Why This is Green

Clean hands will keep you healthy. But there are times—riding public transportation or eating lunch at your desk at the height of cold and flu season—when there’s no easy access to soap and water. Enter hand sprays and gels. Before you wipe that goop on you, read the ingredient list to make sure it’s safe.

Many hand sanitizers contain questionable chemicals, including the antibacterial agent triclosan. It’s currently under review by the FDA and the EPA because recent studies have linked it to endocrine disruption, and it has altered hormones in animals. It’s also non-biodegradable, irritating to the eyes and skin, highly toxic to aquatic life, and known to accumulate in the breast milk of women. The American Medical Association says it may encourage bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The CDC says it’s found in the urine of 75 percent of the population.

Hand sanitizers may also contain 60 percent alcohol—either petroleum derived or made from genetically modified corn. This can dry out skin and can be harmful if ingested by small children. There were over 12,000 cases of hand sanitizer poisoning reported to Poison Control centers in 2006.

Other ingredients of concern can include synthetic fragrance (which has also been linked to hormone disruption) and dyes. Choose a natural hand sanitizer to avoid these considerable concerns.

Learn More

• Washington Post: FDA Says Studies On Triclosan, Used In Sanitizers And Soaps, Raise Concerns
• CNN.com: Paging Dr. Gupta Blog--Hand Sanitizer Risks
• FDA.gov: Triclosan -- What Consumers Should Know
• Rodale: Fight The Flu--Make Your Own Natural Hand Sanitizer
• The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
• GoodGuide.com: Hand Sanitizer
• Environmental Defense Fund: Are We Ready To Get Sensible About Triclosan Use?
• Must Watch: The Story Of Cosmetics