Banana Boat Sunscreen Recalled for Traces of a Carcinogen

The parent company of Banana Boat issued a voluntary nationwide recall of a popular sunscreen on Friday, July 29. Traces of the carcinogen benzene were found in three lots of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 during an internal audit, according to Edgewell Personal Care, which owns the Banana Boat brand.

The company said that while benzene is not an ingredient in any of its products, the chemical was discovered in the propellant that sprays the product from the can.

What Is Benzene?

According to the CDC, the chemical benzene is found in oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke, as well as naturally formed in forest fires and volcanoes. Long-term exposure to benzene in the air can cause cancer in humans, according to the agency.

An independent health assessment says exposure to benzene from the recalled sunscreen is not expected to have adverse health consequences, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) press release. Consumers should still stop using the sunscreen in the affected product batches.

What Should Consumers Do?

You can check to see if your Banana Boat sunscreen is in the recalled lots by checking the lot number on the bottom of the can. Throw out your product if any of these three codes are listed: 20016AF, 20084BF, or 21139AF.

You can get a reimbursement for products in those lots by going to the Banana Boat FAQ page or calling 1-888-686-3988.