Compromise on ethanol hand gels and disinfectants should head off showdown over carcinogenicity
European Chemicals Agency concludes ethanol safe for disinfection but makes no decision on whether it is carcinogenic or reprotoxic
Ethanol is safe for use in hand washes and general disinfectants, according to the European Chemicals Agency’s (Echa) biocidal products committee (BPC). However, the BPC did not decide whether ethanol should be considered a carcinogenic or reprotoxic substance.