
(UnitedReader.com) – Recalls protect the public from potential harm when products are faulty. Often, they are typically associated with the automobile and food industries. However, any company or industry might issue a recall, regardless of their product.
Sunscreen is a necessity for many people who spend time outside professionally or recreationally, regardless of the season. Additionally, health experts recommend routine sunscreen use to reduce the risks of developing skin cancer from absorbing harmful UV radiation. Unfortunately, two sunscreen product lines appear to contain a carcinogenic ingredient, leading to a recall from a major manufacturer.
The Johnson and Johnson Recall
Johnson and Johnson (J&J) announced the voluntary recall of specific Aveeno and Neutrogena Aerosol Sunscreen products on Wednesday, July 14. J&J issued the recall after finding benzene, a known carcinogen, in some of those products.
The recall specifically targets aerosol products, including:
- Aveeno® Protect and Refresh
- Neutrogena® Beach Defense
- Neutrogena® Cool Dry Sport
- Neutrogena® Invisible Daily
- Neutrogena® Ultra Sheer
Consumers can find more information about specific lot numbers here or call 1-800-458-1673 for additional information about the recall.
Johnson and Johnson’s Statement
In a statement, The company assured consumers benzene is not an ingredient in any of their sunscreen products in an official statement posted online on the Food and Drug Administration website. However, J&J admitted the chemical was found in some product samples, probably as a contaminant, and vowed to find the source. The carcinogen only occurred in the handful of aerosol products identified. J&J stressed how important routine use of sunscreen is to public health as cases of Melanoma continue to rise.
Other Companies Action
J&J isn’t alone. Benzene was also found in certain CVS sunscreen products. While CVS isn’t currently recalling any products, they are pausing the sale of two of their products. Shockingly, the After-sun Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel, which contains benzene, is still being sold.
An independent laboratory conducted tests on 294 samples across 69 brands. They found benzene in 78 of these products, prompting the voluntary recalls and pause in sales.
There’s really no way to know how long-standing the contamination might have lasted. Benzene is a common industrial chemical that could have been a trace contaminant in those products for some time. New detection techniques make it possible to quantify carcinogens like benzene at increasingly lower concentrations. Ultimately, that technology results in cleaner, healthier products.
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