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EPA Registered Hard Surface Comparison Chart

Active - Sodium Quaternary Accelerated Botanicals Dihydrogen Ingredient Ammonium Peroxide Example- Citrate in 5.25% (bleach Compounds ( Benefect – Example - Institutional concentrate) /anionic PureGreen 24 ) Products Product • EPA registered • Ready-to-use. • Range of • Hydrogen • Plant based • Combination Description bleach • Usually an products that peroxide in products with of citric at a 5.25% use “quats” as synergy with a natural and a minute dilution. (Use product. the active blend of disinfecting amount of only EPA • Warning – not ingredients. commonly used characteristics. silver . registered intended for ingredients. products for use as an air disinfecting freshener. purposes.) CDC • Intermediate • Some are • Low Level • Product Specific • Intermediate • Low Level Disinfection Level intermediate Disinfectant • Low or Level Disinfectant Level Disinfectant some are low Intermediate Disinfectant level - noted Level on label. Disinfectant

EPA • Category I • Category I or • Category III • Category III or • Category IV • Category IV Category II IV, product See Chart specific. Below Pre-cleaning • Surfaces must • Surfaces must • Product • Registered as • Surfaces must be • Surfaces must Needed be pre-cleaned.1 be pre- specific. Some one-step pre-cleaned be pre-cleaned • Best practices cleaned.2 products disinfectant according to label according to advise pre- • Best practices registered as cleaners. instructions. label cleaning all advise pre- one-step • Best practices • Best practices instructions. surfaces before cleaning all disinfectant advise pre- advise pre- • Best practices disinfecting. surfaces before cleaners. cleaning all cleaning all advise pre- disinfecting. • Best practices surfaces before surfaces before cleaning all advise pre- disinfecting. disinfecting. surfaces before cleaning all disinfecting. surfaces before disinfecting. 1 Active Bleach- Sodium Phenols Quaternary Accelerated Botanicals Silver Dihydrogen Ingredient Hypochlorite Ammonium Hydrogen Peroxide Example- Citrate in 5.25% (bleach Compounds (hydrogen peroxide Benefect – Thymol Example - Institutional concentrate) /anionic PureGreen 24 Disinfectant surfactants) Products Storage • If used for • Stable in • Stable in • Stable in storage. • Stable in storage. • Stable in disinfecting storage. storage. 2 year shelf . 2 year shelf life. storage. No purposes, • Flammable if expiration date bleach should in aerosol required. not be stored form.4 longer than 3 months. When mixed with the solution is only effective as a disinfectant for 24 hours.3 Effectiveness • Effective • Read product • Generally • Effective against • Effective against • Effective against most label for effective against a broad spectrum a broad spectrum against a broad and effectiveness a broad of microbes of microbes spectrum of some against spectrum of including H1N1 including H1N1 microbes and is registered specific microbes (Influenza A), (Influenza A). TB including as effective microbes. including and and MRSA. MRSA, against HIV, MRSA and MRSA. • Read product norovirus and HBV, H1N1 H1N1 • Read product label. H1N1 (Influenza A), (Influenza A), label for specific (Influenza A). MRSA and but typically not claims including • Read product TB.5 proven effective TB. label. • See notes below against spores. • Read product label for effectiveness against TB. Dwell Time • 5-10 minute • Generally 10 • Generally 10 • 1 - 10 minute • 10 minute dwell • 30 second to dwell time. minute dwell minute dwell dwell time. time. 10 minute • (Read the label time. time. • (Read the label • (Read the label dwell time. for specific • (Read the label • (Read the label for specific for specific • (Read the label 2 Active Bleach- Sodium Phenols Quaternary Accelerated Botanicals Silver Dihydrogen Ingredient Hypochlorite Ammonium Hydrogen Peroxide Example- Citrate in 5.25% (bleach Compounds (hydrogen peroxide Benefect – Thymol Example - Institutional concentrate) /anionic PureGreen 24 Disinfectant surfactants) Products recommended for specific for specific recommended recommended for specific dwell times.) recommended recommended dwell times.) dwell times.) recommended dwell times.) dwell times.) dwell times.)

Health Effects • Mixing with • Phenols are • Can cause • Some products • No warning or • No warning or , recognized contact using this first aid first aid state- ammonium and technology have statements are ments are quaternary (CA Prop. 65), nasal been third-party required on the required on the compounds and suspected irritation.12 certified by material safety label. other acidic cardiovascular, Ammonium EcoLogo to meet data sheet. products can developmental quaternary environmental • The botanical oils create neurological, compounds and human in the product are poisonous gas.6 reproductive, including health criteria. either F.D.A • Corrosive to respiratory, benzalkonium (EPA does not (Food and Drug eyes and skin, skin and sense chloride, allow eco labels Administration) and a organ dodecyl- on disinfectants.) approved as Food respiratory toxicant.9 dimenthyl- Additives or on irritant.7 • Corrosive to benzyl the United States • Suspected eyes and ammonium G.R.A.S. cardiovascular, skin.10 chloride and (Generally gastrointestinal • Absorbed lauryl dimethyl Recognized as or , , through the benzyl Safe) list. central nervous skin and by ammonium • Third-party system, inhalation.11 chloride are certified by respiratory, and respiratory EcoLogo to meet skin or sense sensitizers, and environmental organ toxicant.8 are associated and human health with asthma.13 criteria. (EPA does not allow eco labels on disinfectants.)

Exposure • Personal • Requires • Requires • No special • No special • No special 3 Active Bleach- Sodium Phenols Quaternary Accelerated Botanicals Silver Dihydrogen Ingredient Hypochlorite Ammonium Hydrogen Peroxide Example- Citrate in 5.25% (bleach Compounds (hydrogen peroxide Benefect – Thymol Example - Institutional concentrate) /anionic PureGreen 24 Disinfectant surfactants) Products Controls protection personal personal requirements. requirements. requirements. equipment protection protection • Regular • Regular • Regular and/or increased equipment and equipment and ventilation is ventilation is ventilation is ventilation increased proper adequate. adequate. adequate. 15 should be ventilation. ventilation. • See notes below. • See notes below. • See notes used.14 • See notes • See notes below. • See notes below. below. below.

Environ- • Toxic to aquatic • Toxic to • Very toxic to • Some products • Third-party • Listed on the mental Issues organisms.16 aquatic aquatic life.19 using this certified by Grassroots Pros and organisms.17 Also see technology have EcoLogo to meet Environmental Cons • Considered a Material Safety been third-party environmental Education’s persistent bio Data Sheet. certified by and human health ChildSafe accumulative • Associated with EcoLogo to meet criteria. (EPA Products List. toxin by environmental does not allow See EPA.18 resistance.20 and human eco labels on http://www.the • Disposal health criteria. disinfectants.) childsafeschool restrictions in (EPA does not .org/pdf/CSGre some states. allow eco labels v308.pdf for Check state on disinfectants.) inclusion and local criteria. regulations.

Additional • May damage • Not for use on • Thorough • Rinsing is • Not yet widely • Not yet widely Dis- floor finishes, food or food rinsing required. required where available through available advantages carpets, clothing utensils.23 See product direct skin or vendors, may through and other fibers • May damage label for oral contact can need to be vendors, may when used in floor finishes specifics. occur (children’s ordered. need to be higher and other toys). • Strong odour. ordered. concentrations. surfaces. • Has an • Caution: Do 4 Active Bleach- Sodium Phenols Quaternary Accelerated Botanicals Silver Dihydrogen Ingredient Hypochlorite Ammonium Hydrogen Peroxide Example- Citrate in 5.25% (bleach Compounds (hydrogen peroxide Benefect – Thymol Example - Institutional concentrate) /anionic PureGreen 24 Disinfectant surfactants) Products unpleasant odor. not use around • Must be stored babies and separately from small ammonia and children.24 flammable • Generally products.21 leaves a • Rinsing is residue so required in rinsing is applications required. where direct skin or oral contact can occur (children’s toys).22

Advantages • Inexpensive. • Readily • Readily • Readily • Non-corrosive. • No rinsing • Easy to available. available. available. • No rinsing or required. purchase. • Non-corrosive in wiping required. • Non- • The same product diluted form. • Approved by the corrosive. can be used for • No rinsing Canadian Food • Odourless. routine and required except Inspection • EPA registered special event as above. Agency for use in for use on toys. tasks, by • Some products Food Processing. • 24 hour changing the are odourless. • Suitable for use residual concentration. on children’s protection. toys.

*Notes: 1. Pre-Cleaning - Except for disinfectant cleaners that are tested to disinfect in the presence of 5% of organic matter, all other disinfectants require pre-cleaning. Best practices recommend cleaning first and then disinfecting for optimal efficiency. 5 2. Dwell Time – is product specific. All disinfectants are tested and labeled for the specific amount of time they must be in contact with the surface to kill the microbes. The times listed here are approximate only. 3. Personal Protective Equipment - may be required for the concentrated form of some products, but not for the Ready to Use (pre-diluted form). Check the label and the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). 4. pH. pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a product is. Look for products with a neutral pH of 7 or as close to this number as possible. 5. Information is from material safety data sheets, Scorecard at http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/, Action Network’s Pesticide Database and product information sheets. 6. Costs - When comparing costs, life cycle costs must be considered. Although a product may be less expensive to buy, its negative impact on surface materials may require replacing hard surfaces more frequently, may increase worker’s compensation claims and may cause environmental damage.

CDC Definition of 3 Levels of Disinfection - means the use of a chemical procedure that eliminates virtually all recognized pathogenic but not necessarily all microbial forms (e.g., bacterial ) on inanimate objects: 1. High-level disinfection - kills all organisms, except high levels of bacterial spores, and is effected with a chemical germicide cleared for marketing as a sterilant by FDA. Typically not used for generalized disinfecting. 2. Intermediate-level disinfection - kills , most viruses, and bacteria with a chemical germicide registered as a "tuberculocide" by EPA. 3. Low-level disinfection - kills some viruses and bacteria with a chemical germicide registered as a disinfectant by the EPA.

EPA Toxicity Categories Require These Warnings:

Signal Word Category Oral Lethal Dose DANGER, POISON (skull and I Highly toxic A few drops to a teaspoonful crossbones) WARNING II Moderately toxic Over a teaspoonful to one ounce CAUTION III Slightly toxic Over one ounce to one pint CAUTION IV Relatively non-toxic Over one pint to one pound 1 Based on a 150-pound person.

1 A. Culver, M. Feinberg et.al. Cleaning for Health Products and Practices for a Safer Indoor Environment. 2002. INFORM Inc. http://informinc.org/cleanforhealth.php.

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2 See specific product information sheet. 3 University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Environmental Health and Safety Office Saf-T-Gram. Letter from the Clorox Company. http://www.ouhsc.edu/ehso/saf-t- gram/Spring01.pdf. 4 Material Safety Data Sheet. http://www.spartanchemical.com/sfa/MSDSRep.nsf/0/ebe0e15bf7c02fc285256ea0005451f3!OpenDocument. 5 EPA, Selected EPA Registered Disinfectants. http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/chemregindex.htm. 6 Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2007). Medical Management Guidelines for and . http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg184.html. 7 Clorox Bleach Material Safety Data Sheet http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/products/msds/bleach/cloroxregularbleach0505_.pdf. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2007). Medical Management Guidelines for Calcium Hypochlorite and Sodium Hypochlorite. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MHMI/mmg184.html. 8 Scorecard, Chemical Profiles. http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/. 9 Scorecard, Chemical Profiles. http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/. 10 Material Safety Data Sheets. 11 Material Safety Data Sheets. 12 Guidelines for Protecting the Safety and Health of Health Care Workers. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/88-119/chemical.html. 13 AOEC List of Asthmagens. http://www.aoecdata.org/ExpCodeLookup.aspx. 14 Guidelines for Protecting the Safety and Health of Health Care Workers. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/88-119/chemical.html. 15 Guidelines for Protecting the Safety and Health of Health Care Workers. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/88-119/chemical.html 16 Brite Bleach Material Safety Data Sheet. http://www.masseywholesale.com/msds/britebleach.pd. 17 NIOSH International Chemical Safety Card. - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0070.html. 18 Ohio EPA Pollution Prevention Fact Sheet. http://www.epa.state.oh.us/ocapp/p2/mercury_pbt/fact99.pdf. 19 Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Database. http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=00087500081&DIST_NR=000875. 20 R.Ventullo, R. Larson (1986) Adaptation of Aquatic Microbial Communities to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. Applied and Environmental . Vol. 51, No. 2: 356-361. Feb 1986. http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/51/2/356. G. Sundheim , S. Langsrud, E. Heir and A. L. Holck. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. Volume 41, Issues 3-4, 1998, Pages 235-239. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VG6-3TN9PP1- B&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=574a268bded54f8 37ce9cecad2519433. 21 Brite Bleach Material Safety Data Sheet. http://www.masseywholesale.com/msds/britebleach.pd. 22 Chlorox Health Center: SARS. Cleaning & in Daycare Facilities, Schools and Universities. http://www.cloroxprofessional.com/healthcenter/sars6.shtml.

23 L. Crawford, Z.Yu, E. Keegan, T. Yu. Control Today. A Comparison of Commonly Used Surface Disinfectants. http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/0b1feat2.html.

24 Ohio EPA Pollution Prevention Fact Sheet. http://www.epa.state.oh.us/ocapp/p2/mercury_pbt/fact99.pdf.

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