Johnson & Johnson Recalls 5 Spray-On Sunscreens Due To Benzene

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Johnson & Johnson, which is headquartered in New Brunswick, announced Wednesday it is voluntarily recalling five types of its Neutrogena and Aveeno aersol sunscreens on the market because they found benzene in the products.

Johnson & Johnson is investigating how the benzene, which was found at low levels, got into the spray-on sunscreens.

The only sunscreen products impacted are aerosol or spray-on sunscreens, and they are:

• Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen
• Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen
• Neutrogena Invisible Daily defense aerosol sunscreen
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen
• Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen

If you have any of these sunscreens in your home, stop using them and throw them away, said the company. You can request a refund by calling the number below.

Johnson & Johnson said the benzene was found in internal safety tests they do of their products. They also said all five sunscreen sprays have low levels of benzene.

"While benzene is not an ingredient in any of our sunscreen products, it was detected in some samples of the impacted aerosol sunscreen finished products," said Johnson & Johnson in this statement they released to the Food & Drug Administration Wednesday. "We are investigating the cause of this issue."

"Based on exposure modeling and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) framework, daily exposure to benzene in these aerosol sunscreen products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences," J&J continued. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling all lots of these specific aerosol sunscreen products."

Benzene is a chemical that looks like a clear or pale yellow liquid. It is odorless and highly flammable. Benzene is also ubiquitous in the environment, according to Johnson & Johnson. Humans around the world have daily exposures indoors and outdoors from multiple sources. Benzene can be absorbed, to varying degrees, by inhalation, through the skin, and orally.

Benzene is classified as a human carcinogen, a substance that could potentially cause cancer depending on the level and extent of exposure.

Consumers may contact the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Care Center 24/7 with questions or to request a refund by calling 1-800-458-1673.

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