Benzene Detected in US Retail Hand Sanitizers... Safety Concerns Raised

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Bloomberg reported on the 24th (local time) that an investigation found that benzene, a carcinogen, was detected above the standard level in hand sanitizers distributed in the United States.

The U.S. private research institute ValleySure disclosed the results of a harmful substance investigation on hand sanitizers distributed in online and offline stores across the U.S., revealing that toxic substances such as benzene and methanol were detected above the standard levels.

Among the total 168 brands and 260 hand sanitizer products surveyed, benzene, a carcinogen, was detected in 17%. In particular, 8% (21 bottles) contained benzene levels exceeding 2 ppm, which is above the standard set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Additionally, hand sanitizers with high benzene levels were found to contain methanol up to 14 times (630 ppm) the standard limit.

Products with high benzene detection include Art Natural, True Wash, Star Wars Mandalorian, Beauty Concept, Bon Basic, and Miami Carrion. These products are sold through online and offline distribution channels such as Amazon and Target, according to the report.

David, CEO of ValleySure, stated in a press release, "The results of this investigation reveal a serious risk to public health."

Based on this investigation, ValleySure plans to request U.S. authorities to strengthen safety management and supervision of hand sanitizers and to establish measures to prevent the manufacture and distribution of products containing harmful substances.

ValleySure also reported that many of the products containing benzene above the standard were manufactured in China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.