EPA Releases List of Effective Disinfectants to Fight COVID-19
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just released a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, or the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
On March 5, 2020, the EPA announced a list of EPA-registered disinfectant products. This is an important step in controlling the spread of the virus and ensuring people are using quality, effective products.
“Using the correct disinfectant is an important part of preventing and reducing the spread of illnesses along with other critical aspects such as hand washing,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “[The] EPA is providing this important information in a public and transparent manner on disinfectant products to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
The products that appear on the EPA’s registered list have qualified for use against COVID-19 through the agency’s Emerging Viral Pathogen program. This program allows product manufacturers to provide EPA with data, even in advance of an outbreak, that shows their products are effective against harder-to-kill viruses than SARS-CoV-2. It also allows the public to gain additional information about these products against the emerging pathogen.
Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses, which mean they are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate disinfectant product. The EPA news release reminds consumers to follow the directions on each product’s master label when using the disinfectants, and to pay close attention to the contact time for the product on treated surface (i.e., how long the disinfectant should remain on the surface).
To view the list of EPA-registered disinfectant products, visit https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also has an
Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations webpage, and the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) has a
Using Disinfectants to Control the COVID-19 Virus webpage.