Some of the products recalled were never meant for public or domestic use
By Caitlin Finlay
You may remember our alerting you to previous recalls in earlier articles (here and here)—now Health Canada has recalled 15 more hand sanitizers for health risks and/or not meeting Health Canada requirements. This latest recall increases to 137 the total number of hand sanitizers recalled since the beginning of the pandemic, so be sure to check that your products aren’t on the list.
The newly recalled hand sanitizers include those labelled as “Anti-Microbe” or with the Drug Identification Number (DIN) 02248351, for improper labelling and improper directions for use in children. Hand sanitizers containing a 0.3% concentration of benzalkonium chloride are for adult use in an industrial setting, such as food processing or health care, and must be labelled as such. Frequent use of these products could lead to skin redness, dryness, and itchiness with the possibility of swelling, peeling, blistering, and—in rare cases—allergic reactions.
Other recalled products include PurGerme, ByeByeGerms, and Cardea from Groupe LAV, Inc., which were recalled because they contain 1-propanol, which is not an accepted ingredient as it can lead to irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dry skin, and drowsiness. HydraPure Gel from Les Eaux Saint-Leger/Waters, Inc., was recalled for containing technical-grade ethanol and not carrying the appropriate risk statements.
Many products from Unconditional Love Canada, Inc., were also recalled, including Hello Bello Hand Sanitizer Gel and Spray, Carry Clean Hand Gel and Spray, Defcon Hand Sanitizer and Spray, Lifebrand Hand Sanitizer, SiL Hand Sanitizer Gel, and more. Most products were recalled because of improper testing or labelling, whether incorrect directions for use or missing information such as the NPN, lot number, or expiry date.
Gigi’s Goodbye Germs Hand Sanitizer is on the list because it’s not authorized for sale in Canada and is incorrectly labelled with the Natural Product Number (NPN) 00167630 or 80099956. Silver Sanitizer, which is unlicensed and has no NPN or DIN, was also not authorized for sale in Canada and was recalled.
You can find a full list of approved hand sanitizers and recalled hand sanitizers on the Health Canada website.
Should you have any of these products, Health Canada recommends that you stop using them and dispose of them according to municipal or regional guidelines for chemicals or hazardous waste, or bring them to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.
Photo: iStock/nito100.
Sources:
https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/73385a-eng.php
https://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2021/74849a-eng.php
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/another-15-hand-sanitizers-added-to-health-canada-recall-list-1.5306920
