Health Canada has issued a recall for six brands of hand sanitizers over concerns that they contain industrial-grade ethanol. The federal agency says these products are not authorized for use in Canada, and may cause potential health concerns.
According to Health Canada, frequent use of these sanitizers may cause dry skin, irritation, or cracking. Consumers who bought these products are advised to immediately stop using them and consult their health professionals.
“Industrial-grade ethanol contains impurities that are not found in the type of ethanol approved for use in manufacturing hand sanitizers, such as technical-grade, food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade ethanol,” Health Canada said in its recall notice.
“In addition, chemicals that may not be approved for use in hand sanitizers are added to industrial-grade ethanol.”
The agency suggested consumers should follow government guidelines to dispose these sanitizers or return them to a local pharmacy for proper disposal.
- Eltraderm Hand Sanitizer - 70% Ethyl Alcohol, made by Eltraderm Limited
- Hand Sanitizer, made by Contract Packaging Distributions Inc.
- Gel 700 Hand Sanitizer, made by Nature’s Own Cosmetic Company Inc.
- Sanilabs Hand Sanitizer 70% Ethanol, made by Sanilabs Inc.
- Walker Emulsions Hand Sanitizer, made by Walker Emulsions Ltd.
- Hand Sanitizer Désinfectant pour les mains, made by Walker Emulsions Ltd.
Health Canada said that they have directed companies to stop the sale of these products and is monitoring the effectiveness of the recalls.
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