Coppertone, Beiersdorf's sunscreen brand, has issued a voluntary recall of specific lots of five sunscreen products due to the presence of benzene.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a public notification of the recall, which includes: Pure & Simple SPF 50 Spray (2021 launch), Pure & Simple Baby SPF 50 Spray, Pure & Simple Kids SPF 50 Spray, Sport Mineral SPF 50 Spray (2021 launch), and Travel-Size Coppertone Sport Spray SPF 50 (1.6 oz) aerosol sunscreen sprays. The products were manufactured between the dates of Jan. 10, 2021, and June 15, 2021.
See related: J&J Voluntarily Recalls Benzene-containing Neutrogena and Aveeno Spray Sunscreens
Twelve lots of the products have been identified:
- UPC 00072140028817, Coppertone (CT) Pure & Simple (P&S) BABY SPF50 SPRAY 5 OZ 12S, Lot TN0083J, mfr date: 1/10/2021
- UPC 00072140028817, CT P&S BABY SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN0083K, 1/11/2021;
- UPC 00072140028824, CT P&S KIDS SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN00854, 1/12/2021;
- UPC 00072140028824, CT P&S KIDS SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN00855, 1/14/2021;
- UPC 00072140028701, CT SPORT Mineral (MIN) SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN008KU, 3/15/2021;
- UPC 00072140028701, CT SPORT MIN SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN008KV, 3/16/2021;
- UPC 00072140028800, CT P&S SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN009GH, 3/31/2021;
- UPC 00072140028824, CT P&S KIDS SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN00857, 4/6/2021;
- UPC 00041100005069, CT SPORT SPRAY SPF50 1.6OZ 24S, Lot TN00BU3, 5/6/2021;
- UPC 0072140028800, CT P&S SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN00CJ4, 6/15/2021; and
- UPC 00072140028824, CT P&S KIDS SPF50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S, Lot TN00CJV, 6/15/2021.
As the FDA explains, benzene is classified as a human carcinogen and, "exposure to it can occur through inhalation, oral and skin and it could, depending on the level and extent of exposure, result in an increased risk of cancers including leukemia, and blood cancer of the bone marrow and other blood disorders which can be life-threatening."
See related: Benzene in Sunscreen Prompts FDA Citizen Petition, PCPC Responds
The FDA adds, however, that, "Daily exposure to benzene at the levels detected in these affected Coppertone aerosol sunscreen spray products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences based on generally accepted exposure modeling by numerous regulatory agencies. Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling certain lots of these specific aerosol sunscreen spray products. To date, Coppertone has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall."
