Procter & Gamble Issues Recall For Aerosol Dry Shampoo, Conditioner Over Benzene Contamination As Class Actions Mount Over Cancer-Causing Chemical

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Procter & Gamble Benzene Recall, Class Action Lawsuits Overview: 

• Who: Procter & Gamble issued a recall for a number of its aerosol dry shampoo and conditioner spray products on the same day a pair of class action lawsuits were filed against the company.
• Why: The P&G recall and the complaints both concern the presence of benzene in a number of the company’s aerosol products. 
• Where: The recall affects consumers nationwide. The class action lawsuits were filed in Illinois and Ohio federal courts. 

The Procter & Gamble Company issued a voluntary recall last week for aerosol dry shampoo and conditioner spray products from brands, including Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences and Waterl<ss, due to the presence of benzene, a known human carcinogen. 

The recall also affected already discontinued products from Old Spice and Hair Food due to traces of benzene being found in some of them, according to the recall.  

The full list of recalled products can be found here. 

P&G says it initiated a review of its product line following reports of benzene contamination in a number of aerosol products and discovered “unexpected levels” of benzene from the bottles propellant sprays. 

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the consumers who use our products and the quality of the products we ship,” the company said.

P&G says it has alerted retailers to remove the affected products, which were distributed nationwide. 

Consumers have been advised to stop using the affected products and will be eligible to receive reimbursement. 

P&G Also Faces A Pair Of Class Action Lawsuits Over Alleged Benzene Contamination

The recall came on the same day a pair of class action lawsuits were filed against P&G over the alleged benzene contamination. 

Plaintiffs Norma Bernsee, Abby Nelson and Shirley Thiele claimed in a class action lawsuit filed in Illinois federal court that P&G sold “defective” antiperspirant and deodorant products that were contaminated with benzene. 

“The Products are defective because each contains significant amounts of the chemical benzene, a known human carcinogen that offers no therapeutic deodorant or antiperspirant benefit,” the class action lawsuit states. 

The benzene contamination came to light following a study by Valisure, an independent analytical pharmacy, which found a number of aerosol products and cosmetics contained traces of the cancer-causing chemical. 

Bernsee, Nelson and Thiele claim P&G misrepresents the products as safe and never notified consumers about the presence of benzene on their labels, ingredients list or packaging. 

The products the plaintiffs purchased were ultimately “worthless,” due to the benzene contamination, they argue, as well as put their health in danger.

The Illinois plaintiffs are seeking compensatory, statutory and punitive damages for themselves and all class members. 

Plaintiffs in Ohio, meanwhile, also claim P&G sold aerosol deodorant sprays, namely Old Spice and Secret brand, that were contaminated with benzene. 

Plaintiffs Patricia Kelley, Jeremy Wilson, Dante Melendez and Darrell Stewart claim that, despite benzene being a known human carcinogen with links to blood cancers such as leukemia, P&G has claimed that the benzene levels in its products are “relatively harmless.” 

Benzene, meanwhile, has been classified as “carcinogenic to humans” by both the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, according to the class action lawsuit. 

Similar to the Illinois complaint, plaintiffs claim P&G failed to disclose the benzene contamination to its customers, who argue they could not have discovered it on their own. 

Plaintiffs Kelley, Wilson, Melendez and Stewart are seeking compensatory damages in an amount exceeding $5 million for themselves and all class members. 

A separate class action lawsuit had been filed against P&G in November over claims the company sold Old Spice antiperspirant spray containing benzene. 

Do you own any of the Procter & Gamble products containing benzene? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiffs are collectively represented by Joseph J. Braun, Richard S. Wayne and Jeffrey A. Levine of Strauss Troy; Daniel A. Osborn of Osborn Law PC; and Gary M. Klinger, Gary E. Mason and David K. Lietz of Mason Lietz & Klinger LLP. 

The Procter & Gamble Benzene Class Action Lawsuits are Bernsee, et al. v. The Procter & Gamble Company, Case No. 1:21-cv-06725, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kelley, et al. v. The Procter & Gamble Company, Case No. 1:21-cv-00785, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

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