Benzophenone

Why am I being warned about potential exposure to benzophenone?

Benzophenone is on the Proposition 65 list because it can cause cancer. Exposure to benzophenone may increase the risk of cancer.
Proposition 65 requires businesses to determine if they must provide a warning about exposure to listed chemicals.

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 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 freshening products.
Exposure may occur by eating food that contains benzophenone:
- Benzophenone is present in inks used on some food packaging materials, and can migrate from food packaging materials into food.
- The use of synthetic benzophenone as a flavoring is no longer allowed in food as of late 2020 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Exposure may occur by 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.

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

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)
Toxicology Program (NTP)
- NTP Technical Report on the Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Benzophenone

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