Multiple Shampoos and Conditioners Recalled Over Benzene Concerns
Procter & Gamble announced a nationwide recall of aerosol dry shampoo and conditioner spray products marketed under several of their brands. The company said the products could possibly have benzene in them. Exposure to the human carcinogen is linked to cancers, including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow.
The recall includes products from Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, and Waterless made in the U.S. The previously discontinued Old Spice Hair and Food aerosol dry shampoo products are also included in the recall. Procter & Gamble voluntarily issued the recall on Dec. 17 after receiving reports that traces of benzene were found in some aerosol spray products, according to a notice posted on the FDA website. Benzene is not an ingredient in the product itself, but Procter & Gamble's review found that "unexpected" levels of benzene came from the "propellant that sprays the product out of the can."
No other products from these brands were included in the recall, Procter & Gamble said. If you have aerosol dry shampoo spray products with production codes not included in the recall, those may still be used. "The vast majority of our products are not part of this recall, including mousses, hairsprays, liquid shampoos, liquid conditioners, styling products, treatments, and unaffected aerosol dry shampoo sprays," the company said. The full list of products impacted by the recall can be found on the FDA website.
The recalled products were sent to stores across the county, and retailers have already been contacted to start removing impacted products from shelves. Anyone with the affected aerosol dry conditioner and shampoo products should discard them immediately. Procter & Gamble is also offering reimbursement for eligible products through their brands' websites.
Benzene is a human carcinogen, meaning it can cause cancer in humans. Exposure to the chemical can cause leukemia, blood cancer of the bone marrow, and other life-threatening blood disorders. "Based on exposure modeling and the cancer risk assessments published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (IRIS database), daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences," Procter & Gamble's statement reads. "Benzene is ubiquitous in the environment. Humans around the world have daily exposures to it indoors and outdoors from multiple sources."