As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to warn about hand sanitizers that are toxic because they are made with methanol, also known as wood alcohol, how can you tell if the one you are using is safe?
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people to wash their hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (as Pa. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says - the amount of time it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice).
If soap are water are not available, the CDC recommends using hand sanitizer.
The hand sanitizer business has exploded as demand has surged.
NBC News reported that FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hain said in a statement, “Unfortunately, there are some companies taking advantage of the increased usage of hand sanitizer during the coronavirus pandemic and putting lives at risk by selling products with dangerous and unacceptable ingredients. Consumers and health care providers should not use methanol-containing hand sanitizers.”
To be safe, a hand sanitizer should be alcohol-based, containing at least 60 percent ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol. Methanol, according to the FDA, “is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizer products and can be toxic.”
What to look for:
- The main ingredient should be at least 60 percent ethanol (ethyl alcohol).
- There are cases of hand sanitizer being labeled as ethanol but actually containing methanol. If the brand is not a name you are familiar with, it may be best to avoid it.
- Check the country of origin - many of the toxic hand sanitizers were made in Mexico.
- Consult the FDA’s list of potentially toxic hand sanitizers.
Many of the hand sanitizers found to contain the toxic methanol have been recalled.
The FDA has said it “has seen a sharp increase in hand sanitizer products that are labeled to contain ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) but that have tested positive for methanol contamination. Methanol, or wood alcohol, is a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested and can be life-threatening when ingested.”
The FDA said it “is aware of adults and children ingesting hand sanitizer products contaminated with methanol that has led to recent adverse events including blindness, hospitalizations and death.”
And, consumers should be aware that any hand sanitizer that says “FDA-approved” is not, “since there are no hand sanitizers approved by FDA.”
Costco, Walmart and B.J.‘s are among the stores that have recalled some of these brands.
The following list of hand sanitizers, most of which were made in Mexico and either tested by the FDA and found to contain methanol or made in the same facility as one containing methanol, should be avoided.
4E Global, ASPI de CV (Mexico)
Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70 percent alcohol
Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70 percent
Bluemn Adavanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer (labeled with Greenbrier International Inc.)
Modesa Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender
Blumen Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Clear
Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
Blumen Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70 alcohol
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavendar, with 70 percent alcohol
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe, with 70 percent alcohol
Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus
Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer
Hello Kitty by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe)
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers)
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers
Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free
Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera
Assured Aloe
AAA Cosmetica (Mexico)
Bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer
LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer, 4 oz.
LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer, 16 oz.
QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer
DDI Multinacional SA de CV (Mexico)
Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced
Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico)
All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80 percent alcohol
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75 percent alcohol
Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Grupo Insoma, S.A.P.I. de CV (Mexico)
Hand Sanitizer Gel Unscented 70 percent alcohol
Limpo Quimicos SA de CV (Mexico)
Andy’s Best
Andy’s
Gelclor
NeoNatural
Plus Advanced
Liqesa Exportacion or Liq-E-S.A. de CV (Mexico)
Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer
Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer
Maquiladora Miniara, SA de CV (Mexico)
Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer
Selecto Hand Sanitizer
MXL Comercial SA de CV (Mexico)
Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70 percent Ethyl Alcohol (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)
Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70 percent Ethyl Alcohol Rinse Free Hand Rub (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)
Mystic International SA de CV (Mexico)
Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
Real Clean Distribuciones SA de CV
Born Basic, Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer
Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer
Scent Theory – Keep It Clean – Pure Clean Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer
ENLIVEN Hand Sanitizing Gel
Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel
Keep It Clean
Hand Sanitizer
Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV (Mexico)
Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free
Antiseptic Alcohol 70 percent Topical Solution hand sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer labeled with Wet Look Janitorial and Gardening Corp.
Transliquid Technologies (Mexico)
Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
Tropicosmeticos SA de CV (Mexico)
Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70 percent
Yara Elena De La Garza Perez Nieto
DAESI hand sanitizer
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