The recall applies to all can sizes and SPF levels, according to the press release, and you can check your Aveeno or Neutrogena sunscreen's lot number, label, and expiration date to confirm if yours is affected on Neutrogena's website. Although FDA testing is rigorous and standards are high, it's not a foolproof system, she adds. (, It's also important to know that everyone is exposed to benzene frequently because it's found in the air from gas stations, vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoking, and certain manufacturing plants. Deer Park resident Eddie Guevara, 19, was working a Sunday shift at a chemical plant in La Porte, a town just east of Deer Park, the day the ITC fire broke out. When working at potentially higher exposure levels, OSHA requires employers to provide personal protective equipment such as respirators. Air toxics include benzene and other hydrocarbons such as 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and naphthalene. Out of 260 samples from 168 brands sold on Amazon, at pharmacies and at box stores such as Target, 44, or about 17%, had detectable levels of benzene. It's known to cause cancer after repeated exposure and can irritate the throat and eyes. OSHA limits exposure to benzene in the air in most workplaces to 1 ppm (part per million) during an average workday and a maximum of 5 ppm over any 15-minute period. In 2020, FDA identified the potential for unacceptable levels of benzene in certain carbomers (which may be used as thickening agents in drugs) based on the allowable limits in USP monographs. This includes testing of raw materials and finished product batches (21 CFR 211.165) prior to release to ensure they meet appropriate specifications for identity, strength, quality, and purity. 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By Monday - eight days after the disaster began - students returned to school, to gym class and sports activities. In general, if you suspect that you may have been overexposed, you should act quickly to ensure an accurate reading. undefined. That day, his managers called him and his work team of about 10 people into the lunch room. At room temperature, benzene is a clear, colorless-to-light yellow liquid that is highly flammable. Benzene is made from coal and petroleum sources and is present in gasoline. Workers may be harmed from exposure to benzene. Manufacturers should not use benzene in the manufacture of drugs. Legally reviewed by Garrett Monteagudo, Esq. "We were really trying to get to a place where we were being fair to the industry, but also transparent to the public about whether there was still harm.". For additional questions, contact CDER-benzene@fda.hhs.gov. What all this means to you as a sunscreen user: If the sunscreen you have is on this list or was one of the recalled Johnson & Johnson products, Dr. Chadha recommends that you throw it out immediately and switch to a sunscreen that's not on the list to get your UVA and UVB protection. (modern). People can also be exposed to benzene in contaminated drinking water and some foods (although the levels are usually very low). Residents didn't learn of the high benzene levels until a 10 a.m. press conference on Monday, when Adams, the federal on-scene coordinator for the EPA, said there was a benzene spike that weekend above the action level "in the community" - he didn't say where - and added that the agency notified local officials. A 2010 analysis in the journal Environmental Health concluded that "exposure to benzene at work increases the risk of leukemia.". Firefighters and other first responders were ordered to wear respirators if the benzene level hit 500 parts per billion over 5 minutes, according to records obtained by the Tribune. Toxic benzene has been found in antiperspirants, shampoos, sunscreens, hand sanitizers, and other products. The Carcinogen Benzene Was Found In These 78 Sunscreens - Shape It might not be possible to avoid benzene completely. What were seeing is a fundamental problem in the manufacturing of a lot of consumer products. To date, Valisure has tested 662 items and found the chemical in 180, or about 27%, of products. Benzene is commonly found in air, but the levels in most places are usually very low. ", When a reporter asked Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton about the strong smells that continued to waft through the city almost a week after the fire was extinguished, the mayor said those smells were "normal. Short-term exposure to high levels of benzene can cause drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness, and death. Motoring down East 13th Street, the van passed brick houses, a United Methodist Church and an elementary school with a playground nestled in the shade of tall, skinny pine trees. Four years later, Deer Park residents who fell ill - some of them children, elderly or otherwise at higher risk - said they sensed at the time that they were more exposed to chemicals than they were told. The most frequent symptoms were headache, throat irritation, nausea, coughing, dizziness and vomiting. Below is a list of commonly seen benzene-derived compounds. The International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) Q3C Impurities: Residual Solvents guidance describes limited cases where the presence of benzene may be tolerated. A lot of people have become wary of chemical sunscreens (formulas that incorporate chemicals rather than minerals to block UV rays) following reports that the FDA is evaluating their safety and that they may harm coral reefs. keys to navigate, use enter to select, Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) considers any product containing 5% or more by weight of benzene to be hazardous, requiring special labeling. The data was collected by a mobile laboratory that roamed the area for two months after the fire erupted - one of many air quality devices deployed to monitor pollution at the time. The federal, state and local officials who formed a "Unified Command" near the ITC facility after the fire erupted had to choose a threshold on the spot because there's no accepted national standard for how much benzene in the air should be considered dangerous. ", "They are striking concentrations of benzene," Shonkoff said. He felt helpless. FDA reminds manufacturers of NDA and ANDA products of their obligation to submit a Field Alert Report (FAR) if testing reveals their drug products contain benzene above 2 ppm (21 CFR 314.81(b)(1)(ii)). Either way, read through the list of sunscreens found to contain benzene and toss yours if it made the list or it is one of the recalled Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens. Exposures to benzene are addressed in specific OSHA standards for general industry, maritime, and construction. The staff checked him out and took his temperature, then told him to take ibuprofen or Tylenol for the headaches and over-the-counter nausea medication. The naming process for 2-chlorophenol (o-chlorophenol). At one area hospital, a pair of medics who were helping respond to the fire were evaluated for benzene exposure that day, records show. One Harris County official estimated that all together, more than 400 personnel took air samples throughout the response. ", "It's concerning that would be the case for an emergency situation," she said, adding that "you will see people hurt and harmed if it's your only number for taking action. What does it take to outsmart cancer? At room temperature, benzene is a colorless, or pale yellow, liquid with a . They adapted it from the federal workplace standard, which allows worker exposure up to 1,000 parts per billion over an 8-hour work day. Meanwhile, a portion of a dike wall surrounding the tank farm collapsed, sending petrochemicals, firefighting foam and contaminated water gushing into Tucker Bayou. 15.3: Nomenclature of Benzene Derivatives - Chemistry LibreTexts Benzene - Cancer-Causing Substances - NCI Subsequently, two other petitions were filed raising concerns about the level of benzene in spray sunscreens, spray antiperspirants, and other drug and cosmetic products. What is benzene, exactly? Pharmaceutical Quality Resources, Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Development and Readiness Pilot (CDRP) Program, Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) Regulations, Questions and Answers on Quality-Related Controlled Correspondence, FDA alerts drug manufacturers to the risk of benzene contamination in certain drugs, Q3C Impurities: Residual Solvents guidance, Division of Pharmaceutical Quality Operations in the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Field Alert Report Submission: Questions and Answers Guidance for Industry, appropriate ORA Division Recall Coordinators, Field Alert Reports are required for ANDAs and NDAs with such findings for distributed drug products (21 CFR 314.81(b)(1)). "It seemed like [the EPA] was going out and doing this monitoring between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and it wasn't clear what their intention or purpose was," Craft said. Toxic burn pits put the health of US veterans at risk. Several national and international agencies study substances in the environment to determine if they can cause cancer. There are still moments - often late into the night, when he remembers that week of the fire - when those same feelings of panic come flooding back through his mind. But those warnings didn't always come. A second shelter-in-place when benzene "rears its ugly head" - March 21-22, 2019. Ochoa quit his job as a pipe-fitter and found a job that doesn't expose him to chemicals. Fight between neighbors leads to shooting in NE Houston, police say, New details about King Charles' coronation, 6 shot, 2 fatally, at after-prom party in Mississippi, Conroe ISD secures campuses amid manhunt for alleged mass shooter, Erin Douglas, Alejandra Martinez, and Caroline Covington, The Texas Tribune, San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, is known as an industry-friendly environmental consulting firm. Integrated Risk Information System: Benzene (CASRN 71-43-2). Benzene is a component of products derived from coal and petroleum and is found in gasoline and other fuels. A few days into the crisis, officials from the EPA, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Deer Park had to make a crucial decision: How much benzene in the air is too much for people to breathe? 1," Mayor Mouton said that day at another press conference. We couldnt do what we do without our volunteers and donors. Help us end cancer as we know it,for everyone. "I'd be out here looking at the fire and start to feel my heart going crazy," he said. It is used mainly to make other chemicals, including plastics, resins, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. The symptoms of acute benzene toxicity will show up anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after exposure. "Or, they still don't. FDA reminds drug manufacturers they are required to establish scientifically sound and appropriate specifications and test procedures to assure drug components (active and inactive ingredients) and finished drug products conform to appropriate quality specifications (21 CFR 211.84, 21 CFR 211.160). 1987;52:3446034578. Twice, city officials advised residents of Deer Park, the city closest to the fire, to shelter indoors. Limit or avoid exposure to fumes from solvents, paints, and art supplies, especially in unventilated spaces. Benzene pollution lingers as life returns to normal - March 25-29, 2019. IARC classifies benzene as carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient evidence that it causes acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This alert has resulted in, among other things, several recent recalls of drugs containing unacceptable levels of benzene. If you are person who smokes,try to quit. How benzene is landing in products remains a bit of a mystery in some instances. Areas with heavy traffic, gas stations, and areas near industrial sources may also have higher air levels. "We feel safe at this time. Then, their city. "You don't know what you are inhaling or putting in your body," Anthony Guevara said. FDA will communicate new information as it becomes available. The TCEQ, meanwhile, advised "sensitive populations" - including elderly residents, pregnant people and children - to limit outdoor physical activity and told everyone to avoid any black smoke still drifting through the area. For short-term exposure to high levels of benzene, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting away from the source of benzene, removing any clothing that may have benzene on it, washing exposed areas with soap and water, and getting medical care as soon as possible. This is personal.". Before noon Thursday - after a little under eight hours - the city of Deer Park lifted the shelter-in-place advisory. ITC said in a written statement that it continues to implement "enhancements to safety, environmental integrity and emergency response capabilities" at its Deer Park location. (. Benzene can be measured in the blood or breath, and breakdown products of benzene can be measured in urine. "If we get something sustained above [1,000 parts per billion], we notify the local governments to evacuate or shelter-in-place, whichever is more appropriate for the community," Adams said. Molecular Weight 78.11. "Benzene really shouldn't be there at all," he said. Rodney Reed, an assistant chief at Harris County Fire Marshal's Office, said that each city, as well as multiple county agencies, have the authority to issue shelter-in-place advisories. Breathing in high doses of benzene can affect the nervous system, which can lead to drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, tremors, confusion, and/or unconsciousness. The US banned benzenes use as an ingredient nearly 45 years ago, and it is somewhat unique in that its pretty well established to be incredibly toxic thats been known for decades to over a century, said David Andrews, senior scientist at the public health advocate Environmental Working Group. Harris County Pollution Control Executive Director Latrice Babin said in an interview that telling citizens to shelter in place is "a really hard call to make," noting that even when high levels of chemicals are recorded, interpreting air quality testing also depends on weather conditions and location. As officials declared victory, Mario Ochoa's mother could hardly breathe. By FindLaw Staff | This can result in: There is also some evidence that long-term exposure to benzene might harm reproductive organs. The .gov means its official.Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Valisure tested nearly 300 sunscreens or after-sun products and found detectable levels in 77, or about 27%, of samples. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. Though spray-on sunscreen was found to be contaminated most frequently, the chemical was also detected in lotions and gels. That Monday afternoon, the same day as the press conference, the bus recorded three benzene spikes well above 1,000 parts per billion across the street from the ITC facility between 4 and 4:30 p.m. On Tuesday, EPA and TCEQ officials held another press conference and said that they had "no notifications of air monitoring results" above 1,000 parts per billion. While benzene levels continued to spike near the ITC facility, neighboring chemical plants were warned to shelter in place Friday afternoon - the nearby community was not. Long-term . People are exposed mainly by breathing in air containing benzene. What benzene is. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A: Benzene is a chemical used in the production of a wide range of industrial products, including chemicals, dyes, detergents, and some plastics.Benzene is released into the . Stokes, the Deer Park city manager, declined to answer questions about the high levels of benzene recorded on March 31 by the EPA and TCEQ. 15 Sunscreens Without Benzene and the Recall List - InStyle Benzene | NIOSH | CDC The benzene drifting through Deer Park "was a health threat to the community that went basically unshared," said Elena Craft, a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund. In the past it was also commonly used as an industrial solvent (a substance that can dissolve or extract other substances) and as a gasoline additive, but these uses have been greatly reduced in recent decades. "The duration of exposure related [to the ITC fire] was much shorter. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling certain lots of these specific aerosol sunscreen spray products.". Benzene in soft drinks - Wikipedia "You want to be able to trust officials and ITC representatives telling people you will be OK," Guevara said. A low blood platelet count, which can lead to excess bruising and bleeding. More than 800 students returned for classes at the elementary school the next morning. ITC spokesperson Alice Richardson choked up during a press conference after the second shelter-in-place advisory, outlining how the company and first responders were attempting to reduce the emissions. A: The health consequences of benzene exposure depend on the amount, route, and length of time of exposure, as well as age and preexisting medical conditions. "Anytime you see any kind of black smoke out there, it's not good," he said. CDC | Facts About Benzene For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, pleasecontact an attorney in your area. With exposures from less than five years to more than 30 years, individuals have developed, and died from, leukemia. "My soul remembers. Manufacturers of NDA and ANDA drug products whose testing reveals their drug products contain benzene below 2 ppm should contact FDA at CDER-benzene@fda.hhs.gov. "People were telling me these horror stories from other refineries that were happening, people getting sick," Ochoa said. Studies have typically focused on workers who are exposed to the chemical over years. Benzene, a Carcinogen Led to Sunscreen Recalls - Health 2021. Chemical Safety and Health - WHO Harris County commissioners invested more than $11 million to implement the report's recommendations. One of TCEQ's stationary air monitors near Spencerview Athletic Complex, about four miles south of San Jacinto Elementary School, was recording an average hourly concentration of about 40 parts per billion at 9 a.m. - about eight times higher than the highest concentrations usually recorded at that location. ITC said in a statement to the Tribune that there were "no longer-term public health impacts to the community" from the incident, pointing to an analysis by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Long-term exposure may affect bone marrow and blood production. In a press release that day, the city assured the public that the air quality in Deer Park was not a concern. Benzene: What to Know - WebMD 2015. That day - four days after the ITC fire began - the EPA finally deployed its air monitoring bus, the rolling lab that could sample the air while it drove. Benzene: Can it cause leukemia? - Medical News Today Drug manufacturers should contact FDA using the information provided in FDAs alert if their testing reveals benzene in a product. Anita Desikan, one of the authors of a December 2022 study of the ITC fire and a senior analyst for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the action level used during the ITC incident was "out of line with basically every other measure I've seen [for] benzene. Note that 2-chlorophenol = o-chlorophenol. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.