Marietta, GA. (June 24, 2021) —
With summer in full swing and COVID-19 restrictions winding down, Americans are flocking to beaches across the country. But after a recent lab report revealed high levels of benzene in popular sunscreen products and called for increased regulations on sunscreen manufacturers, the public is steering away from previously trusted brands.
Valisure, an online pharmacy and independent lab that conducts consumer product testing, recently released the results of their sunscreen analysis conducted on products from 69 different brands. A total of 294 batches were analyzed, with 78 testing positive for benzene. Of those 78, 14 exceeded the FDA’s benzene limit of 2 parts per million (or 0.0002%).
The results varied between brands and batches, showing a high level of inconsistency in the products testing positive for benzene. “Benzene contamination was detected in sprays, gels, and lotions,” and was present in “chemical and mineral-based” products, per Valisure. Trusted manufacturers, including Neutrogena, Fruit of the Earth, CVS Health, and Sun Bum, produced batches exceeding the FDA’s benzene limit.
Manufacturers
Heightened regulations would likely lead to recalls and manufacturing downtime for many companies, resulting in a massive loss of revenue. Manufacturers should plan to submit their sunscreen products for benzene analysis before any recalls or potential FDA regulations go into effect. As Valisure has called for the FDA to recall all sunscreen products containing benzene sold in the United States, there is a strong possibility of mandatory benzene analysis for manufacturers in the industry. Benzene analysis is the most effective way to prevent potential recalls, avoid manufacturing interruptions, and maintain brand trust.
What is Benzene?
Benzene occurs both naturally and synthetically, being present in wood fires, volcanoes, cigarette smoke, and gasoline. It is a highly flammable carcinogen with many manufacturing applications in the United States, including plastics and pesticides.
Is Benzene Dangerous?
“There is not a safe level of benzene that can exist in sunscreen products,” according to Yale University Associate Professor of Dermatology Dr. Christopher Bunick. “Even benzene at 0.1 ppm in a sunscreen could expose people to excessively high nanogram amounts of benzene.”
Overexposure to benzene can result in a reduced red blood cell count, excessive bleeding, significant immune system damage, anemia, and cancer. The FDA states that benzene “should not be employed in the manufacture of drug substances, excipients, and drug products because of their unacceptable toxicity,” and the limit of 2 parts per million only applies “if their use is unavoidable in order to produce a drug product with a significant therapeutic advance.” Valisure states that, as most sunscreen products tested did not contain benzene, it is clearly not essential to the manufacturing of these products and, “therefore, any significant detection of benzene should be deemed unacceptable.”
Applied Technical Services
At Applied Technical Services, our certified analysts are thoroughly experienced, highly trained experts committed to providing the highest level of client satisfaction with reliable information, innovative technologies, and excellent customer service. With over fifty years of experience, ATS has the skills, knowledge, and resources to ensure our clients around the world receive the consistent level of quality testing they need to keep their operations running smoothly and to avoid unexpected downtime and interruptions. Contact us today to submit your products for benzene analysis testing.