Coppertone Recalls Sunscreen Contaminated With Benzene
On September 30, 2021, Coppertone issued a voluntary recall of some of its aerosol sunscreen products because they tested positive for benzene. Benzene is a known human carcinogen and is the reason for a recent string of sunscreen and other consumer product recalls.
In its announcement, Coppertone, which Beiersdorf owns, said that it was voluntarily recalling twelve lots of “five Coppertone aerosol sunscreen spray products manufactured between the dates of January 10, 2021 and June 15, 2021.”
Test samples from these particular lots contained benzene, which, according to Coppertone, is not an ingredient in sunscreen products.
The recall only applies to certain lots of spray sunscreens. These are the specific Coppertone sunscreen products impacted by this recall as posted on the website of the Food and Drug Administration:
00072140028817
Coppertone Pure Simple Baby SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN0083J
1/10/2021
00072140028817
Coppertone Pure Simple Baby SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN0083K
1/11/2021
00072140028824
Coppertone Pure Simple Kids SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN00854
1/12/2021
00072140028824
Coppertone Pure Simple Kids SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN00855
1/14/2021
00072140028701
Coppertone Sport Mineral SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN008KU
3/15/2021
00072140028701
CT Sport Mineral SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN008KV
3/16/2021
00072140028800
Coppertone Pure Simple SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN00BR2
3/31/2021
00072140028817
Coppertone Pure Simple Baby SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN009GH
3/31/2021
00072140028824
Coppertone Pure simple Kids SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN00857
4/6/2021
00041100005069
Coppertone Travel Size Sport Spray SPF 50 1.6OZ 24S
TN00BU3
5/6/2021
00072140028800
Coppertone Pure Simple SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN00CJ4
6/15/2021
00072140028824
Coppertone Pure Simple Kids SPF 50 SPRAY 5OZ 12S
TN00CJV
6/15/2021
In its recall notice, Coppertone has advised consumers to stop using these specific aerosol sunscreen products and to dispose of them. If anyone experienced adverse health consequences from using the recalled sunscreens, Coppertone suggests contacting your health care provider right away. Consumers can contact visit www.sunscreenrecall2021.com to request a refund and obtain additional information.
Why Should You Worry About Benzene in Sunscreen?
Benzene exposure or benzene contamination can cause immediate and long-term health problems. Exposure to high levels of benzene can cause dizziness, headaches, seizures, nausea, confusion, rashes, coughing, itching, and more.
Benzene is also a human carcinogen. This means that with repeated exposure or exposure over time, it can cause cancer. Specifically, benzene causes an increased risk of blood cancer and bone marrow cancer like lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemia. Benzene can also cause other adverse health consequences like anemia and respiratory problems.
Humans are exposed to benzene in different ways-it is a widely used chemical and also found in nature. Humans can inhale or ingest it, or we can absorb it through our skin. Our skin is the body’s largest organ. It would make sense that repeated use of a product containing benzene may cause dangerous and unwelcome illnesses that can become life-threatening.
Coppertone Insists Recall is Out of An Abundance of Caution
Coppertone’s statement makes it clear that recall of the aerosol sunscreens is entirely voluntary and out of an abundance of caution. It is a precautionary measure. The announcement states 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.”
Coppertone also states that as of the recall date, the company received no reports of adverse health effects related to the recalled products.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP, if You Were Injured by Recalled Coppertone Sunscreen
As with any product, manufacturers have responsibilities to the consumers who use sunscreen. Products must be safe for their intended use, and risks and warnings must be disclosed.
When the makers of consumer products, drugs, cosmetics, or sunscreen fail to disclose the risks and dangers or make an inherently dangerous product, consumers who suffer injuries might be entitled to collect compensation. This might be especially true if the product is the subject of a recall.
There are other sunscreens out there that have also been found to contain benzene. Some of the companies that make these other products have issued recall notices similar to the one issued by Coppertone. Consumers are starting to wonder who they can trust and what sunscreen products don’t increase a person’s risk of developing leukemia or other cancers.
If you used one of the five sunscreen products that have been recalled by Coppertone, find out if you are entitled to seek compensation by calling our lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP. Call 800-403-6191 today to learn about your legal rights when you get injured by recalled products.