Let's talk about the environmental impact of hand sanitizer!

The use of hand sanitizer and increased handwashing practices thorough out the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the environment and by extension public health! In the first study of its kind, scientists underline the environmental damage, and more eco-friendly options are needed to replace hand sanitizer and to reduce the carbon footprint. Among the headline, findings are the production and use of hand sanitizing gels has contributed around 2% of our usual carbon footprint!

That is a big percentage of the carbon footprint increased just by using hand sanitizing gel and alcohol. Human health has been affected such as people may lose between 16 and 114 hours per year based on a comprehensive disability-adjusted life years analysis. Hand hygiene is one of the most important means of avoiding and reducing virus transmission which is why the World Health Organization recommends handwashing with soap or cleaning hands to receive protection against COVID 19.

Let’s hope that we come up with something new to reduce our carbon footprint and more natural way protection! We need to step up and do something now before it’s too late! Remember we need to hand over the Earth to the future generations and they need to enjoy life like we are doing now!

Author: Sri Nihal Tammana

Source: Trinity College Dublin