Procter & Gamble (P&G) has announced a new product recall after finding traces of benzene in some of its dry shampoo sprays and other spray products. This is in addition to the Secret deodorant and Old Spice recall from about a month ago, which includes several other products that might contain traces of benzene. If you have any of the Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Waterless, Old Spice, or Hair Food sprays in the recall list, you should stop using them immediately.
The P&G dry shampoo spray recall
The P&G products in the recall include aerosol dry conditioner spray and aerosol dry shampoo spray. The company detected the presence of benzene in some of the products from the brands listed above.
P&G said in a press release that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared a few days ago that it conducted a review of its total portfolio of aerosol products. The action follows recent reports that said traces of benzene were present in some aerosol products.
The company explained that benzene isn’t an ingredient in the products in the recall. But the review showed “unexpected levels of benzene” from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can. P&G detected benzene in several aerosol dry shampoo spray and aerosol dry conditioner spray products.
32 products from Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Waterless, Old Spice, and Hair Food are included in the recall. The company sold the conditioners and shampoo sprays listed in the recall nationwide. A complete list of conditioner and shampoo spray products that you should stop using is available on the FDA’s website.
Why benzene is dangerous
Benzene is a human carcinogen, and that’s why P&G issued the aerosol dry conditioner and dry shampoo recall. Exposure to benzene can occur via inhalation, orally, and through the skin. It can lead to cancers, including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow, as well as blood disorders. These illnesses can be life-threatening.
“Based on exposure modeling and the cancer risk assessments published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (IRIS database), daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences,” the press release reads.
Furthermore, P&G said that it had not received any reports of adverse events related to the conditioner and shampoo sprays in the recall.
What you should do
P&G advises buyers to stop using any of the conditioner and shampoo sprays in the recall. They should also dispose of the aerosol cans appropriately. Customers can also seek reimbursement for the products in the recall.
The company says that the vast majority of its products are not part of the recall, “including mousses, hairsprays, liquid shampoos, liquid conditioners, styling products, treatments, and unaffected aerosol dry shampoo sprays.” If the Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Hair Food, and Waterless products you have at home are not present in the list of recalled products, you can continue to use them.
Visit this link to read the full conditioner and shampoo spray recall announcement. You’ll find contact information for the company and the full list of products that might contain traces of benzene.
