Why am I being warned about potential exposure to benzophenone?
- Benzophenone is on the Proposition 65 list for cancer.
- The International Agency for Research on Cancer found benzophenone is “possibly carcinogenic to humans” based on studies that show it causes cancer in animals.
- California’s Proposition 65 requires businesses to warn people before exposing them to a significant amount of a chemical listed under Proposition 65 for cancer or reproductive toxicity.
What is benzophenone?
- Benzophenone is a chemical with a sweet floral smell.
- Benzophenone is a different chemical than benzophenone-3 (also called oxybenzone) and benzophenone-4 (also called sulisobenzone). These chemicals are not listed under Proposition 65.
How does exposure to benzophenone occur?
Exposure to benzophenone may occur by:
- Using consumer products that contain benzophenone. These include some personal care products such as lotions, soaps, and body washes; some cosmetics such as nail polish; and some scented air fresheners.
- Eating food that contains benzophenone.
- Benzophenone is in some inks used on food packaging materials, and can migrate from these materials into food.
- As of 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration no longer allows the use of synthetic benzophenone as a food flavoring.
- Breathing air that contains benzophenone released from some floor finishes or coatings that are ‘cured’ by using ultraviolet light.
During pregnancy, benzophenone can pass from mother to baby.
Main ways you can be exposed to benzophenone:
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How can I reduce my exposure to benzophenone?
- Read the labels on personal care products and scented air freshening products. Choose ones that do not contain benzophenone, or are “fragrance-free.”
- Eat more fresh food, and less processed and packaged food.
- Where possible, seek alternatives to floor finishes or coatings that are cured using ultraviolet light. Ask a flooring contractor about using floor materials that are not cured with ultraviolet light.
For more information:
General Fact Sheets and Resources
- California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Scientific Information on Benzophenone
- World Health Organization (WHO)
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)- “Benzophenone” section in Some Chemicals Present in Industrial and Consumer Products, Food and Drinking-Water (2013), vol. 101, pages 285-304.
- US Department of Health Human Services (HHS)
National Toxicology Program (NTP)
Proposition 65
- California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)- Proposition 65: Background
- Proposition 65: The List of Chemicals
- Proposition 65: Fact Sheets
Related Chemical(s)
References
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