By 4 a.m. Thursday, TCEQ inspectors found benzene emissions exceeding 1,200 parts per billion had wafted across Highway 225 and into Deer Park. Deer Park officials appeared to rely more on air monitoring readings from its hired contractor than the EPA's. Breathing in high doses of benzene can affect the nervous system, which can lead to drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, tremors, confusion, and/or unconsciousness. The formation of benzene from benzoate can lead to an increase in benzene content over a drug's shelf-life' and should be considered when determining the appropriate timing for benzene testing . "That kind of turmoil is haunting," said Ochoa, who is now 43. Final Rule. 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. The toxin has also been shown to harm the central nervous system and reproductive organs. Benzene has been shown to cause chromosome changes in bone marrow cells in the lab. Our team is made up of doctors andoncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing. "There have been multiple reports of community members experiencing a range of symptoms from discomfort to difficulty breathing," an email message from the school district to parents said that morning. 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. This also allows FDA to evaluate the market and determine if additional steps are needed to avoid a supply disruption that may impact public health. FDA reminds manufacturers that changes in raw materials throughout the lifecycle of the drug, including changes in raw material suppliers, warrant additional scrutiny for the potential risk of benzene contamination. Areas with heavy traffic, gas stations, and areas near industrial sources may also have higher air levels. 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 also found in all fossil fuels, and anytime you burn anything from a wood-burning fire to a candle you are exposed to benzene.". "Daily exposure to benzene at the levels detected in these affected Coppertone aerosol sunscreen spray products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences based on generally accepted exposure modeling by numerous regulatory agencies," said Coppertone in its news release. This can help lower your exposure to exhaust fumes, which contain benzene (as well as other potentially harmful chemicals). | Last reviewed December 15, 2022. Molecular Weight 78.11. Anemia (a low red blood cell count), which can cause a person to feel weak and tired. Cigarette smoke is a major source of benzene exposure. Before noon Thursday - after a little under eight hours - the city of Deer Park lifted the shelter-in-place advisory. Benzene is not an ingredient intentionally used in sunscreens, but the products on Valisure's list were found to be contaminated with benzene."Benzene is a chemical that, when activated with exposure to the skin, blood, or organs, can affect changes in your DNA that cause mutations for cancers," says Madhuri Chadha, M.D., founder of Dr. Madh Skin Solutions and radiologist currently working in . Benzene is a known human carcinogen that causes leukemia and other blood disorders. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help. The highest levels were found in Sure, Old Spice, Secret, Equate, Right Guard, Tag and Brut. ITC said in a statement that morning that air monitoring readings were "well below hazardous levels." The public was not warned the entire day. The capability of superhalogen induced ionization of benzene molecules has been reported based on ab initio calculations. Then, their city. Specifically, the ICH Q3C guidance explains that Class 1 solvents such as benzene should not be employed in the manufacture of drug substances, excipients, or drug products because of their unacceptable toxicity. Synonyms: Benzene. More about sun protection and sunscreens can be found on the FDA website. Beyond the fact that any amount of benzene in sunscreens is concerning, 14 sunscreen samples actually tested above that 2 ppm threshold, containing between 2.78 and 6.26 ppm of benzene. The formation of benzene from benzoate can lead to an increase in benzene content over a drugs shelf-life and should be considered when determining the appropriate timing for benzene testing, e.g., testing at release and on stability (21 CFR 211.165, 211.166), and establishment of an appropriate expiration date (21 CFR 211.137). The bus recorded several spikes of benzene above 1,000 parts per billion on Friday afternoon outside of the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site, a popular tourist destination just down the road from ITC (it was closed to the public during the fire). Yet throughout the area that day, residents from Deer Park and surrounding cities swarmed the pop-up county health clinics complaining of eye, ear, nose and throat irritation, severe headaches and trouble breathing. The NTP has classified benzene as known to be a human carcinogen.. FDA has discussed with manufacturers conducting risk assessments to evaluate the possible presence of benzene in their drug products and components, including active ingredients and inactive ingredients. The below chart summarizes when and how manufacturers should contact FDA if testing reveals the presence of benzene and the information FDA may request from drug manufacturers when following up: As FDA evaluates the root cause of benzene contamination in certain drugs, the agency is taking a stepwise approach to address the potential for benzene contamination in marketed drug products by first identifying products that should be immediately recalled or not released for distribution based on a benzene level in the products above 2 ppm consistent with the considerations described in ICH guidance. If you believe that you have been exposed to benzene beyond acceptable limits, please consider speaking with a qualified personal injury attorney to help determine the strength of your claim. Drug Safety and Availability, Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts, Information about Nitrosamine Impurities in Medications, Food and Drug Administration Overdose Prevention Framework, Medication Errors Related to CDER-Regulated Drug Products, Postmarket Drug Safety Information for Patients and Providers, Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies | REMS, Multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections, Frequently Asked Questions on Benzene Contamination in Drugs, FDA Recalls Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts, FDA updates on hand sanitizers consumers should not use, Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun, FDA alerts drug manufacturers to the risk of benzene contamination in certain drugs. 15 Sunscreens Without Benzene and the Recall List - InStyle Meanwhile, an untold number of people were breathing benzene fumes without protection. Popular Dry Shampoos Found to Have Cancer-Causing Chemical In December 2020, the brand Purito came under fire for labeling its sunscreen as SPF 50 while independent lab results suggested it only provided SPF 19 protection. Finding benzene everywhere we look - Chemical & Engineering News "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.". Browse Benzene and related products at MilliporeSigma. Legally reviewed by Garrett Monteagudo, Esq. American Cancer Society medical information is copyrightedmaterial. Contact a qualified product liability attorney to make sure your rights are protected. Jennah Durant, a spokesperson for the EPA, said both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry - a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - reviewed the action level "and had no objections.". Twice, city officials advised residents of Deer Park, the city closest to the fire, to shelter indoors. Benzene is a carcinogenic substance that is present in a great number of modern products and industries. undefined. "The duration of exposure related [to the ITC fire] was much shorter. The dangers of benzene mean that you should be alert to the possibility of exposure beyond acceptable levels. Benzene dissolves only slightly in water and will float on top of water. Pregnant women and persons concerned about using sunscreens on infants or children are encouraged to consult their health care professional. Some residents still blame the incident for lingering health problems. Certain hand sanitizers and aerosol drug products have been recalled due to benzene contamination. Benzene | NIOSH | CDC If needed, you can also contact the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), which can provide more information or assistance. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. She then watched as the smoke plume settled above the mourning family during the funeral service. Levels of benzene can be higher in enclosed spaces with unventilated fumes from gasoline, glues, solvents, paints, and art supplies. Soon, the smoke blanketed their home. No shelter-in-place advisory was issued for Channelview residents. Benzene levels are regulated in drinking water nationally and internationally, and in bottled water in the United States, but only informally in soft drinks. Seven were now burning; the tanks contained naphtha, xylene, gas blendstock and pygas, a blend of chemicals that's rich in benzene. But when an incident occurs at a facility like ITC that's located in an unincorporated area of the county, deciding who has jurisdiction can be complicated. FDA recommends consumers use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of at least 15, which have been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging when used with other sun protection measures. The symptoms of acute benzene toxicity will show up anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after exposure. 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. Since at least 2002, EPA and TCEQ inspectors had reported high emissions of benzene and other chemicals from that same area. 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. And now, Johnson & Johnson is voluntarily recalling five of its Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreens some of which were mentioned in Valisure's report after their own internal testing found low levels of benzene in some samples of the products, according to a company press release. Consumers should stop using products that have been recalled as well as those hand sanitizers FDA recommends consumers should not use, including hand sanitizers tested by FDA and found to contain unacceptable levels of benzene. To be clear, benzene isn't an ingredient intentionally included in any of the Johnson & Johnson products or the ones on Valisure's list; the products were found to be contaminated with benzene. Note that 2-chlorophenol = o-chlorophenol. It is used mainly to make other chemicals, including plastics, resins, lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. It is formed through both natural processes and human activities, but importantly, a high level of exposure to benzene can be quite dangerous. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. Is the FDA serving these companies or the public? Andrews asked. Contaminated well water, as a result of benzene leaks from underground storage tanks or hazardous waste sites containing benzene. Certainly, over-exposure to benzene in any setting might generate a legal claim against the institution or person that caused the exposure. But Valisure, an online pharmacy that conducts routine batch tests of common consumer health products, recently shared some not-so-amazing findings about some sunscreens that may already be on your shelf. (For more information on the classification systems used by these agencies, see Determining if Something Is a Carcinogen andKnown and Probable Human Carcinogens.). Benzene can cause blood cancers like leukemia. But if you are concerned about benzene, you can limit your exposure in several ways . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To eliminate confusion and because of the safety concerns associated with these unacceptable levels of benzene, FDA has asked USP to remove (or omit) these monographs from their compendium. Cancer.org is provided courtesy of the Leo and Gloria Rosen family. Benzene 71-43-2 Hazard Summary Benzene is found in the air from emissions from burning coal and oil, gasoline service stations, and motor vehicle exhaust. At the American Cancer Society, we have a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Those workplace standards, he added, were a compromise between now-outdated benzene science and the economic impact on businesses. We're improving the lives of cancer patients and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. "That spike, to me, is really pretty high. Please try again. It's highly toxic to humans, which means it can harm you if you swallow it, touch it, or breathe it in. These include the rubber industry, oil refineries, chemical plants, shoe manufacturers, and gasoline-related industries. IARC also notes that benzene exposure has been linked with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. "These concentrations are higher than we would normally consider protective," Richard Nickle, an environmental health scientist at the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, said in an April 2019 email to Harris County officials. (The bone marrow is where new blood cells are made.) Benzene is commonly found in air, but the levels in most places are usually very low. In a statement, the FDA wrote it continues to monitor the issue and work with companies to recall contaminated products. A 1997 explosion at Shell Oil Co. injured several workers and sent residents scurrying to shelter in their homes. 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. A second shelter-in-place when benzene "rears its ugly head" - March 21-22, 2019. 2021. The Tribune's analysis shows that benzene levels continued to spike close to, but not surpassing, 1,000 parts per billion for the rest of that Sunday morning in residential areas of Deer Park.
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