ArtNatural hand sanitizers have been found to contain benzene and other cancer-causing chemicals in products sold nationwide by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Based on this Americans shouldn’t use ArtNaturals hand sanitizers.
The FDA warning comes days after Coppertone recalled five aerosol sunscreens and months after CVS Health stopped selling two private label aloe vera products for the same reason.
In its warning this week, the FDA said it had found “unacceptable levels of benzene, acetaldehyde, and acetal contaminants” in some ArtNaturals fragrance-free hand sanitizers and was calling for the use of ArtNaturals hand sanitizers. The FDA said the safety agency’s warning came after several failed attempts to reach out to the manufacturer to discuss a possible recall.
According to the agency, both benzene and acetaldehyde have been linked to cancer in humans, while acetal can irritate the upper respiratory tract, eyes, and skin. ArtNaturals hand disinfectants should ideally be disposed of in a hazardous waste container, not flushed or flushed down a drain.
ArtNaturals advertises on its website as a company “born out of a desire to save beauty from high prices, toxic chemicals and bad vibes on all sides”. The brand’s skincare and related products are sold at retailers such as Amazon and Walmart.
The FDA was urged to take action earlier this year after online pharmacy Valisure said it found high levels of benzene in a number of disinfectants, including ArtNaturals products. Connecticut-based New Haven Valisure noted that contaminated hand sanitizer has emerged as new products hit the market after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped popular brands.
ArtNaturals’ hand sanitizer gels are made in China and, according to Valisure, are distributed by ArtNaturals, based in Gardena, California. ArtNaturals did not respond to a request for comment from CBS MoneyWatch.
The FDA’s list of obsolete hand sanitizers only grew in a year as the federal safety agency battled a pandemic-induced surge in disinfectants contaminated with another toxin: methanol or wood alcohol.