Cancer-causing chemical detected in Banana Boat sunscreen leads to voluntary recall of several batches

• The company that makes Banana Boat sunscreen has issued a voluntary recall of three batches.
• Samples of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 were found to have "unexpected" levels of benzene.
• Benzene is a manufacturing chemical known to increase the risk of leukemia and other blood disorders.

Three batches of Banana Boat spray sunscreen have been recalled after an internal review detected trace levels of benzene, a chemical that is known to increase cancer risk.

Only select batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 were included in the voluntary recall. All other batches of the spray, as well as other Banana Boat products, were deemed safe to use, Edgewell Personal Care Company announced in a press release Friday.

The affected lot numbers are listed in the press release, which has also been circulated by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The company that makes Banana Boat sunscreen said an internal review found "unexpected" levels of the cancer-causing chemical in some samples. Benzene is not a listed ingredient in sunscreen products, but it has been found in similar sprays in the past and has been linked to the propellant used to spray sunscreen out of the can.

Benzene has been found in spray cans before

Exposure to benzene for a year or more causes abnormalities in the blood and bone marrow, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Long-term health effects linked to benzene include anemia, immune system malfunction, and even leukemia, or cancer of the blood.

Although the level of benzene found in spray sunscreens is low enough that it won't cause an adverse reaction, experts previously told Insider that no amount of benzene exposure is safe. Exposure to benzene may occur via inhalation, orally, or through the skin. In 2021, more than 40 sunscreen products were found to contain the chemical, likely due to contamination during the manufacturing process.

People are most commonly exposed to benzene in tobacco smoke or in industrial settings, but aerosolized sunscreens and deodorants are some of the top sources of benzene exposure at home.

Spraying these products indoors could lead to dangerous levels of benzene in your home, so Edgewell is urging consumers to stop using affected products immediately and throw them out. The company has also notified retailers to pull contaminated bottles from shelves in stores.

Edgewell Personal Care Company did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.