Disinfectant Classification & Legal Requirements
Green Bee's Sanitising Liquid is classified as a disinfectant which means it kills 99.999% of pathogens. Disinfectants have much more stringent regulations attached to them compared to sanitisers: for disinfectants, it is compulsory by law to be registered with the NRCS as well as a requirement for independent laboratory testing and certification, to make sure that the product has proper virucidal claims. Green Bee complies with all these requirements. Our Sanitising Liquid went through independent laboratory testing at Intertek to test conformance to EN 1276 (SANS 51276) relating to food safe disinfectants. This represents the relevant SABS government approval required for disinfectants.
What Is Considered a Disinfectant?
According to EPA standards, a disinfectant must kill 99.999 percent of germs, compared to 99.9 percent for sanitisers. While this difference might seem minimal, it can make a huge difference in reducing the spread of infection.
What Is Considered a Sanitiser?
In order to be considered a sanitiser, a product must reduce bacteria on a surface by at least 99.9 percent, according to the EPA. A simple water and bleach solution can be a sanitiser or a disinfectant, depending on the concentration of bleach in the solution. Solutions with higher concentrations of bleach will be a disinfectant, while lower concentrations are more likely to be a sanitiser.
Comparison to Alcohol-Based Sanitisers
Green Bee's Sanitiser is not alcohol based - instead it uses counter-ion technology to break down the cell wall of the virus. It is designed for use on hands, surfaces and is food industry certified. There are several advantages to alcohol based products: less irritating and drying on skin, non-corrosive, non-tainting and offers ongoing protection as it remains on skin or surfaces.
Alcohol products work by drying or desiccation and have been shown to strip away the skin’s natural sebum and lipids which are there to protect the surface of the skin. This can lead to dryness, dermatitis, and in some cases, bacterial infections.
Green Bee Sanitiser provides a 99.9% viral kill rate after 60 seconds and 99.99% after 5 minutes. In addition it offers residual protection as it remains on the skin and surfaces and continues to kill bacteria and viruses. Alcohol provides quick kill rates (15-20 seconds), but it also evaporates quickly once on the skin, meaning most alcohol products cannot offer residual antimicrobial and antiviral protection.
Composition
There are other types of compounds in addition to alcohol and bleach that kill bacteria and viruses. One such example is a Quaternary ammonium compound (QUAT), which is the group our sanitiser falls under. These types of disinfectants have been on the market for some time, however, Green Bee's solution is newer technology and does not contain chloride, meaning it is much less likely to cause skin irritation and dryness and can be used by people with sensitive skin.