Coppertone recalls sunscreens in wake of Valisure report
PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED
Wilton-based Coppertone announced Thursday it was launching a recall of 12 spray sunscreens after finding cancer-causing benzene in certain lots.
The recall, one of several similar actions this year, comes in the wake of a study released in May by New Haven-based Valisure finding the carcinogen benzene in many suncare products.
Coppertone spray sunscreens including 50 SPF versions for babies, kids and sports use were recalled, including products made for the brand’s “Pure & Simple” and “Sport Mineral” lines.
“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,” the company said in a statement.
Benzene was found in specific lots of the Coppertone products manufactured between Jan. 10 and June 15, 2021. A full listing of the recalled sunscreens and refund information can be found at www.sunscreenrecall2021.com.
Valisure, an analytical pharmacy based in New Haven’s Science Park, made national news in May with its release of a report finding benzene in 78 different sunscreens and after-sun products. The highest levels of the industrial chemical were found in Neutrogena spray sunscreens, with some batches containing up to three times the FDA concentration limit for benzene.
Valisure CEO David Light said at the time, “The presence of this known human carcinogen in products widely recommended for the prevention of skin cancer and that are regularly used by adults and children is very troubling.”
A potent cancer-causing toxin, benzene has no safe level of use in consumer products, company experts said.
Johnson & Johnson, the maker of both Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol spray sunscreens, announced a voluntary recall of certain products named in the report in July.
In June, a San Francisco law firm filed a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of consumers who bought recalled benzene-tainted sunscreen products made by Johnson & Johnson.
Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments