THOUSANDS of gels and sprays have been recalled since 2021 because they may contain deadly chemical – after becoming everyday essential during pandemic

  • Thousands of bottles of hand sanitizers made in China, South Korea and US were recalled after contamination
  • Gels and sprays found to contain dangerous levels of benzene, a carcinogen at top of Government danger list
  • Recalls were for specific batches of products, with many ending up back on shelves after issue was addressed
  • Benzene has previously been linked to cancer and other blood disorders – though no reports of injury yet

Nearly two dozen hand sanitizer brands have been recalled or banned in the US after they were found to contain a cancer-causing chemical.

Thousands of bottles made in China, South Korea and in America were pulled from shelves between April 2021 and September this year. 

The gels and sprays — which became a mainstay during the Covid outbreak — were found to contain dangerous levels of benzene, a carcinogen at the very top of the Government’s most dangerous solvent list.

It comes after more than a million bottles of dry shampoo were recalled last month over benzene contamination fears.

In total 21 brands of hand sanitizer have been recalled or had import bans put in place including products made by The Creme Shop and Ulta Beauty, plus lesser-known sanitizers sold in TJ Maxx, Marshalls and online.

Some of the products appear to have been targeted at children with packaging including Star Wars’ character Yoda, Disney figures and Spiderman.

When rubbed onto the hands, even in relatively small doses, benzene can seep through the skin and into the blood stream where it can stop cells working correctly. It is known to cause leukemia and other blood disorders.

The recalls and bans were for specific batches of products, with many ending up back on shelves after the contamination issue was addressed. 

Some foreign-made products have been banned completely, however, after failing to comply with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) request for a recall.

Many of the hand sanitizers were found to contain more than the interim legal limit of two parts per million (ppm) of benzene which was in place during the pandemic to help ramp up production in 2020.

Others were recalled after containing much lower levels when the limit was brought back down to zero in 2022.

Benzene may inadvertently end up in hand sanitizers during the manufacturing process when the gels are treated to remove impurities.

Purification is done using a chemical made with benzene, which can sometimes still contain trace amounts of the carcinogen.

The scale of the health impact of benzene-contaminated hand sanitizers in the US is yet to be fully understood — but there have been no reported injuries so far.

Hand sanitizers became a mainstay in homes, schools and offices during the pandemic, with sales shooting up by 600 per cent in 2020 alone.

Benzene – the cancer causing chemical found in hand sanitizers

  • Benzene is a cancer-causing chemical, also known as a carcinogen, that is widely used in manufacturing in the US.
  • It is used in the creation of plastic, nylon, rubbers, paint and glue products.
  • It can also be found in tobacco smoke, motor vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions.
  • Long-term exposure to the chemical has been linked to severe damage to a person’s blood.
  • In has been linked to blood cancers like leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
  • The chemical has also been linked to anemia.

WHICH HAND SANITIZERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO BENZENE? 

The below hand sanitizers have been recalled by the FDA or had an import ban put in place due to benzene contamination:

  • Hand sanitizer isopropyl alcohol antiseptic 75% topical solution, made by Bluebonnet Petrochemical Solutions;
  • CALA advanced hand sanitizer with aloe vera extract, made by David Cosmetic Co. Ltd.
  • The Creme Shop’s moisturizing hand sanitizers with various scents, made by Mirfeel Korea Co.
  • The Creme Shop’s moisturizing hand sanitizer peppermint scent, made by Mirfeel Korea Co.
  • AOMI hand sanitizer gel and spray, made by Mirfeel Korea Co.
  • CoSo Health hand sanitizer, made by Mirfeel Korea Co.
  • TerraPure hand sanitizer, made by Mirfeel Korea Co.
  • The Australian Wellness Co. Instant hand sanitizer with natural extracts, made by Mirfeel Korea Co.
  • Best Brand Consumers Products’ Marvel Spiderman hand sanitizer, made by Ningbo Haishu Huayu Industry & Trade;
  • Best Brand Consumers Products’ hand sanitizer kills germs, made by Ningbo Haishu Huayu Industry & Trade;
  • Best Brand Consumers Products’ hand sanitizer, made by Ningbo Haishu Huayu Industry & Trade;
  • Best Brand Consumers Products’ Disney Princess hand sanitizer, made by Ningbo Haishu Huayu Industry & Trade;
  • Best Brand Consumers Products’ Disney Frozen II hand sanitizer, made by Ningbo Haishu Huayu Industry & Trade;
  • Best Brand Consumers Products’ Star Wars Mandalorian hand sanitizer, made by Ningbo Haishu Huayu Ind.
  • International sanitizing hand spray 80%, made by Salon Technologies International;
  • Antica Ocean Citron hand sanitizer gel 65%, made by Salon Technologies International;
  • Scentsationalize sanitizer non-sterile solution alcohol antiseptic 70% topical, made by Scentsational Soaps and Candles
  • Fresh Lemon Citron Frais Scented hand sanitizer, made by Scentsational Soaps and Candles;
  • SS Black and White Collection, made by Scentsational Soaps and Candles;
  • Photo Real Collection hand sanitizer, made by Scentsational Soaps and Candles;
  • Artnaturals scent free hand sanitizer natural elements, sold by Virgin Scents dba artnaturals.

Source – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11365553/Are-hand-sanitizers-cancer-risk.html