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Urgent: Protect Australian Children— Ban Benzene in Sunscreens


Dr. Abhinandan Chowdhury, PhD (Toxicology, AU)

MSc (Analytical Bioscience, UK) | BSc (Biotechnology, AU)

Head of Toxicology and Compliance, VeganicSKN Australia



  • Childhood blood cancer in Australia has risen 40 % in 20 years.

  • Up to 30 new cases of leukemia each year may be linked to benzene, a proven cancer-causing chemical still allowed in Australian sunscreens at up to 2 parts per million (ppm).

  • The EU, Canada, Japan and the United States already require 0 ppm in cosmetics and therapeutic goods. The USA banned benzene in 1978 from consumer products.


A single policy change—setting Australia’s limit to 0 ppm—could spare dozens of families the trauma of childhood leukaemia every year.



1. What is Benzene? – A Well-Established Human Carcinogen


  • Classified Group 1 “known human carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 1979.

  • Strong links to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and other blood cancers; emerging links to breast, kidney, bladder and colorectal cancers.



2. How does it get into sunscreen?


Benzene is not added on purpose. It can appear when:


  • Raw materials are contaminated.

  • Manufacturing is poorly controlled.

  • Certain UV filters (e.g., octocrylene, avobenzone) degrade in heat or sunlight


TGA’s own 2022 tests in Australia showed:


  • 10 of 21 aerosol sunscreens contained benzene.

  • 4 exceeded the current 2 ppm limit.


A New Zealand Health Ministry risk model suggests that 2 ppm could cause one extra cancer case per 100,000 adults. When adjusted for realistic Australian child use (Cancer Council guideline: 144 g/day over 9 months), the risk climbs to roughly 1 cancer per 2,500 children — unacceptable for a product meant to protect them.



3. Australia’s preventable gap


Benzene Ban List

The presence of a known human carcinogen like benzene in products designed to protect children's health is an avoidable risk we cannot afford to ignore.



4. What we ask


Align the TGA standard with international best practice: set the benzene limit in sunscreens to 0 ppm.


Dr. Abhinandan Chowdhury (Rocky) PhD (Toxicology, AU) | MSc (Analytical Bioscience, UK) | BSc (Biotechnology, AU) Head of Toxicology and Compliance

19th of May 2025

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