CNN
—
High levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, have been detected in more brands and lots of dry shampoos, according to a new report from Valisure, an independent lab.
Just last month, certain aerosol dry shampoos – including select Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI and TRESemmé products – were voluntarily recalled due to the potential presence of benzene.
Then on Monday, Valisure sent a citizens’ petition to the US Food and Drug Administration in which the lab described that among 148 batches of 34 different brands of dry shampoos, 70% of the samples tested had “quantifiable” levels of benzene. .
According to their report, 11 samples showed levels more than 10 times above 2 parts per million (ppm), the FDA limit for drugs.
“However, the dry shampoos tested are not drugs and do not contain any active pharmaceutical ingredient for therapeutic purposes; therefore, any significant detection of benzene could be deemed unacceptable. Additionally, Valisure shows data from benzene analysis by directly sampling contaminated air after spraying dry shampoo products, suggesting potential for short- and long-term inhalation exposure to high levels of benzene. The presence of this known human carcinogen in dry shampoos that are regularly used indoors and in large quantities makes this finding particularly troubling,” wrote Valisure Managing Director David Light and Qian Wu, Head of Global Analytics for Valisure. Suitcase, in the FDA Citizen. Petition.
The petition urges the FDA to “promptly request recalls” on affected product lots containing benzene and to better define limits for benzene contamination in other products.
The FDA normally takes 180 days to respond to a citizen petition.
In summary, three lots of one brand’s dry shampoos contained spray containing more than 100 ppm of benzene, according to the petition, and some samples tested by Valisure showed more than 10 times the FDA’s drug limit. The petition also mentions that Valisure has also detected benzene in other commonly used products, including some hand sanitizers and sunscreens.
CNN reached out to the brands listed in the petition and contacted the FDA for comment, but did not immediately hear back from all of them.
In a statement, Church & Dwight, maker of Batiste hair products, said: “Consumer safety is of the utmost importance. When it was reported that propellants were the source of benzene in competitors’ recalled products, we contacted our propellant suppliers and confirmed with those suppliers that the propellants used in our Batiste products do not contain benzene. We will evaluate the report at the center of recent complaints.
Valisure’s Light said in a new statement, “The detection of high levels of benzene in dry shampoos should be of serious concern, as these products are likely used indoors, where benzene can linger and be inhaled for long periods of time.
“These and other issues identified by Valisure, including the detection of benzene in body sprays, hand sanitizers and sunscreen products, strongly underscore the importance of independent testing and its need to be better integrated. in an increasingly complex and vulnerable global supply chain.”
Last year, several deodorants and sunscreen products were recalled due to benzene detections.
Benzene is formed by both natural and artificial processes. “Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. Benzene is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The main way people are exposed is by breathing air that contains benzene,” according to the American Cancer Society.
#Independent #Lab #Finds #Troubling #Levels #CancerCausing #Chemicals #Types #Dry #Shampoos #Report #CNN