But before you rub on another coat of SPF 50, you might want to do some quick research on the brand that you've been using (in addition to checking its expiration date, ofc). The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency responsible for health and safety regulations in most workplaces. Visit our attorney directory to find a lawyer near you who can help. 95(1):8-12, January-February 2009. Here's what you need to know about this news, including how to find out if your favorite sunscreen made the list of products containing benzene. "People need to be able to make their own decisions," Hopkins said. Q: What is the risk from using drugs contaminated with benzene? There are short-term and long-term exposure limits for benzene in the workplace, maximum acceptable benzene concentrations in drinking water, and exposure limits for benzene that include recommendations for specialized breathing equipment around higher levels of the compound. Benzene | NIOSH | CDC 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. ", At a March 26 press conference - nine days after the fire started - an EPA official said the agency would "get it out to the community to take action" if it detected benzene levels above that level. Cancer Information, Answers, and Hope. Throughout the response, a plane brought in by the EPA flew above the fire and the plume, monitoring the air and providing eyes from above, while TCEQ and Harris County employees on the ground recorded benzene levels on hand-held air monitors, in addition to CTEH's monitoring efforts for the city and company. 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Some local officials now say more should've been done to communicate with the public when air quality worsened - and they're working on changing their protocols. What is benzene, exactly? Benzene is a six membered aromatic compound. "So you can trust that if it's 1,000 parts per billion we will let you know.". Areas with heavy traffic, gas stations, and areas near industrial sources may also have higher air levels. These kinds of sunscreens are only one element of a skin-cancer prevention strategy that should also include other sun protective behaviors such as wearing protective clothing that adequately covers the arms, torso, and legs; wearing sunglasses and a hat that provides adequate shade to the whole head; and seeking shade whenever possible during periods of peak sunlight. "[He was] gasping for air in his sleep.". FDA evaluates and assesses the information provided in citizen petitions of this type and, if appropriate, initiates an independent testing and verification process. 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. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. Consistent with the recommendations of the ICH Q3 guidance, manufacturers should not use benzene in the manufacture of drugs. Instead, they spend more time indoors playing video games. Dr. Shamban and Dr. Chadha both agree that mineral sunscreens (which will include titanium dioxide or zinc oxide in the ingredient list) are great options if you feel iffy about using chemical formulas. The USEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)maintains the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), an electronic database of human health effects from exposure to various substances in the environment. ", In the same press conference, Adam Adams, the federal on-scene commander for the EPA, said that air monitoring results, "have been consistent - no detections [of benzene].". This contamination is a public health concern and has caused significant outcry among environmental and health advocates. "People were telling me these horror stories from other refineries that were happening, people getting sick," Ochoa said. In small amounts over long periods of time, benzene can decrease the formation of blood cells. With exposures from less than five years to more than 30 years, individuals have developed, and died from, leukemia. That's when he first saw the smoke coming from the ITC tank farm. ", "There are random times when we have smells," said Mouton, who declined repeated requests for an interview. Occupational exposure to benzene. The wind was blowing the smoke toward his own home. Adrian Garcia, a Harris County commissioner who represents Deer Park, said the county was "scrambling" to get current air quality data from the company or from federal and state agencies to inform their decisions. The high readings along the highway likely wouldn't have prompted a response, he said, because the benzene levels quickly dropped again. Accessed at https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=38&toxid=14 on January 25, 2023. Benzene drifts into Deer Park, but residents aren't warned - March 31, 2019. Benzene is a component of products derived from coal and petroleum and is found in gasoline and other fuels. In a statement, EPA spokesperson Joe Robledo clarified that benzene readings below the 1,000 parts per billion action level did not prompt notifications to the public. 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. In extreme cases, inhaling or swallowing very high levels of benzene can be deadly. 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. FDA will advise on appropriate next steps such as notifying any entity that received contaminated API. We continually gain additional knowledge about drugs which allows us to identify and quickly address previously unknown risks to consumers. These results support the finding of an excess risk of leukemia in humans. Seven were now burning; the tanks contained naphtha, xylene, gas blendstock and pygas, a blend of chemicals that's rich in benzene. A: Certain hand sanitizers and aerosol (spray) drugs, including antiperspirants and sunscreens, have been recalled due to benzene contamination. Federal regulations limit exposure to benzene in the workplace (see below). | Last reviewed December 15, 2022. Medical professionals useseveral teststo determine whether you've been overexposed to benzene, each of which measures benzene levels in your blood, breath, or urine. For two months after the 2019 fire, an Environmental Protection Agency van traveled around a region east of Houston capturing thousands of measurements of benzene - a known human carcinogen that can cause headaches, nausea and other symptoms. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo assured the public during a press conference that afternoon that the county was using "very conservative estimates to determine the threshold of dangerous levels of air quality.". For additional questions, contact CDER-benzene@fda.hhs.gov. Benzene. 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. "We are monitoring the air continuously, and there's nothing that's even come close to registering any kind of action item.". Integrated Risk Information System: Benzene (CASRN 71-43-2). Several school administrators who worked for the district in 2019 did not recall being informed about high levels of benzene near the elementary school on March 31, Matt Lucas, director of communications for Deer Park ISD, said in an email. If any drug product batches with benzene above 2 ppm are already in distribution, the manufacturer should contact FDA to discuss the voluntary initiation of a recall by contacting the appropriate Division of Pharmaceutical Quality Operations in the Office of Regulatory Affairs. Benzene is used in the manufacture of plastics, detergents, pesticides, and other chemicals. He added that the city verified high benzene readings with multiple sources before deciding whether to tell residents to go inside. "Benzene really shouldn't be there at all," he said. US Department of Health and Human Services. ToxFAQs for Benzene. Exposure to benzene liquid or vapor can irritate the skin, eyes, and throat. In urine, benzene detection involves the measurement of benzene metabolites (end products of benzene), some of which can be measured, but this is not a fully accurate test since there can be numerous other reasons for the presence of similar metabolites in urine. "With possible catastrophic consequences if we failed.". One way manufacturers can meet the requirements of 211.84, 211.160 and 211.165 is by using tools such as risk assessments to determine they have the appropriate specifications, test methods, and controls to ensure drugs are free from contamination. Researchers try to determine if a substance causes cancer using 2 main types of studies: Often neither type of study provides conclusive evidence on its own, so researchers usually look at both human and lab-based studies when trying to figure out if something causes cancer. He smelled smoke and began to experience pounding headaches. Carcinogenic chemical benzene found in hundreds of US personal care : 601-020-00-8 CAS-No. Popular Dry Shampoos Found to Have Cancer-Causing Chemical Benzene | Definition, Discovery, Structure, Properties, & Uses While scientists have found that years of repeated exposure to benzene causes cancer, the long-term impact of being exposed to brief but high levels of benzene is less certain. 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. ANSI Z37.4, Acceptable Concentrations of Benzene. The operation turned to tamping down benzene emissions and emptying the chemicals from the ruptured tanks. In 2021, TCEQ approved a rule that allows the agency to consider major explosions or fires when it decides whether to issue permits to a company - a change that agency staff pushed because of the ITC fire. 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. The site is secure. Robert Hemminger, Deer Park's emergency services director at the time, told the public that benzene emissions had "significantly reduced" since that morning. ", "They are striking concentrations of benzene," Shonkoff said. Among the recalled hand sanitizer brands are Art Naturals, Best Brands and Natural Wunderz. 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. Meanwhile, a portion of a dike wall surrounding the tank farm collapsed, sending petrochemicals, firefighting foam and contaminated water gushing into Tucker Bayou. Together, were making a difference and you can, too. However, its nearly impossible to legally prove that one specific chemical has caused an illness, and Andrews noted benzene has a latency period of 10 to 15 years. On six of those days, the spikes occurred in industrial areas near the ITC facility, but on March 31 - a full two weeks after the fire began - benzene spikes above 1,000 parts per billion were recorded in a residential area of Deer Park. Benzene levels in rooms containing tobacco smoke can be many times higher than normal. ", High levels of benzene detected for two weeks after the ITC fire. Manufacturers of nonapplication products, including over-the-counter monograph drug products, should contact FDA using the information in the table below when testing reveals benzene in a product. Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure of humans to benzene may cause drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, as well as eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and, at high levels . This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style byFindLaws team of legal writers and attorneysand in accordance withour editorial standards. The findings suggest that benzene contamination is widespread and is probably in more products that have not yet been tested, said David Light, Valisures chief executive. It might not be possible to avoid benzene completely. Benzene (C 6 H 6) is a highly flammable, colorless liquid that evaporates quickly into the air. The American Cancer Society looks to these organizations to evaluate the risks based on the available evidence. ", Fire rages as residents fall ill - March 17-19, 2019. 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. The American Cancer Society offers programs and services to help you during and after cancer treatment. Protons directly attached to an aromatic ring, commonly called aryl protons, show up about 6.5-8.0 PPM. Benzene is a chemical found in nature and manufactured products. As FDA works to better understand the potential sources of benzene in drugs, FDA reminds manufacturers of drugs marketed under approved applications and manufacturers of other drugs, including over-the-counter monograph drug products, of their obligation to ensure their products conform to appropriate quality specifications. Benzene. 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.". In such scenarios, the FDAs limit is two parts per million, but some products that provided no therapeutic advantage were found with levels as high as 21 ppm. Benzene is commonly found in air, but the levels in most places are usually very low. Occupational Safety & Health Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Outreach Training Program (10- and 30-hour Cards), OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, Severe Storm and Flood Recovery Assistance. Benzene is made from coal and petroleum sources and is present in gasoline. 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 . ITC said in a statement that morning that air monitoring readings were "well below hazardous levels." They cant reliably show how much benzene youve been exposed to, nor can they predict possible health effects. Later that morning, EPA inspectors with handheld devices also recorded elevated benzene concentrations in the same area - including one reading above 1,000 parts per billion. Johnson & Johnson, which recalled sunscreens in July, said daily exposure to benzene in these aerosol sunscreen products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.. Independent lab found the chemical in more than a quarter of items it tested sometimes at levels considered life threatening. 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. Eating foods or drinking fluids contaminated with high levels of benzene can cause vomiting, stomach irritation, dizziness, sleepiness, convulsions, and rapid heart rate. 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]." 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). The symptoms of acute benzene toxicity will show up anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after exposure. Castiel, Ochoa's now 8-year-old son, struggles with sinus infections. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This information will help inform further updates to FDAs approach to limiting benzene levels in drug products, as appropriate. FDA recommends consumers do not use products that are being recalled or those hand sanitizers FDA recommends consumers should not use. Benzene is a component of products derived from coal and petroleum and is found in gasoline and other fuels. 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. At FindLaw.com, we pride ourselves on being the number one source of free legal information and resources on the web. Benzene belongs to a class of chemicals called volatile organic compounds, so called because they evaporate in the air. When possible, limit the time you spend near idling car engines. Athlete . In March 2021, FDA received a citizen petition raising concerns about the level of benzene in certain hand sanitizers and other products. 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. By Monday - eight days after the . Synonyms: Benzene. The dangers of benzene mean that you should be alert to the possibility of exposure beyond acceptable levels. "It's horrifying, scary. A: FDA has been working with companies to address benzene issues in drugs prior to March 2021, including through recalls. Some states may have lower limits. Valisure tested nearly 300 sunscreens or after-sun products and found detectable levels in 77, or about 27%, of samples. "The data needs to be available to the public with some kind of interpretation.". Because it is volatile, it can spread to a distant source of ignition. You can help reduce your risk of cancer by making healthy choices like eating right, staying active and not smoking. 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. But the EPA's air monitoring bus continued detecting elevated levels of benzene as it drove through the industrial areas lining the Houston Ship Channel early that week, the Tribune's analysis shows. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, pleasecontact an attorney in your area. 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. The agency has also alerted drug manufacturers to the risk of benzene contamination in certain drugs. 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. Castiel kept waking Ochoa up with "horrible and terrifying" snoring. It evaporates quickly when exposed to air. TheInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)is part of the World Health Organization (WHO). Concurrently, the agency will review any Field Alert Reports from drug manufacturers that identify the presence of benzene, in addition to other available information. Benzene is less dense than water and will float on the surface of water. Benzene levels are regulated in drinking water nationally and internationally, and in bottled water in the United States, but only informally in soft drinks. Procter & Gamble, Bayer, CVS and Johnson & Johnson have issued voluntary recalls for widely distributed brands including Brut, Sure, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Old Spice, Secret, Tinactin, Lotrimin, Coppertone, Neutrogena and Aveeno. Long term exposure to benzene through inhalation, oral intake, and skin absorption may result in cancers such as leukemia and other blood disorders. Published by Statista Research Department , Mar 24, 2023. ITC's operational permit is up for renewal this year and some residents have raised safety concerns about the facility ahead of the permit renewal; a public hearing will be held in May. Drug manufacturers should contact FDA using the information provided in FDAs alert if their testing reveals benzene in a product. Since at least 2002, EPA and TCEQ inspectors had reported high emissions of benzene and other chemicals from that same area. When inhaled or swallowed, benzene has been found to cause different types of tumors in lab animals such as rats and mice. 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). Benzene emissions spiked to abnormally high and potentially dangerous levels for more than two weeks after nearby residents were told it was safe to return to school and work, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air-monitoring data. Contact a qualified product liability attorney to make sure your rights are protected. At room temperature, benzene is a clear, colorless-to-light yellow liquid that is highly flammable. Regardless of your skin type, skin tone, or ethnicity, sunscreen should still be a top priority for you year-round. But exposure to benzene at levels high enough to cause these symptoms is pretty rare. CDC | Facts About Benzene (A substance that causes cancer or helps cancer grow is called acarcinogen.) Cars zoomed past her. 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. After two days of vomiting and "a piercing headache, behind your eyes," he said, he drove himself to a nearby hospital Tuesday morning. In a statement to the Tribune, the EPA said that when benzene readings topped the 1,000 parts per billion threshold in neighborhoods for at least a minute, Unified Command directed air quality inspectors to the area to take more measurements and confirm whether the concentrations were expected to linger in the area. On the heels of the report, Johnson & Johnson is recalling five of its sunscreens. The NIOSH sets benzene's recommended occupational exposure limit at .1 parts per million (ppm), which makes Valisure's findings of 2 ppm or higher in some sunscreens, from Neutrogena, Sun Bum, and . The Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSAT) rules reduce hazardous air pollutants, also known as air toxics, emitted by cars and trucks. A second shelter-in-place when benzene "rears its ugly head" - March 21-22, 2019. If you feel like there's been a lot of concerning sunscreen news lately, you're not imagining it. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Finding benzene everywhere we look - Chemical & Engineering News For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy. Mary Ann Conteras, a 58-year-old assistant director at Rosewood Funeral Home, noticed the black dust accumulating on her van's windshield as she drove flowers to a Pasadena cemetery seven miles from the ITC facility. Bob Royall, then-assistant chief for the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office, said it was one of the longest fires that he had battled in his almost five-decade career. Characteristic 1 H NMR Absorptions of Aromatic Compounds. However, most studies in people have not found an increased risk of cancers other than leukemia among those with higher exposures. "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. 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. If any readings crossed that threshold, Adams said the agencies would notify local officials and the public. Certain hand sanitizers and aerosol drug products have been recalled due to benzene contamination. (, 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. Experts say more shelter-in-place advisories should have been issued. 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. Some devices, including the EPA's air monitoring bus, were not deployed until days after the fire broke out. Manufacturers should also be prepared to provide FDA with test results and any information available on the potential source of the benzene to assist in FDAs analysis. Q: What should manufacturers know about benzene in drugs? ", Benzene pollution lingers as life returns to normal - March 25-29, 2019. "We didn't realize the amount of people that were going to actually show up," said Michael McClendon, the director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response at Harris County Public Health. Benzene is used in the manufacture of plastics, detergents, pesticides, and other chemicals. In general, if you suspect that you may have been overexposed, you should act quickly to ensure an accurate reading. That day, his managers called him and his work team of about 10 people into the lunch room. Facts About Benzene. Companies claim they arent adding it to their formulas, and the FDA theorized that its probably in contaminated thickening agents, preservatives, spray propellant or ethanol.