Are hand sanitisers the next thing to be banned by the EU?
A potential European Union ban on ethanol in hand sanitizers, driven by cancer risk concerns, could lead to dozens of common products disappearing from stores.
This key ingredient has been a trusted component of hygiene in both hospitals and homes for decades and is listed as an “essential medicine” by the World Health Organization.
EU officials are now re-evaluating its safety, with some proposing a full ban or the substitution of ethanol with other ingredients.
This prospect is causing alarm among health experts. They warn that such a move could create significant disruption, particularly within hospital settings where infection control is critical.
Alexandra Peters of the University of Geneva emphasized that hand hygiene saves millions of lives annually and that ethanol is the proven backbone of this practice.
There are also concerns that potential alternatives, such as isopropanol, could pose even greater toxicity risks than ethanol.
The United Kingdom, post-Brexit, would not be subject to an EU-wide ban. The final decision will have major implications for healthcare hygiene across the continent, forcing a public reckoning with the potential hidden risks of a product taken for granted.
