Our investigation showed that traces of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can,” said Kate DiCarlo, senior director of communications for the Personal Care Portfolio of P&G. The vast majority of tested sunscreens, however, were free of benzene, and experts stress the importance of sunscreen use to protect skin from the aging and cancerous effects of the sun. CNN did not receive a response from the rest of the brands before publication, but the Personal Care Products Council, an industry association that speaks for 600 consumer product companies, put out this statement.

Benzene is used in the U.S., according to the CDC, but it’s more common in dyes, detergents, lubricants, and rubbers. Because it’s listed as a class one solvent with “unacceptable toxicity,” it shouldn’t be used in drug products, which antiperspirants are typically classified as, according to CNET, while deodorants are classified as cosmetic products. How much benzene is bad for you? It’s also used to manufacture a variety of “plastics, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides,” according to the American Cancer Society. The US Environmental Protection Agency has set a much lower limit – 5 parts per billion (ppb) – for exposure to benzene in drinking water. The agency has also set a “goal of 0 ppb for benzene in drinking water and in water such as rivers and lakes because benzene can cause leukemia.”Nothing quite beats a nice cold shower in the morning to really get us going and help us to feel clean and hygienic, does it? If only we could bottle that feeling and keep it with us all day long, right? Well now you can, with Dove Go Fresh Cucumber & Green Tea Roll-on Antiperspirant Deodorant. The super-fresh scent is just what you need to extend that shower-fresh feeling throughout the day. None of the products have benzene as an ingredient, experts say, so the only way the chemical could have been introduced is via an error in the manufacturing process – or by the way the chemical is delivered to the body. Tests by Valisure, however, found concerning levels of benzene in some batches of P&G products. The most highly contaminated – two lots of an Old Spice antiperspirant called Pure Sport (Lots 11671458SQ and 11671458SB; UPC 012044001912) – contained 17.7 and 17.4 average parts per million of benzene, said Valisure CEO David Light. That’s nearly nine times the upper limit of 2 parts per million the FDA has set for emergency use,” Light said.

The company tested the product with the highest levels of benzene (Old Spice Pure Sport with 17.7 ppm) in a closed bathroom, spraying once under each arm as a consumer would. By doing so, you “could bring the entire bathroom air to 15 times the limit for what the EPA has said is an increased risk for leukemia,” Light said. We are on a journey to create more environmentally friendly deodorants. Our refillable deodorant is one of many steps we are taking towards that goal. That is why our reusable case is made from stainless steel – for a sleek and minimalist look that’s durable and long lasting. It fits seamlessly into your routine and your journey to use more sustainable deodorants. In response to Valisure’s petition on sunscreens, the FDA told CNN that it “evaluates and assesses the information provided in citizen petitions of this type and, generally, initiates an independent testing and verification process.”

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Our aluminum free deodorant cares for your underarm skin and is formulated with ¼ moisturizers and glycerin for skin that’s soft and smooth. It also keeps you odor free with 48 hour deodorant protection, and a choice of fragrances to leave you feeling fresh all day long. I think there’s good evidence that propellants are a significant source of this contamination but there’s a variety of potential sources in the raw materials used to create the products as well,” Light said.

A number of other brands have not yet been recalled, including batches of Tag, Sure, Equate, Suave, Right Guard and Brut that had levels of benzene at or above 2 parts per million, said David Light, CEO and founder of Valisure, the independent lab that ran the tests and filed the petition.

We've been on a journey to a more sustainable deodorant for two years, learning as we go to improve our refillable deodorants and give you the best experience possible. And we’re so excited to share the latest. The sunscreens tested by Valisure were only a tiny sample of the more than 11,000 registered sun care products on the market. In its recall, P&G said it has had no reports of adverse reactions, adding that “daily exposure to benzene in the recalled products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.” PCPC and its member companies are firmly committed to ensuring consumers have access to cosmetics and personal care products with ingredients that have been thoroughly tested for safety and follow the requirements of the law,” the statement said. “Companies and individuals have a legal responsibility to ensure their products and ingredients are safe for the intended use.” Impurities may be present in the manufacturing environment due to the use of certain chemicals, equipment or containers. We need more testing,” said David Andrews, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit environmental and consumer health advocacy group.