Nivea, Cancer Council, and other sunscreens recalled after benzene detection – find out if your sunscreen is affected
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Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration has issued a recall for nine batches of sunscreen across six products after the detection of benzene. Benzene is a human carcinogen that can cause cancer depending on the level and extent of exposure.
"Benzene is not an ingredient in sunscreens but can be a contaminant in raw materials used in the manufacturing process," said the TGA.
The affected sunscreens are:
Product Name | Affected Batch Numbers |
Cancer Council Sensitive Sunscreen SPF50+ 110mL (Tube)  | 1103178 |
Cancer Council Sensitive Sunscreen SPF50+ 200mL (Pump)  | 1099751 |
NIVEA Sun Protect & Moisture SPF30 Lotion 200ml  | 12640440-BN |
NIVEA Sun Protect & Moisture SPF50+ Roll On 65ml  | 12669940BN |
SPF 50+ Lotion Spray Coconut Beach 200ml  | 104263, 1104743 and 1104264 |
Baby Bum Mineral SPF50+ Lotion 88mL  | N1118B and N1118C |
Social media users were quick to weigh in on the irony of the situation. "Protect yourself from cancer by getting a different type of cancer," said one Reddit user.
Others took the opportunity to criticise the alleged poor quality of the Cancer Council sunscreen.
"I work outdoors in a very hot part of Australia. I have used so many different sunscreens over the years and I have always said to my friends that these Cancer Council ones never work. Other people I work with agree. In fact, I feel I get more sunburnt using their products. It was always a joke amongst an old crew that if Cancer Council sunscreen actually worked then they’d be out of business", remarked one user.
Another user had a similar comment: "Cancer council has the worst ******* sunscreen, ironically. Myself (and other family and friends) have gotten burnt with this brand, and I'm diligent with sunscreen (I have to be, so please don't assume I forgot to apply, etc)."
Benzene contamination in sunscreens is not a new problem. In late 2021, multiple batches of Banana Boat sunscreen were recalled in Australia after benzene was detected.
So what is benzene and what are the risks?
Benzene is a substance that could potentially cause cancer depending on the level
and extent of exposure. Credits: Shutterstock
According to the TGA, Benzene is classified as a human carcinogen, a substance that could potentially cause cancer depending on the level and extent of exposure. Benzene is not an ingredient in sunscreens but is suspected to be a contaminant from raw materials used in the product manufacture.
The levels of benzene must be below 2 parts per million (ppm) in sunscreen products that are regulated as listed medicines in Australia. The TGA uses a very conservative approach to set limits for benzene and similar chemicals. They are calculated to ensure that an individuals' excess cancer risk would not exceed 1 in 100,000 if that individual used the maximum recommended amount of the product every day of the year for 70 years.
As one Reddit user puts it, "It's probably better to stop using recalled products, but you should absolutely keep wearing sunscreen to prevent skin cancer."
If you have any of the affected products, you are advised to return them to the place of purchase or contact the supplier. Further information on the recall can be viewed on the TGA's website here.
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