Dollar Tree continuing to sell sanitizer the FDA calls potentially dangerous

WHEC ^ | July 15, 2020 | Deanna Dewberry

[Leaning Right]

In consumer news, the list of dangerous hand sanitizers keeps getting longer.

Wednesday, the FDA added eight more products to the list of sanitizers that could be potentially deadly.

The FDA says they could contain Methanol, a product that if accidentally ingested or absorbed through the skin can cause permanent blindness, seizures, and death.

One of those products is Dollar Tree's brand, Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer.

[Leaning Right]

I’m not a big fan of the nanny state warning me about every possible problem. But I’m also not a big fan of health products made in “developing” countries. So take this story for what it’s worth.

[Leaning Right]

I should have added that some of the sanitizer is made in Mexico, and some is made in China.

[Larry Lucido]

“Caution: Use with gloves.”

[Red Badger]

I hope the dopers know the difference between ‘Meth’ and ‘Methanol’.................

[Politically Correct]

“Caution: Use with gloves.”

Heh!

[monkeyshine]

There’s a lot of cheap Chinese made sanitizer hitting the market. Some of it may even be what the FDA would call “adulterated” eg mislabeled, and/or containing unapproved ingredients such as Methanol, or not containing the CDC recommended levels of alcohol.

The small bottles I’ve been seeing all over the place are near impossible to read, and they do that for a reason. Clear label on a clear bottle with clear liquid you can’t read it unless you photograph and zoom in.

I even saw one that was 35% ethanol and 35% isopropanol. The CDC recommends either 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol. I would have to really crunch numbers between their specific gravity (they each have different weight on a volume basis) but I’m not sure that 35%/35% is adequate. I had never seen that before.

[catnipman]

methanol is poisonous and can be absorbed through the skin ...

[Darksheare]

It’s fun to let them find out on their own.

[RealVirginia]

If it’s made in China I don’t put it on my skin...lotion, soap, whatever.

[Leaning Right]

Labels mean nothing. Chinese manufacturers were putting formaldehyde-free labels on flooring made for export to the United States. The flooring was then sold by Lumber Liquidators. The stuff was full of formaldehyde.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-harmful-formaldehyde-levels-in-lumber-liquidators-flooring/

[monkeyshine]

I remember that Lumber Liquidators controversy. Labels mean something; they need to mean something. Fraud and potential harm to thousands (or more!) of people by selling adulterated products means nothing to people motivated solely by money.

Watch out for the cheap crap sanitizers they are selling for $2.49 a bottle. Caveat Emptor.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Thanks for the heads-up. My daughter gave me a bottle of sanitizer. I think she got it at Dollar Tree.

[Cobra64]

The way it’s used, that crap doesn’t work anyway.

[hattend]

How much of this crap are they putting on? Methanol evaporates almost immediately. Are they bathing in the stuff?

[cabbieguy]

Anything with the label “made in china”, put back on the shelf and tell store manager to stop selling chinese poisons.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Reports from several web pages mention that those who died had DRANK the sanitizer. It was a cheap “high” for some people.

[Zhang Fei]

[I’m not a big fan of the nanny state warning me about every possible problem. But I’m also not a big fan of health products made in “developing” countries. So take this story for what it’s worth. ]

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Unless you’re using gallon sized bottles at a time to soak your hands and feet, I’d be surprised if a little methanol made any real difference. The process of distilling liquors produces methanol. Companies that make hand sanitizers may skip the methanol removal stage entirely since they’re technically not made to be drunk. I suspect this is basically the FDA making a play for the limelight given that the CDC has been hogging media attention pretty much since the Wuhan virus showed up onstage.