Alcohol-free sanitizing products are available yet the CDC, FDA and WHO are only focused on alcohol-based sanitizers as a solution. When it comes to child safety, it is perplexing why governmental agencies are turning a blind eye to children whose injuries and deaths could have been prevented with public awareness. 

Benzalkonium chloride (BZK) is an active ingredient in alcohol-free hand sanitizer and sanitizing products. An NIH article states that BZK addresses a broad spectrum of bacteria, fungi, and molds. In addition, repeated use of BZK has been noted to moisturize the skin whereas alcohol dries the skin. 

Sanitizing Safety launched a public awareness video of the ongoing risks with accidental and intentional ingestion and overuse of alcohol-based sanitizing products. 

Based on published medical research data, Sanitizing Safety’s report HAND SANITIZER: CHILD SAFETY PROTECTION, RISK REDUCTION: ALCOHOL-FREE HAND RUB (AFHR) & SANITIZING PRODUCTS outlines risks with topical overuse and oral ingestion of sanitizing products; this occurs in people of all ages. 

The awareness video and report explain:

• The alcohol equivalent of adult beverages compared to alcohol content in hand sanitizer
• There can be as much as 1.75 “shots” of alcohol in one fluid ounce travel-size bottle of consumer-grade hand sanitizer
• Hand sanitizer sales are up by as much as 500+% in Q1 of 2020 
• The CDC encourages K-12 schools to make available at least 60% alcohol content in hand sanitizers on-campus in spite of alcohol being a banned substance
• Children ages 6-12 are more likely to intentionally ingest a sanitizing product
• 35% of poison control center calls resulted students consuming hand sanitizer at school 

The FDA has issued a warning and product recall for ethanol-based hand sanitizing products that are contaminated with methanol. One third of one shot glass of methanol can blind a person; one shot glass of methanol can cause death.