The EPA is taking further action to help ease the production and availability of EPA-registered disinfectants. EPA will temporarily allow manufacturers of certain already-registered EPA disinfectants to obtain certain active ingredients from any source of suppliers without checking with the agency first. This only applies to products on听EPA鈥檚 List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2. This action comes after last week鈥檚 announcement of听EPA鈥檚 similar action on certain inert ingredients.
鈥淚t is critical that the supply of EPA-registered disinfectants keep up with the demand for these products,鈥澨齭aid Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, Assistant Administrator of EPA鈥檚 Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.听鈥淏y taking this action, EPA is better protecting public health by assuring the availability of surface disinfectants to use against the novel coronavirus.鈥�
鈥淲e appreciate EPA鈥檚 continued partnership as we all work together to keep the supply chains for cleaning products running efficiently, particularly for the disinfectants that hospitals, manufacturers and consumers need to protect against the spread of coronavirus,鈥澨齭aid Bryan Zumwalt, Executive Vice President for Public Affairs, Consumer Brands Association.
鈥淲e commend the EPA for acting quickly to remove regulatory barriers during these unprecedented times,鈥澨齭aid Steve Caldeira, President & CEO of the Household & Commercial Products Association.听鈥淭he EPA鈥檚 continued engagement with disinfectant manufacturers has been critically important as we all work together to protect the public health.鈥�
EPA usually requires disinfectant manufacturers to first apply for and receive EPA approval prior to making a change in the source of the active ingredient. Under this amendment, manufacturers can source certain active ingredients from alternative suppliers, inform EPA, and immediately start production, provided that the resulting formulation is chemically similar to the current formulation. This will help alleviate reports of supply chain disruptions by pesticide registrants who manufacture disinfectant products on听EPA鈥檚 List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.
EPA will assess the continued need for and scope of this temporary amendment on a regular basis and will update it if EPA determines modifications are necessary. The eligible active ingredients are:
- Citric Acid
- Ethanol
- Glycolic Acid
- Hydrochloric Acid
- Hypochlorous Acid
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- L-Lactic Acid
- Sodium Hypochlorite
Pesticides, including disinfectants, contain both active and inactive (or inert) ingredients.听Active ingredients听prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate a pest, in this case SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. All other ingredients are called听inert ingredients听by federal law. They are important for product performance and usability.