Benzyl alcohol

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About benzyl alcohol

Benzyl alcohol is a chemical that occurs naturally and in synthetic form. In its synthetic form, it's found in a wide range of products available to consumers, including:

Benzyl alcohol occurs naturally in foods and is a permitted food additive.

This substance is also known as benzenemethanol.

Safety of benzyl alcohol

Under the Government of Canada's Chemicals Management Plan, we review and manage the potential risks that chemical substances can pose to Canadians and the environment. The first stage of the review process is a draft chemical risk assessment.

We have completed the draft assessment of benzyl alcohol. We're proposing that long-term dermal (skin) application use of certain products with high concentrations of benzyl alcohol may affect the nervous system. These products include:

However, we are proposing that these products are not a concern when used sparingly.

We are also proposing that:

What we're doing

Our assessment is not final. We're continuing to evaluate the potential risk posed by benzyl alcohol before we publish our final conclusion. This includes:

Currently, there are restrictions on benzyl alcohol used in:

If the final chemical risk assessment confirms our proposed findings, we will consider:

What you can do

Consumers are reminded to:

If you're exposed to benzyl alcohol at work, talk to your employer and occupational health and safety (OHS) official about:

For more information

For industry and professionals

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