Dozens of popular sunscreens have been contaminated with benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer, report finds
Adrianna Rodriguez
USA TODAY
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/06/07/sunscreen-cancer-causing-benzene-found-popular-brands-study-finds/7541119002/
Detectable Levels of Benzene Noted in Some Sunscreen Batches
May 25, 2021
Morgan Petronelli, Associate Editor
Valisure, a pharmacy dedicated to batch testing medications before they reach consumers, found in a recent test that 78 different sunscreen and after-sun care products contained benzene, a potential carcinogen.
According to the U. S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and various other regulatory agencies, benzene is known to cause cancer in humans. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also defines benzene as a carcinogen and exposure can include “inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, and skin and/or eye contact.”
In the laboratory test conducted by Valisure, 294 unique batches of sun care products from 69 different companies were examined.
Results of the test found 27% of samples tested contained detectable benzene, while some batches contained up to 3 times the FDA concentration limit of 2 parts per million (ppm). With the benzene-detected product batches ranging from gels, sprays, and lotions in both mineral and chemical formulations.
“There is not a safe level of benzene that can exist in sunscreen products,” said Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at Yale University and member of Dermatology Times®’ editorial advisory board. “Even benzene at 0.1 ppm in a sunscreen could expose people to excessively high nanogram amounts of benzene.”
https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/carcinogen-found-in-multiple-sunscreens