Independent testing found that the problem is widespread. You can get a reimbursement for products in those lots by going to the Banana Boat FAQ page or calling 1-88. In 2021, spray sunscreens contaminated with benzene, a known carcinogen, prompted a sunscreen recall of 14 popular products. Throw out your product if any of these three codes are listed: 20016AF, 20084BF, or 21139AF. In benzene sunscreen lawsuits, Neutrogena, Coppertone, Johnson & Johnson, and other manufacturers are accused of creating and selling products with high benzene levels.

You can check to see if your Banana Boat sunscreen is in the recalled lots by checking the lot number on the bottom of the can. Consumers should still stop using the sunscreen in the affected product batches. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) press release. Long-term exposure to benzene in the air can cause cancer in humans, according to the agency.Īn independent health assessment says exposure to benzene from the recalled sunscreen is not expected to have adverse health consequences, per the U.S. What Is Benzene?Īccording to the CDC, the chemical benzene is found in oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke, as well as naturally formed in forest fires and volcanoes.

The company said that while benzene is not an ingredient in any of its products, the chemical was discovered in the propellant that sprays the product from the can. Traces of the carcinogen benzene were found in three lots of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 during an internal audit, according to Edgewell Personal Care, which owns the Banana Boat brand. The parent company of Banana Boat issued a voluntary nationwide recall of a popular sunscreen on Friday, July 29.

Carcinogenic benzene in sunscreen