Banana Boat Scalp Sunscreen Recalled Due to Benzene Contamination
August 1, 2022
Edgewell Personal Care Company, owners of the Banan Boat brand of sunscreens, have issued a voluntary recall of their Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Spray SPF 30.
The press release, posted on the company’s official website on July 29th, 2022 states that benzene was found in trace levels in the product. Benzene is not an ingredient in spray sunscreens, but can sometimes be found as a trace contaminant in the propellant used in spray sunscreens.
“Banana Boat is voluntarily recalling three production batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 aerosol sprays due to trace levels of benzene,” the statement read. “We know that you love our products, and we are conducting this recall out of an abundance of caution. Importantly, no other batches of Hair & Scalp (either before or after these batch codes) and no other Banana Boat products are in the scope of this recall and may continue to be used by consumers safely and as intended.”
Edgewell Personal Care Company press release
Benzene is a known human carcinogen and exposure to it can cause serious health problems.
The company is urging consumers who have purchased the affected product to stop using it immediately and to contact Edgewell for a full refund. Affected lot codes include 20016AF, 20084BF and 21139AF.
This isn’t the first time a sunscreen has been recalled for benzene contamination. Last year, Johnson & Johnson recalled five sunscreens because they were found to have trace amounts of the toxic chemical.
In December of 2021, Proctor & Gamble announced a voluntary recall of over 30 dry shampoo brands in their product lineup for the same reason.
At Better Goods, we don’t recommend the use of aerosol spray sunscreens. Besides the risk of benzene contamination, spray sunscreens are also more likely to be inhaled, which can be dangerous.
We always recommend using a mineral sunscreen that is free of any synthetic chemicals. Mineral sunscreens offer safe and effective protection from the sun without the risk of toxic exposure.
To find a non-toxic and safe sunscreen, read our in-depth analysis of 40+ sunscreens, where we ranked them on ingredient safety. We also did an analysis of face sunscreens, which you can read here.
