Product Recall: Health Canada adds to list of hand sanitizer products that pose safety risk

This week, Health Canada recalled hand sanitizer from 5 different companies “because,” ​according to a statement issued by the government department, “they may pose health risks.”​

Not all hand sanitizer is sanitary  ​

The importance of good health and hygiene only increased when COVID-19 arrived. And this meant that the demand for soap and sanitizer rose sharply. And hand sanitizer continues to be a go-to hygiene product in and beyond Canada.

But for nearly as long as the pandemic has been affecting this region, Health Canada has been issuing product recalls in an effort to keep unsafe sanitizer off the market. It was almost one year ago to the day when Cosmetics Design first covered Health Canada’s hand sanitizer recall efforts​.

In June of 2020, Health Canada issued a recall of products from some 12 companies producing hand sanitizer because industrial-grade ethanol was used in each of the formulations.

And this week, Heath Canada’s latest hand sanitizer recall calls out 5 product makers for improper labeling, undeclared impurities, missing risk statements, and for not having proper government approval to formulate with technical-grade ethanol.

Technical-grade ethanol is temporarily allowable in sanitizer formulations, as Cosmetics Design reported in April 2020.​ But, manufacturers must work with 1 of 6 government authorized suppliers​ and first receive a No Objection letter from Health Canada before making the product.

The company’s and products subject to this latest hand sanitizer recall are:

• Shiny Star Canada Ltd – Defenz
• 2682130 Ontario Limited – Peak Processing Solutions Ethanol Sanitizer 80%
• Pharmaberg – Puricia
• Cosmetics by Katakami Inc – SunnaPure Hand Sanitizer Spray
• TerraPure Sanitizer Inc – TerraPure Hand Sanitizer