

But the FDA hasn't banned every questionable ingredient just yet - ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol, alongside benzalkonium chloride, are still being studied to determine if they're truly safe in consumer-friendly hand sanitizers. In 2019, a new Food and Drug Administration ruling stated that manufacturers wouldn't be able to use over 25 different ingredients, including triclosan and benzethonium chloride, in the United States due to newfound evidence that these agents could actually be irritants on their own. hormonal) disruption and liver problems, and has been shown to persist in the environment and water supplies for long periods of time. Triclosan, an antibacterial agent that was once widely used in alcohol-free hand sanitizers, is of particular concern, as it has been linked to endocrine (i.e. But many families aren't aware that conventional hand sanitizers have been known to come with their own set of risks, due to sketchy ingredients, including triclosan, artificial fragrances, and artificial colors. In these instances, you probably reach for a bottle of hand sanitizer that you've picked up at the local pharmacy or convenience store.

So, your hands are a tad grimy - maybe you were just clinging to a subway pole for dear life during rush hour, or you just wiped your kid’s runny nose - yet you’re nowhere near a sink to do a proper hand washing (which experts say is always your best bet).
