop using them immediately and discard the product.
What happens when exposed to Benzene?
Benzene is considered to be a highly flammable chemical that is typically found in crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke.
Long term exposure at high levels can increase cancer risk, cause damage to the immune system, and prevent cells from functioning properly according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the shorter term, breathing in the carcinogen can cause dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms.
The Food and Drug Administration also shared the announcement and encourages consumers to discard of any products that could be possibly contaminated.
