Banana Boat Sunscreen Recalled Nationwide

The company behind Banana Boat recalled three batches of sunscreen recently because some samples contained trace levels of benzene. Although benzene is not used to make Banana Boat sunscreen, it is used for the propellant that prays the product from the can. Exposure to high levels of benzene can lead to leukemia, a blood cancer of the bone marrow, and other blood disorders considered life-threatening.

The recall covers three batches of Edgewell Personal Care Company’s Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Spray SPF 30 in 6-oz. packages and the UPC 0-79656-04041-8. The affected products have the lot codes 20016AF, 20084BF, 21139AF, and expiration dates of December 2022, February 2023, and April 2024. No other batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp products are covered under the recall, according to Edgewell’s announcement published on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website.

The products are packaged in aerosol cans and were distributed nationwide through retailers and websites. Edgewell notified retailers to remove the remaining recalled products from shelves. Banana Boat is also offering refunds to consumers if they bought a can included in the recall. Click here to apply for a refund from Banana Boat. Consumers should stop using the affected product and throw it away immediately. Edgewell has not received reports of any injuries or illnesses linked to the issue. Consumers can contact Edgewell Personal Care at 1-888-686-3988.

Benzene is a human carcinogen and ubiquitous in the environment. Humans are exposed to it outside daily, but it can “potentially can result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders which can be life-threatening,” according to the recall statement. “Daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences according to an independent health assessment using established exposure modeling guidelines,” Edgewell notes.

Products packaged in aerosol cans are frequently recalled if trace amounts of benzene are found. In December, Procter & Gamble issued a recall of Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, and Waterless dry shampoo products after a review found “unexpected” levels of benzene in the propellant that sprays the shampoo from the can. In February, Helen of Troy Limited recalled four Brut and two Brut deodorant products for the same reason.

Consumers can report adverse reactions or quality problems to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program. You can submit a report online by clicking here. A form, found here, can also be mailed or faxed to the FDA.