‘Anti-Microbe’ Hand Sanitizers Distributed to Schools Recalled: Health Canada

Children sanitize their hands while physical distancing after getting their pictures taken at picture day at St. Barnabas Catholic School during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scarborough, Ont., on Oct. 27, 2020. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

Health Canada announced a recall for hand sanitizers labelled “Anti-Microbe” from the market due to more than permitted amounts of benzalkonium chloride found in the products which may pose health hazards—especially to children.

The advisory notice posted by the agency on Jan. 22 said Atoms F.D. Inc. (Atoms), a Quebec-based soap and detergent manufacturing company, issued a recall for various hand sanitizer products because they contain 0.3 percent of benzalkonium chloride—twice the amount allowed for personal or domestic use.