Nine types of hand sanitizers made by Eskbiochem SA de CV, a Mexican company, contain methanol, a wood alcohol that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested, according to the FDA, and consumers should discontinue use immediately.
FDA tested samples of Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ. Lavar Gel contains 81 percent (v/v) methanol and no ethyl alcohol, and CleanCare No Germ contains 28 percent (v/v) methanol. Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects.
Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment, which is critical for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidently ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk for methanol poisoning. (source)
Although the FDA has asked Eskbiochem to remove the sanitizers from store shelves, they have not complied. If you have any of these products, you are to dispose of them as hazardous waste. Do not flush them down the toilet or pour them down the drain.
These are the hand sanitizers that contain methanol.
Do not use the following products:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
Washing your hands is always preferable to hand sanitizer. If you do have to use hand sanitizer when washing your hands isn’t possible, look for products with at least 60% ethanol.
THANK YOU DAISY!!
You are always on spot!!
Appreciate you sooo much!
Ethyl Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol can cross the skin barrier too, but testing after even heavy use shows that it’s way below toxic levels in humans. Methanol, you really don’t even want to breath the fumes. The transfer across skin, mucous and pulmonary tissues is so fast, toxicity is reached in a very short time. In children, it’s even faster.
Unlike Ethyl and Isopropyl, Methanol is completely miscible in water. That’s why it can cross barriers so easily.
Thanks for the Heads Up PSA Daisy! Haven’t seen anything on the news channels yet as of 9:40pm MST on 06/22/2020.
Good info
You could try making your own hand sanitizer, but you run the risk of being accused of something else. See this captioned photo:
https://www.theburningplatform.com/2020/06/22/hand-sanitizer/
–Lewis