Environmental Solutions launches alcohol-free hand sanitizer

Environmental Solutions International announces alcohol-free Smart & Silky Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer and Smart & Silky Kids Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer now are available at more than 975 OfficeMax® locations nationwide and on www.officemax.com beginning this week, in addition to nationwide Target® stores. According to the CDC, hand sanitizers are an important part of everyday preventive actions to protect against the H1N1 flu. As parents, educators and physicians raise concerns about the safety of alcohol-based sanitizers, Smart & Silky Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer is a safer, and equally effective, alternative to alcohol-based products.

Schools Ask Parents to Leave Alcohol-Based Sanitizers at Home

Some schools across the country have banned alcohol-based sanitizers from classrooms. These products can pose a serious poisoning risk to children if consumed inappropriately. Not only do today’s most-common sanitizers consist of up to 70 percent ethyl alcohol, a higher alcohol percentage than many hard liquors, in 2006 The Association of Poison Control Centers reported 12,000 cases of child-related alcohol poisoning linked to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The Journal of School Nursing also stated that alcohol-based sanitizers are undesirable in schools as they can present a safety hazard to children because they are flammable and irritating to eyes and open wounds.

In response to these concerns, the CDC updated its 2009 H1N1 Flu recommendations in mid-September to say, “If soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful.” This move, and additional updates made last week, demonstrate an evolving position by the CDC with regards to alcohol-free sanitizers as an alternative to alcohol-based products.

“As a parent and doctor, I encourage my family and patients to safely protect themselves during cold and flu season,” said Dr. Scott Prose of Chicago. “After experiencing years of dry, cracked, painful hands and concerns over alcohol-based products, I exclusively use alcohol-free sanitizers in my practice to fight germs without the risks associated with alcohol-based sanitizers.”

“Because of inherent dangers, our school will not be using alcohol-based sanitizers in classrooms,” said Derry Martabano, Director of the Kiwi School in Mahopac, New York. “When hand washing isn't available, we insist teachers use alcohol-free products to prevent the spread of illness in the classroom.”

Alcohol-Free Sanitizers are Equally as Effective as Alcohol-Based Sanitizers

When hand washing isn't readily available, Smart & Silky Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer helps kill 99.99 percent of illness-causing germs on the skin in 15 seconds. The sanitizer has independent testing and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Over the Counter (OTC) registration and monograph to demonstrate and confirm its ability in killing germs on hands. Chlorine Equivalency and Time Kill Data demonstrate Smart & Silky Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer is very efficient at reducing bacteria on the skin, and that it is effective against a broad range of pathogenic bacteria.

The active ingredient in Smart & Silky Instant Foaming Hand Sanitizer, Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC), is a unique non-drying, moisturizing and conditioning patent-pending formula. It is listed in the Antiseptic FDA monograph as Category Ill for safety and efficacy. Published independent reports by the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN) and Dyer-Gerenaich-Waldhams illustrate a strong case for the superior benefits of BAC formulations as compared to alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Smart & Silky’s alcohol-free formula is non-flammable, moisturizing and available in unscented, hypoallergenic kid-friendly varieties. Available at Target® and OfficeMax® stores nationwide, Smart & Silky is available in 250ml (8.5 oz.) and a convenient 50ml (1.69 oz.) travel size. It comes in an efficient hands-free pump that gives users more for their money with four times the use of gel-based alcohol sanitizers with more than 120 pumps for the 50ml bottle and more than 600 pumps for the 250ml bottle (standard 8 oz alcohol gel bottle delivers, on average, between 120-140 pumps).

www.smartandsilky.com