Valisure Detects Benzene in Sunscreen
VALISURE DETECTS HIGH LEVELS OF KNOWN HUMAN CARCINOGEN BENZENE IN SEVERAL SUNSCREEN PRODUCTS AND REQUESTS FDA ACTIONS
78 sunscreen and after-sun care products contained benzene, an industrial chemical known to cause cancer and other potentially serious health risks
NEW HAVEN, CT – MAY 25, 2021 – Valisure LLC has tested and detected high levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen, in several brands and batches of sunscreen, which are considered drug products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as in after-sun care products, which are generally regulated by FDA as cosmetics. Benzene is known to cause cancer in humans according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization, and other regulatory agencies. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines benzene as a carcinogen and lists “inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact” as exposure routes. 27% of samples tested by Valisure contained detectable benzene and some batches contained up to three times the conditionally restricted FDA concentration limit of 2 parts per million (ppm).
