Manesar firm’s hand sanitiser contains highly toxic chemical

Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 16

A day after the CBI alerted the police in all states and union territories and other law-enforcement agencies about an Interpol input, warning about some unscrupulous dealers selling fake hand sanitisers, manufactured using the highly toxic methanol, it has come to the fore that samples of a Manesar-based unit have been found to contain this lethal substance.

Two of the three samples taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from a “fake” hand sanitiser unit based in Manesar during a raid on March 11 have been found to be containing methanol — 10.11 per cent in one sample and 8.52 per cent in the other.

Another company gets Notice

Hisar: The Food and Drug Administration has served notice to a disinfectant manufacturer which was being marketed as herbal product. Jind Drug Controller Mandeep Singh said that the firm needs requisite certificate to manufacture the product. Product samples have been taken, he added. TNS

Interestingly, the labels claimed that the sanitisers contained 75 per cent ethyl alcohol, but the tests report issued by the Government Analyst, Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh, said it did not contain this ingredient at all. Instead, the samples contained isopropyl alcohol in the concentration of 46.16 per cent and 54.33 per cent, respectively.

“Methanol is a highly toxic substance which can cause blindness and failure of kidneys. Direct exposure to methanol should be avoided as it can be harmful if swallowed, absorbed through the skin or inhaled. It can degrease the skin, which may cause dermatitis. Any eatable touched with hands to which methanol has been applied can harm humans,” said GL Singla, former State Drug Controller, Haryana.

A sanitiser containing 46 per cent or 54 per cent isopropyl alcohol will provide a false sense of protection against coronavirus to the people using it, but actually their hands may not be sanitised even after rubbing their hands with it. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention as well as WHO provide that an alcohol-based hand rub for protection against coronavirus must contain more than 70 per cent alcohol.

Ashok Meena, Commissioner, FDA, Haryana, said appropriate criminal action would be initiated against the firm manufacturing the sanitiser. Narinder Ahooja, State Drug Controller, Haryana, said Amandeep Chauhan, District Drug Control Officer, Gurugram, had been told to initiate criminal and legal proceedings against the firm and its partners.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.