Banana Boat expands Hair & Scalp Sunscreen recall over benzene presence

Edgewell Personal Care Company expanded the recall of its Banana Boat Hair & Scalp sunscreen products due to the presence of the cancer-causing chemical benzene. 

The recall now includes four batches of the Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30, according to a notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The company on Friday voluntarily added one additional batch to the original recall, which was announced in July 2022.

Edgewell Personal Care Company expanded its voluntary nationwide recall of three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30. (Edgewell Personal Care/FDA)

The recall was first issued after the company discovered that some samples of the product contained trace levels of benzene.  

Roughly one year ago, Sure and Brut-branded deodorants and antiperspirant aerosol sprays distributed across North America were also recalled after officials discovered "unexpected levels" of benzene that came from propellant that sprays the product out of the can.

It's the same issue that led Procter & Gamble to recall over 30 of its aerosol spray products from various brands in December 2021. 

Edgewell Personal Care Company expanded its voluntary nationwide recall of three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30. (Edgewell Personal Care/FDA)

According to the recall notice, exposure to benzene can potentially "result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders which can be life-threatening." 

Edgewell said that no adverse events related to this recall have been reported.

Edgewell said its sunscreen spray products were distributed nationwide through various retailers and online. The company has "notified its retailers to remove any remaining recalled product from shelves," according to the recall notice. 

Edgewell Personal Care Company expanded its voluntary nationwide recall of three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30. (Edgewell Personal Care/FDA)

The company said that Banana Boat will also offer reimbursement for consumers who have purchased one of the affected products.