The European Union has started evaluating ethanol as a dangerous substance, because scientists have linked it to cancer development and reproductive problems . The European Chemicals Agency working group issued an internal document on October 10, 2025 which demonstrated ethanol's ability to cause cancer and reproductive issues, and suggested researchers should find safer cleaning solutions for hygiene products. Let’s find out more…




What is Ethanol

serves as an essential compound for infection management throughout the world. The compound serves as a primary ingredient in hand sanitizers , hospital disinfectants and food processing applications because it rapidly destroys viruses, bacteria and fungi. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the critical need for hand hygiene, and ethanol-based sanitizers became essential for disease prevention. The EU's proposed reclassification of ethanol as a hazardous substance, would establish new safety standards for this essential infection control agent.






It is important to understand the distinction between the risks posed by ethanol ingestion from alcoholic drinks versus its topical use in sanitizers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and WHO have established that excessive alcohol consumption leads to cancer, and reproductive health problems. The fast evaporation of ethanol in hand sanitizers leads to minimal skin contact, which results in minimal exposure to the substance.



Next steps

The European Chemicals Agency's Biocidal Products Committee will evaluate this classification proposal during late November 2025, before making a definitive decision by 2027. The official reclassification of ethanol as a carcinogen and reproductive toxicant, would lead to warning labels on products containing it, above specific thresholds and possible usage restrictions. The new disinfectant and hygiene product development will receive strong support from this regulatory change, which will lead to safer alternatives.




What about substitutes

Several alternatives to ethanol-based hand sanitizers exist, or are under development.. The antimicrobial compound benzalkonium chloride serves as a substitute for ethanol in hand sanitizers, because it operates through different mechanisms and provides non-flammable protection against germs, but shows reduced effectiveness against particular pathogens. The combination of food-grade organic acids with additional antimicrobial agents, creates a new sanitizer option. The use of antibacterial wipes for physical cleaning provides an alternative solution, when users want to avoid using alcohol-based sanitizers.




The risk remains minimal

It must be noted that the scientific community agrees that hand sanitizer users face minimal risk from ethanol, because the substance disappears quickly from skin surfaces after application. The EU has taken this precautionary measure to protect consumers from chemical dangers, while enhancing their safety standards. The regulatory evaluation will weigh the established health advantages of ethanol against its potential risks for public health protection in healthcare facilities, and food processing environments.







Other impacts

The proposed reclassification of ethanol affects multiple industries, which use this substance for different purposes. The EU's ethanol classification system determines its acceptance in multiple business sectors, including cosmetics and biofuels. The EU currently assesses ethanol's status as a renewable fuel, while environmental groups and agricultural organizations debate its effects on both the environment and farming sectors, in countries that produce bioethanol.



The EU proposal to classify ethanol as hazardous substance, creates an intricate situation because it aims to defend public health through chemical risk reduction, yet maintains essential infection control measures. The resulting decision will establish new regulatory standards which will affect product development, and public health practices for years to come.