Stephen Rappaport, a leading environmental health sciences researcher who studies chemical exposures and professor emeritus at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health, said there is "no safe level for a carcinogen," but added, "the evidence shows it tends to be people who have a fairly high exposure for fairly long periods of time [who develop cancer]." Workers may be harmed from exposure to benzene. In late September, Coppertone also announced a recall of five of its popular sunscreens after detecting benzene. 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. It might not be possible to avoid benzene completely. 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. Contreras, now 62, said the doctor who saw her said her symptoms were caused by "high exposure to chemicals." The benzene continued wafting from the broken tanks: On Friday, March 29, the EPA's air monitoring bus again recorded benzene spikes above 1,000 parts per billion, this time across the ship channel in an industrial area near Channelview - about three miles northwest of the ITC facility. As shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\), the cyclic array of six \2P_z\)-orbitals (one on each carbon) overlap to generate six molecular orbitals, three bonding and three antibonding. 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. Fewer than 10 miles from where Guevara stood, firefighters rushed to the ITC facility and put their lives on the line in a war against the fire - fueled by 12.3 million gallons of highly flammable chemicals - that would burn for 64 hours straight. Studies have typically focused on workers who are exposed to the chemical over years. Those workplace standards, he added, were a compromise between now-outdated benzene science and the economic impact on businesses. 95(1):8-12, January-February 2009. In fact, you can get started today with aclaim evaluation. Leaving the cemetery, Contreras said she began to get headaches and feel nauseous as she drove to visit a friend in the Heights, a quiet Houston neighborhood known for its Victorian-style homes. Such changes are commonly found in human leukemia cells. Benzene, a known cancer-causing chemical, was found in over half of 108 batches of antiperspirant and deodorant body sprays from 30 different brands, according to a citizen's petition filed this . Experts say more shelter-in-place advisories should have been issued. But what Ochoa and other residents weren't told by federal, state and local officials at the time was that long after the fire was extinguished and life seemed to go back to normal, an invisible danger remained. The Global Benzene Gas Detector market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2022 and 2030. A propellant like butane thats refined very early in the manufacturing process touches dozens of different hands in its journey from raw material to sunscreen on a shelf, yet nobody detected benzene, Light said. For additional questions, contact CDER-benzene@fda.hhs.gov. 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. The attorney general's office did not respond to requests for an interview. A: Yes. keys to navigate, use enter to select, Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. 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. In Deer Park, Guevara said his eyes burned and his heart fluttered that first evening after he went home - he said he wasn't aware of the shelter-in-place advisory. Deer Park is one of a string of suburbs hugging the Houston Ship Channel, which is lined by chemical plants, refineries, smokestacks and flare towers that burn like enormous candles over a massive industrial skyline. "We feel safe at this time. What Is Benzene? Carcinogen Found in Some Sunscreens, Explained At room temperature, benzene is a clear, colorless-to-light yellow liquid that is highly flammable. Q: Is benzene in drugs a new problem? First responders transitioned from firefighting to frantically spraying the ruptured tanks with enormous amounts of industrial firefighting foam, hoping to create a blanket to tamp down emissions. A 2010 analysis in the journal Environmental Health concluded that "exposure to benzene at work increases the risk of leukemia.". If you think you may have been exposed to benzene over a long period of time, talk to a doctor. This process includes securing product samples and performing independent evaluation of collected samples to assess the data presented in the citizen petition. "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. 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. 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 . On the heels of the report, Johnson & Johnson is recalling five of its sunscreens. At the American Cancer Society, we have a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Benzene is a colourless liquid with a characteristic odour and is primarily used in the production of polystyrene. IARC also notes that benzene exposure has been linked with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Then, Unified Command notified local authorities. The Carcinogen Benzene Was Found In These 78 Sunscreens - Shape Then, their city. He added that the city verified high benzene readings with multiple sources before deciding whether to tell residents to go inside. There's been a growing concern among consumers that you can never be too sure what's in the sunscreen you're using or if its claims are valid. How benzene is landing in products remains a bit of a mystery in some instances. The operation turned to tamping down benzene emissions and emptying the chemicals from the ruptured tanks. Long-term exposure may affect bone marrow and blood production. Climbing benzene concentrations near the facility led the EPA and TCEQ to send inspectors into Deer Park, where they found benzene was drifting through neighborhoods near where Eddie Guevara and his family of five live. This voluntary recall is being conducted out of an abundance of caution.. "Benzene is linked to blood cancers such as leukemia and other cancers and conditions like [acute lymphoblastic leukemia], [chronic myelogenous leukemia], Non Hodgkins lymphoma, and aplastic anemia," adds Dr. Chadha. We note that certain United States Pharmacopeia National Formulary (USP-NF) carbomer monographs allow for levels of benzene of 100 ppm or greater. The toxin has also been shown to harm the central nervous system and reproductive organs. Product name : Benzene Product Number : 319953 Brand : SIGALD Index-No. 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 lawsuit also asks that the company pay for residents' future doctor visits and tests for cancer. Contaminated well water, as a result of benzene leaks from underground storage tanks or hazardous waste sites containing benzene. The city also released a statement that day to its residents: "We did not receive any readings above actionable levels over the weekend," it said, citing data from CTEH, the company the city and ITC had contracted to conduct air monitoring. 1987;316:10441050. One of the readings occurred two blocks south of the elementary school, in a neighborhood near the intersection of East San Augustine Street and East Boulevard. Products from household names like Purell and Suave didnt contain the chemical. Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. That was below the 1,000 parts per billion threshold set by Unified Command, but it was 12 times above the highest concentration of benzene typically found in the area. FDA is evaluating the root cause of benzene contamination in certain drugs and alerting drug manufacturers to the risk of benzene contamination from drug components and other potential risk factors. However, most studies in people have not found an increased risk of cancers other than leukemia among those with higher exposures. 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. Each refinery and importer must meet specific compliance baselines for conventional and . The plus and minus signs shown in the diagram do not . Schools canceled classes again, this time for one day. The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of ourcontributing authors. SPF and Sun Protection Myths to Stop Believing, Stat, The 11 Best Sunscreens for Your Face, According to Customer Reviews, The Best Zinc Oxide Sunscreens That Won't Make You Feel Greasy, Dry Shampoo from Dove, Suave, and More Brands Recalled Due to Benzene, Banana Boat Recalled a Sunscreen Spray Due to Benzene Here's What You Need to Know, A New Study Found the Carcinogen Benzene In 59 Popular Deodorant and Antiperspirant Sprays, High Levels of BPA Were Found In Sports Bras and Athletic Shirts from Popular Brands, What to Know About the Thinx Period Underwear Lawsuit, The FDA Is Proposing New Guidelines for Sunscreen That Could Change What You See On Shelves, These Cacao Health Benefits Are Sure to Blow Your Mind, The 2022 Shape Beauty Awards: The Best Skin-Care, Hair, Makeup, and Body Products to Buy, Procter and Gamble Issued a Recall On Dry Shampoos Due to Benzene, Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin That Offers Protection Without the Irritation, Frequent Use of Chemical Hair Straighteners May Increase Risk of Uterine Cancer Here's What You Need to Know, These Spirulina Benefits Will Make a Splash, I'm an SPF Newbie, But This Supergoop Sunscreen Is Already My Favorite, These Beauty Products Still Use Formaldehyde Here's Why You Should Care, find the full list on page 12 of the report here, Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen, one of the recalled Neutrogena and Aveeno. In the Wynfield Estates neighborhood, where many of the homes are two-story red brick and shaded by big oak trees, Anthony Guevara, Eddie's 14-year-old brother, didn't go to school that Monday because his eyes were burning and his throat stung. Now, Contreras is alert to strange odors in the air and watches for anything unusual at the nearby chemical plants - especially smoke. "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 aesthetic dermatology. Accessed at https://publications.iarc.fr/123 on January 25, 2023. Integrated Risk Information System: Benzene (CASRN 71-43-2). 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. Benzene is one of the 20 most widely used chemicals in the United States. FDA has recommended the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) remove (or omit) certain carbomer monographs from their compendium that allow for unacceptable levels of benzene (a USP monograph is a written document that provides the quality expectations for a medicine or ingredient). The chatty little boy - who told a doctor that his breathing problems felt like "bugs getting in my nose, like little tiny worms" clogging his nostrils and lungs - is now wary of playing outside at playgrounds, his father says. It is used primarily as a solvent in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as a starting material and an intermediate in the synthesis of numerous chemicals, and in gasoline. Hand sanitizers. Can a new law help? Castiel, Ochoa's now 8-year-old son, struggles with sinus infections. Short-term exposure to high levels of benzene can cause drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness, and death. FDAs guidance Field Alert Report Submission: Questions and Answers Guidance for Industry addresses how to submit a FAR. In a December statement, the agency said it was investigating the situation, doing its own testing and urged companies to recall contaminated products. "Benzene is an organic compound known to be a carcinogen, which means it has been associated with the development of cancers," explains Joshua Zeichner, M.D . benzene (C6H6), simplest organic, aromatic hydrocarbon and parent compound of numerous important aromatic compounds. Provides links and references to additional resources related to exposures to benzene. This contamination is a public health concern and has caused significant outcry among environmental and health advocates. "I'd be out here looking at the fire and start to feel my heart going crazy," he said. "You don't know what you are inhaling or putting in your body," Anthony Guevara said. Instead, they spend more time indoors playing video games. He felt helpless. The affected sunscreens: Neutrogena Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, Neutrogena Cool Dry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Neutrogena Invisible Daily defense aerosol sunscreen, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer aerosol sunscreen, and Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen. "People were telling me these horror stories from other refineries that were happening, people getting sick," Ochoa said. "After the fire fight was over, that's when the benzene issues began to rear their ugly head," said Royall, the former assistant chief of Harris County Fire Marshal's Office. Benzene has been shown to cause chromosome changes in bone marrow cells in the lab. Benzene pollution lingers as life returns to normal - March 25-29, 2019. 2015. "Based on our experience, the [1,000 parts per billion] action level for 1 minute for benzene across community areas was highly conservative," Sanchez-Soria said.
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