Banana Boat Spray Sunscreen Recalled Due to Traces of Cancer-Causing Chemical

Three batches of a Banana Boat sunscreen have been voluntarily recalled because they contain trace levels of a carcinogen called benzene, according to a statement from Edgewell Personal Care, the makers of Banana Boat products. The product is called Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 and is packaged in an aerosol can. Benzene is a chemical created through both human activities (such as secondhand tobacco smoke and industrial emissions) and natural processes (such as forest fires), per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Benzene was detected in the product during internal testing, per Edgewell’s statement. Benzene isn’t an ingredient in the sunscreen product, and it is believed that the benzene detected during testing came from the propellant that dispels the sunscreen from its container, per the statement.

The recalled products, which were distributed nationwide, were all packaged in six-ounce cans and include the following data on the label:

• Universal product code (UPC): 0-79656-04041-8; lot code: 20016AF; expiration: December 2022
• Universal product code (UPC): 0-79656-04041-8; lot code: 20084BF; expiration: February 2023
• Universal product code (UPC): 0-79656-04041-8; lot code: 21139AF; expiration: April 2024

If you have one of the affected cans, you should stop using it and discard the product immediately, per the statement. Edgewell said it had notified retailers to remove any recalled products from shelves, and Banana Boat is offering reimbursement to people who purchased a recalled can. (You can call 1-888-686-3988 or visit this website to receive a reimbursement.)

This isn’t the first time a sunscreen product has been recalled over benzene concerns; last year, several Johnson & Johnson products, including some Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens, were recalled after testing revealed the presence of the chemical, SELF previously reported.

People can be exposed to benzene via inhalation, orally, or through the skin, and it can potentially lead to certain cancers and blood disorders, per the NCI. While exposure to the recalled products isn’t thought to be harmful, people should contact a health care provider if they experience “any problems related to using these aerosol sunscreen products,” Edgewell’s statement said.

If you do experience an adverse reaction to the recalled product, you can report it to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program online.

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