Benzene traces spark recall of Banana Boat sunscreen

The company that produces the popular sunscreen Banana Boat recalled three batches of spray bottles on Sunday over concerns they contained trace amounts of the cancerous chemical benzene.

Edgewell Personal Care Company, which is headquartered in Shelton, Conn., issued a voluntary nationwide recall for six-ounce cans of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30, according to a press release from the company shared with the Food and Drug Administration.

While benzene is not an ingredient in the sunscreen, the company said, the chemical was detected in the products through an internal review that found chemical came out of the propellant that sprays the lotion from the cans.

Benzene is a natural and manmade chemical that can have a wide range of negative long-term health effects, such as leukemia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Benzene is a flammable, colorless liquid that evaporates in the air. People are primarily exposed to the chemical by inhaling it.

Edgewell noted no additional batches, besides the three listed in the release, contain benzene. All other Banana Boat products are safe to use, the company stressed, adding that there have been no reports of adverse reactions to the product.

Edgewell operates in 50 markets across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan, the U.K. and Australia.

Banana Boat is a best-selling sunscreen in the U.S.