Three types of Banana Boat aerosol sunscreen have been pulled from shelves after safety concerns were raised with the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Manufacturer Edgewell Personal Care removed the products from supermarkets shelves and issued a product recall.
“After consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and out of an abundance of caution, Edgewell Personal Care is recalling all batches of the above Banana Boat aerosol sunscreen sprays with an expiry date of 31st January 2024 or earlier,” the statement read.
“Product testing identified unexpected levels of benzene in some batches of these aerosol sunscreens. Exposure to benzene in these sunscreen products at the levels detected would not be expected to cause adverse health effects.
“The rest of the Banana Boat sun care portfolio – including lotion and roll-on sunscreens and other aerosol sunscreens are not impacted and continue to be available to consumers.”
Consumers are advised to immediately stop using the following products and dispose of them:
- Banana Boat Ultra Very High Protection Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+
- Banana Boat Simply Protect Kids Very High Protection Sunscreen Lotion Spray SPF 50+
- Banana Boat Dry Balance Very High Protection Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+
A refund can be requested via this form on their web site.
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Refunds will be provided in the form of a gift voucher.
The substance responsible for the product recall, benzene, is commonly used as a starting material in making other chemicals.
According to the American Cancer Society, it can be absorbed through the skin during contact with a source.
“Benzene is known to cause cancer, based on evidence from studies in both people and lab animals,” the web site states.
“The link between benzene and cancer has largely focused on leukaemia and other cancers of blood cells.”
This isn’t the first time dangerous levels of the carcinogen were found in sunscreens.
In May, the FDA was advised to recall 40 batches of sunscreen for the same reason.
