Synopsis : The European Union is assessing and considering a potential ban on ethanol in hand sanitisers, pending a review of cancer risk associated with its use. The final decision will come from the European Commission, likely in late 2025 or early 2026.

The hand sanitiser sitting on your desk, the one you’ve pumped countless times since 2020, might soon face its biggest regulatory challenge yet. The European Union (EU) is asking a question that seems almost unthinkable after a pandemic that made these products ubiquitous: Could the ethanol in hand sanitisers pose cancer risks?

It started with a routine assessment. In March 2024, Greek authorities submitted a report to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) examining ethanol’s safety in disinfectants. What should have been a standard re

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