It has been three years since the COVID hand sanitizer crisis hit and stockpiles of those panic purchases of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS) are reaching (or have reached) their expiration dates.
For households with a few expired bottles, the disposal is pretty simple as they are classified as “household hazardous waste.” The expired bottles can easily be dropped off at a local household hazardous waste drop-off location. Click here to find a location in your zip code.
Businesses have a more complicated road to disposal of expired ABHS. Since these sanitizers contain at least 60% alcohol, their ignitable nature makes them classified as hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA).
When possible, it is recommended to recycle expired hand sanitizer, which must be done in compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Section 260.43. Keep in mind that when disposing of expired hand sanitizer, it is typically a state agency that provides the enforcement and interpretation of EPA hazmat regulations, not the federal government. Therefore, it is important to know the specific guidelines in your particular location, whether recycling or disposing.
Generally, hand sanitizer will have an expiration date of around two years after being manufactured. After this timeframe, the alcohol in sanitizers slowly evaporates, causing them to lose effectiveness.
Most alcohol-based hand sanitizers contain anywhere from 60% to 90% alcohol. Within two to three years, this number will drop below 60%, which is the threshold for when a sanitizer loses its max effectiveness.
However, just because an alcohol-based sanitizer is past its expiration date does not necessarily mean it is spoiled or dangerous to use. It can still be used but will not be near as effective due to the alcohol level being below 60%. Although the use of an expired hand sanitizer is not recommended due to its lower effectiveness, in a pinch, it is better to use the expired product versus nothing at all.
As a business, what is the best way to dispose of perhaps several cases of expired hand sanitizer?
The best bet is to contact a professional medical waste management company which understands all the intricacies for proper, legal disposal in your area. Here are a few links to medical waste management companies:
- Hazardous Waste Experts
- MedPro Disposal
- MCF Environmental
Expired ABHS should never be disposed of down a drain. The liquid and vapors in water pipes and sewer systems can cause fires and explosions. One estimation is dumping 50 or so gallons of ABHS down the drain, once vaporized, is enough to blow municipal sewer system’s manhole covers up into the air.
From and article by Kutol Products.