Chemicals found in the disinfectants that are being used extensively during COVID could be undermining our health. Action Alert!
Some researchers are raising the alarm about quaternary ammonium compounds, or quats, that are commonly found in the disinfectants, hand sanitizers, and sanitizing wipes being used by households and businesses to protect against the COVID-19 virus. Quats are being linked with fertility problems as well as other endocrine disrupting effects. We must demand that these chemicals be pulled from the market so they can be studied properly for safety.
Published studies have found that mice exposed to quats produced fewer pups than those that were not exposed to the chemicals. Other research has found that quats are potent compounds at inhibiting mitochondrial activity.
Animal studies and cellular studies are demonstrating the harm these chemicals can cause, and our exposure to them is increasing dramatically on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in Maricopa County, Arizona, restaurants are required to sanitize customer areas after each sitting with disinfectants, including the table cloth, chairs, table tops, and condiment holders. Grocery stores are spraying and wiping shopping carts after each use. These chemicals are everywhere. Quats stay active on surfaces for up to two weeks.
The Environmental Protection Agency has given industry a pass on these chemicals for decades. Quats entered the market in the early 20th century, before legislation was passed in 1976 allowing for the regulation of potentially dangerous chemicals. Because quats were on the market when the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act was passed, they were allowed to stay on the market without being evaluated for safety. The EPA is currently updating risk assessments for quats, which will be released for public comment in 2021. How many of us will have been exposed to unsafe levels of these chemicals by then, given their extensive use in public and private spaces?
Quat disinfectants aren’t only dangerous, they are unnecessary. Soap and water is sufficient to protect against the coronavirus. Additionally, rubber gloves can be worn when shopping to protect the skin, but this won’t protect against sprayed droplets in the air. The EPA needs to act now by pulling these chemicals from the market. At the very least, the EPA should remove these chemicals from the list of approved disinfectants the agency recommends for COVID-19, which currently includes 235 quat products.
As we’ve been writing over the past few months, this isn’t the only example of simple and safe solutions to protect us against COVID being largely ignored. The FDA and the FTC are actively working to keep information from the public about how natural medicine can help protect us from COVID-19 infection. This is costing us lives and has to stop.
Action Alert! Write to the EPA, telling them to pull quats from the market immediately given the increased use and the documented dangers of these chemicals. Please send your message immediately. By sending this message, you will also be supporting our petition to ungag doctors so that they can share with patients the benefits of supplements and natural treatments for COVID.
22 comments
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What is your safer solution with airborn and surface areas when we are out
Hi Cat,
Thank you for your engagement. We’re not advocating against disinfecting, but rather disinfecting with quats because of the dangers we discussed in our article. In terms of alternatives, the EPA has a list of nearly 500 products that are COVID-19 disinfectants. There are many quats on this list, but also things like hydrogen peroxide which may be safer. We’re still looking into what the better options are, but soap and water are also sufficient to kill the virus. In the article we asked the EPA to take quats off of the list of disinfectants for COVID-19 so restaurants won’t use them.
The Environmental Protection Agency has given industry a pass on these chemicals for decades. Quats entered the market in the early 20th century, before legislation was passed in 1976 allowing for the regulation of potentially dangerous chemicals. Because quats were on the market when the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act was passed, they were allowed to stay on the market without being evaluated for safety. The EPA is currently updating risk assessments for quats, which will be released for public comment in 2021. How many of us will have been exposed to unsafe levels of these chemicals by then, given their extensive use in public and private spaces?
Quat disinfectants aren’t only dangerous, they are unnecessary. Soap and water is sufficient to protect against the coronavirus. Additionally, rubber gloves can be worn when shopping to protect the skin, but this won’t protect against sprayed droplets in the air. The EPA needs to act now by pulling these chemicals from the market. At the very least, the EPA should remove these chemicals from the list of approved disinfectants the agency recommends for COVID-19, which currently includes 235 quat products.
I believe many products being used extensively may be harmful in the additional amounts to which we are currently exposed. Products containing quats should be removed from your approved lists of coronavirus protection products.
This is alarming that these products are being used on so many surfaces And in so many ways and have not yet been evaluated for safety.
Many of us have been questioning the “safety” protocols all along. They do more harm than good.
Agreed, chemical laden hand sanitizers are completely unnecessary….the use of soap and water as usual is all anybody needs. This whole “Pandemic” is overkill and is only harming people more….Haven’t used hand sanitizers at all and I have a family of 5 and we are all in good health. Our natural immune system is what is at work besides supplementing with natural compounds to enhance immunity.
It would be wise and worth preventing further illness to so many —- to pull the products that contain these harmful chemicals along with properly warning the public.
People have the right to know what chemicals are in products they might use every day, and know what these chemicals can do to their bodies. Reproductive inhibitors should be plainly noted.
Are you familiar with GSE ? 20 drops in a spray bottle is enough to clean a countertop, hands spray in the the air to land on entire areas. Used it in my classroom with young students and our attendance was always the highest because they washed their hands with this exact formula daily.
Can’t say enough good about avoiding the poisons and still being CLEAN.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies!”
I find it hard to believe that the “experts” in the CDC and WHO did not look at the possibility that environmental toxins exacerbate COVID19. That is not logical. There is plenty of evidence that it does. They need to consider any toxic element that can be air borne to be dangerous for people and can put a severe burden on their immune system and organs that respond to toxic inhalants. Our air does not stay in one place – it moves. So what one state or country is doing does affect others. We are all connected and we need to respond accordingly.
Given your comment about it being extreme that establishments in Arizona would have to sanitize seating areas after each sitting/rubber gloves being unhelpful (which I’m fairly certain nobody is using as a primary deterrent), it begs the question of what you’re really fighting against. If it’s droplets, then please start endorsing mask-usage, as there isn’t any severe loss of oxygen intake, or start recommending something that realistically works in its place in an airborne virus. Batting down the idea of sanitation without offering a reasonable replacement is essentially removing the options people have commercially available without an alternative at hand.
Hi there,
Thank you for your engagement. We’re not advocating against disinfecting, but rather disinfecting with quats because of the dangers we discussed in our article. In terms of alternatives, the EPA has a list of nearly 500 products that are COVID-19 disinfectants. There are many quats on this list, but also things like hydrogen peroxide which may be safer. We’re still looking into what the better options are, but soap and water are also sufficient to kill the virus. In the article we asked the EPA to take quats off of the list of disinfectants for COVID-19 so restaurants won’t use them.
All products should be tested before being manufactured & sold to the general public. As one who has severe allergies & sensitivities, I had already noticed many of these products bother me.
I’d also like to make mention the masks. Breathing your own breath is not healthy, especially if you have underlying lung or heart problems. I had Lung Cancer at the first of the last year and as people may or may not know it lasts for a while, here it is almost a year later and I am still on O2. I fear smothering to death than the virus and being doctored to death. I wear a mask but only when I have to and for as long as I have to. So far so good too, no virus so far.
Please pull dangerous quats from market ASAP!
Ungag doctors so that they can share with patients the benefits of supplements and natural treatments for COVID.
Let’s try more soap and water, less uneevaluated chemicals. Due to his health issues, my son has decided not to have children, so I’ll never be a grandma. One out of 6 families in the U.S. couldn’t concieve a child 60 years ago. Now it’s one out of 3 couples, and some of them desperately want to have children of their own. Due to our food and environmental contamination and excess poisons in our communities, our health problems, ability to work and ability to reproduce new humans have all suffered. We are sorely out of balance.
Name the products,please.
Hi Sheryl,
You can find the products here: https://cfpub.epa.gov/giwiz/disinfectants/index.cfm
Some stores, particularly pet stores, are spraying who knows what into the air. When I asked about no one really seemed to know. If I smell it coming in the door, I let them know why I have to leave.
Thank you for this information about quotes. So I”m wondering: is alcohol @ 70% safe ? Its smell is not intuitively a good thing to be caught by!