Reasons to Use Environmentally & Eco-friendly Hand Sanitisers

23 December 2021

We all only have one planet earth and need to do our absolute best to protect it. Environmental issues are well-known and openly discussed. In this article, we explore the reasons why environmental & eco-friendly hand sanitisers should be used.

Green Planet
Protect the planet by using natural hand sanitisers

Chemicals and ingredients that can be added to hand sanitisers

Many chemicals can be added to hand sanitisers. These usually feature in alcohol-based versions, but on occasions could also be in natural versions too.

  • Ethanol – this is used as an alcohol in alcohol-based sanitisers. Ethanol from bulk sanitisers has been identified as an aquatic risk. Dumping and spillage of ethanol is a risk to aquatic animals such as ducks and fish. Soil pollution with ethanol has shown to cause damage to trees, plants, and honey bees
  • Isopropyl alcohol – Also called Propanol, this is another type of alcohol used in alcohol-based sanitisers. Propanol has a lower risk than Ethanol in smaller quantities. If bulk Propanol was released into the water table or soil, this would be a risk to flora and fauna
  • Palm oil – sometimes palm oil can be added to hand sanitiser for consistency reasons. Environmentalists are encouraging the avoidance of palm oil-based products as they are responsible for significant deforestation worldwide
  • Triclosan – this (and Triclocarbon, which is similar) is added to hand sanitiser by some manufacturers due to its ability to kill microorganisms. Banned by the US FDA since 2019, Triclosan is toxic to humans and is also persistent in its damage to the environment. Triclosan is a significant polluter of the water table and often arises from domestic waste and/or dumping/spillage into sewers and rivers

Use Chemical free & SLS free hand sanitisers instead

Our advice would always be to buy 100% safe, PH Neutral, environmentally-friendly hand sanitisers that only includes natural ingredients and do not use palm oil.

Mist–ify Hand Sanitizer Dispenser Refill Mist 500ml | Coler Medical PPE
Buy Coler Medical PPE’s MIST-IFY instant sanitiser for a 100% natural and eco-friendly solution

Coler Medical PPE sells a hypochlorous (HOCl) acid-based hand sanitiser, which is 100% natural. Here are some great environmentally-related reasons to buy a HOCl-based sanitiser:

  • Entirely natural – is generated by the human body (and in other animals too) as a defence mechanism against various invading micro-organisms
  • EPA-approved – HOCl is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organisation (WHO) for use in drinking water (it is that safe!) Source: WHO. They wrote about HOCl:

“Pure HOCl at a label concentration of 180ppm poses no risk of environmental contamination (except perhaps as a mild 0.9% salt solution) and:

  • Does not require Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),
  • Can be stored with no hazardous materials protocol, and
  • Can be disposed of with no risk of generating a toxic waste stream.”

Discussing Eco-friendly Hand Sanitisers with Coler Medical PPE

We are always here for all of your enquiries relating to environmentally-friendly hand sanitisers and the Coler Medical PPE range of hand sanitisers. Give us a call on +44 (0) 1827 794 294 or if you prefer to send an email to info@colermedical-ppe.co.uk. You can also complete a contact form, to kickstart discussions.

Image Credit: Free SVG

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