Banana Boat sunscreen recalled after cancer-causing chemical found

Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A popular brand of sunscreen is being recalled nationwide after it was found to contain very small amounts of a chemical that's known to cause cancer.

The recall affects three shipments of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.

The product was found to contain trace elements of benzene, a known carcinogen. The chemical is often used as a propellant in aerosol containers for sunscreen spray, but in this case it was accidentally mixed in with the product, the FDA said.

The company said it believes the problem is limited to only three batches of the sprays that can identified by lot codes at the bottom of every can:

• Lot Code: 20016AF; Expiration Date: December 2022
• Lot Code: 20084BF; Expiration Date: February 2023
• Lot Code: 21139AF; Expiration Date: April 2024

So far, there have been no reports of any emergencies related to the Banana Boat sunscreen, which has been pulled from store shelves nationwide. Online retailers were also discarding any remaining inventory.

"We are conducting this recall out of an abundance of caution," Banana Boat said in a statement on its website. "No other batches of Hair & Scalp and no other Banana Boat products are in the scope of this recall and may continue to be used by consumers safely."

The FDA advises consumers who may have already bought some of the cans to immediately throw away or stop using them. Banana Boat said it will reimburse customers for the item.

Edgewell Personal Care has set up a hotline to answer questions about the recall -- (888) 686-3988 -- and people can also find information at Banana Boat's website.

Benzene contamination has previously been at the center of other recent product recalls involving deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens and athlete's foot treatments.