[p2tech] [Fwd: Re: Fw: Products for H1N1 mitigation: Could you give me your thoughts]

Does this mean we finally have a good use for light beer?

(ethanol is better than isopropanol)

Jean S. Waters
Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) Coordinator
Nebraska Business Development Center
6001 Dodge St. RH 308
Omaha, NE  68182
402-554-6259 (voice)
402-554-6260 (FAX)
jwaters at mail.unomaha.edu

Do what you love.  Love what you do.  Life is good.



From:
Chad Wetzel <chadwetzel2406 at gmail.com>
To:
p2tech <p2tech at great-lakes.net>
Cc:
Gangmark.Carolyn at epamail.epa.gov, Bell.Cathe at epamail.epa.gov
Date:
09/15/2009 01:01 PM
Subject:
Re: [p2tech] [Fwd: Re: Fw: Products for H1N1 mitigation: Could you give me 
your thoughts]
Sent by:
p2tech-bounces at great-lakes.net



>From the available literature on the subject, it seems that choosing an 
appropriate hand sanitizer depends on what type of environment you are 
going to use them in.  Alcohol based sanitizers are probably the best 
product for your needs, however they are only effective when the 
concentration is 60% or higher.  This creates an issue of flammability and 
poses a danger to children.  Thus, if you choose to use these products, it 
is recommended that you do not store them near high temperatures or flames 
and out of the reach of children.  Alcohol based sanitizers with at least 
60% or higher alcohol concentration is effective at killing most microbes 
and will not induce antimicrobial resistance that is typical of other 
sanitizers.  However, ethanol based sanitizers are better at destroying 
viruses than isopropanol based sanitizers but both are effective at 
killing bacteria, fungi, and viruses.  As for possible irritation to the 
skin, most alcohol based sanitizers now have skin moisturizers added to 
them to prevent this and an allergic reaction to the alcohol or other 
ingredients is rare.  The CDC has stated that alcohol based hand 
sanitizers are effective at killing H1N1.  I am not aware of the 
effectiveness of the wipes because the concentration of alcohol is 
different than in a liquid.  As for the sustainable nature of these 
products, websites are available that rate these products according to 
their environmental impact as well as the safety of the chemicals within 
them.  www.goodguide.com  was one in particular that I found.  Some of the 
products that you listed were on this site.  Out of the ones that you have 
attached to the e-mail, the PURELL product is rated the highest 
overall. Hope this helps. 


On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 9:31 AM, Janet Clark <janet at turi.org> wrote:
Hi everyone,

This is from my daughter, the doctor -- well she will be in a year or so.

Janet Clark

-------- Original Message --------

I would think that anything with enough alcohol would kill it, as  would 
ordinary soap and water.  These are not terribly hardy viruses.

The big thing to keep in mind with upper respiratory viruses is that  they 
can't get from your hands to your face on their own steam.   Touching your 
own eyes, nose, and mouth becomes a hazardous behavior  (we joke that the 
use of a facemask is that it keeps you from touching  your own face).

Don't shake people's hands, don't share keyboards or phones.  And wash 
 prior to touching your own face.  Whitney

>> Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 16:41:02 -0500
To: Gangmark.Carolyn at epamail.epa.gov, p2tech at great-lakes.net
From: Georjean Adams <gla at ehsstrategies.com>
Cc: rhonda.schulz at ecolab.com, Bell.Cathe at epamail.epa.gov
Subject: Re: [p2tech] Fw: Products for H1N1 mitigation: Could you  give me
your thoughts
X-BeenThere: p2tech at mailman.great-lakes.net
List-Id: <p2tech.mailman.great-lakes.net>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://mailman.great-lakes.net/mailman/listinfo/p2tech 

Ecolab offers Asepti-Wipe II which is registered with EPA with an 
 Influenza A claim.

Contact:
RHONDA SCHULZ
Associate Director, Product Registration & Compliance Law &  Regulatory
Affairs ECOLAB 370 Wabasha Street North - EUC 9 St. Paul, MN  55102-1390

T 651-293-4026
F 651-225-3122

rhonda.schulz at ecolab.com


Georjean Adams


At 7:59 AM -0700 9/9/09, Gangmark.Carolyn at epamail.epa.gov wrote:
Hello P2 Tech Community.  My colleague Cathe Bell (message below) is
seeking feedback re disinfectant wipes to be used this fall to help
prevent cases of H1N1 in our EPA R10 office.  Since many of you have
expertise in this area and work in offices where similar decision  making
is underway... thought that we might all benefit from the collective
wisdom.  Thoughts???   Thanks so much.

Carolyn Gangmark
U.S. EPA Region 10
1200 6th Ave. Suite 900 AWT-128
Seattle, WA  98101
Phone (206) 553-4072
FAX (206) 553-8509

If we don't get climate right - nothing else matters.
----- Forwarded by Carolyn Gangmark/R10/USEPA/US on 09/09/2009  07:51 AM
-----

           Cathe
           Bell/R10/USEPA/U
            S                                                       To

           09/08/2009  05:36                                        cc
           PM                       OARM-OA-SHEMD-SHEMPMGRS
                                                               Subject
                                    Products for H1N1 mitigation:
                                    Could you give me your thoughts









Colleagues:

I'd like both your personal and professional opinion about some
products that I am considering purchasing to help reduce the  impact of
H1N1 in our workplace this winter.  I've contacted you because I  value
your thinking on the subject.  I trust that your combined experience
will help me select products that are as powerful as we might  need, but
as benign as possible.

Here is the situation:  to equip staff to reduce flu transmission  in the
workplace, I'm going to follow a strategy which includes
    1.  flu shots:  both seasonal and H1N1
    2.  messages on ways to reduce disease transmission by personal
hygiene and practices, and
    3.  provision of sanitizers to be used in places where disease
transmission is more likely.

I hesitate, for a number of reasons to bring additional chemicals  into
our workplace.  However, the guidance I'm receiving, both internal  to
R10 and from CDC, encourages me to consider these as components of  an
public health approach which will be  more effective than  "business as
usual."

The elements are simple:  a limited amount of sanitizing wipes and  hand
sanitizers will be stationed around the floors to be used in areas  the
public frequents or staff congregates.  The wipes will also be made
available to IT staff to destroy microbes before they handle what is
likely to be contaminated equipment.

I'd like your opinions on the wipe sanitizers, specifically.  I've
attached a sheet with the names and characteristics of some products
I've investigated.  I'd like to hear your opinions on whether and  how to
station these, and, more importantly, arguments for selecting  specific
products.

Now, I'm going to bias you (stop reading, review the information and
respond, if you'd like).  I'm inclined to opt for simple chemicals
rather that the various takes on benzalkonium chloride and complex
antimicrobials.  From what I've read, all of these products are  almost
equally effective.  The difference between the alcohol, chlorine,  and
hydrogen peroxide based sanitizers and some of the more complex
materials is that the latter's antimicrobial action may last a bit
longer, longer on the order of hours.  For our uses, I'm not sure  that
is critical.  There are three issues I'd like to weight toward:   a) that
the wipes are not irritating, particularly to more sensitive  members of
our community, b) manufacturing of the product is relatively  simple and
sustainable, and c) the product does not contribute to antimicrobial
resistance.  Look at my list and know I'm open to your thoughts.

Again, these wipes will be used to clean up after sneezing/ coughing, if
someone sick has been in an area, in offices where a sick person has
left within 48 hours and office materials must be accessed, in  public
greeting areas, and to the PC Hotline and administrative support  staff
to use when they handle staff equipment.


Note:  manufacturing bleach may involve mercury cells (to be  phased out
by 2020), a drawback. Or they may depend on membranes.

(See attached file: wipes_product comparisons for comment.doc)


SHEMPMGRS:  this is for your information only, so that you do not  need
to duplicate this work.  No comments are expected, although you  know I'd
welcome your educated opinions!

>From the Desk of
Cathe Bell
Safety, Health and Environmental Management
US EPA Region 10, M/S OMP-077
Seattle, WA 98101
Tel: 206-553-0308
BlackBerry: 206-399-9394            Fax: 206-553-0714


OMP wants to hear from you, click here to provide feedback.


Safety, Health and Environmental Management, R10 Intranet

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Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:wipes_product compa#1901923.doc 
 (WDBN/«IC») (01901923)


--
EHS Strategies, Inc.
- enabling organizations to meet their EHS vision
http://ehsstrategies.com
651-204-3371

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<wipes_product comparisons for comment 1.doc>


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-- 
Chad Wetzel
P2RIC
Nebraska Business Development Center
Roskens Hall
Room 308
University of Nebraska Omaha
chadwetzel2406 at gmail.com
402-880-6696 (Cell)




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p2tech is hosted by the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN):

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