Hand hygiene products are a boon for the society. They have supported in drastically reducing the number of common diseases that occur throughout the year such as H1NI influenza, eye infections, skin infections, etc. However, there are many people who believe that hand hygiene products such as hand sanitizers are bad for health and cause damage to the skin. Honestly that is true only for those products that are laden with chemicals. Science has proven that chemicals are not only bad for the skin but their health implications may prove to be deadly for you.

Here are few chemicals ingredients you should be cautious about before purchasing a hand hygiene product.

Triclosan - Triclosans in hand hygiene products prevent bacterial growth, but they do much more harm than good. According to FDA, triclosan contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and help create superbugs such as MRSA. Triclosan, which degrades to dioxins in the body, has a long list of health red flags. Numerous studies have shown that triclosan spurred the growth of breast cancer cells, and destroyed brain cells. Moreover they have been found to interfere with hormones.

Parabens - Hand hygiene products often contain parabens that prevent the growth of bacteria. However, they have been linked to a host of dangerous health problems including cancer, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruptions, and skin irritation. Common parabens found in hygiene products are: ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, and propylparaben.

Fragrance - Fragrant hand sanitizers usually indicate chemicals, which often contain toxins which are virtually unregulated and you have no way of knowing the chemicals that you'll be putting on your skin. Many contain phthalates to make the fragrance last longer, but they are known to cause endocrine disruptions. As per various scientific reports, fragrances have been linked with allergies, respiratory distress, and possible effects on the reproductive system. If you choose to use a hand sanitizer, choose one that's fragrance-free.

Awareness is the most important factor when selecting the right hand hygiene product for you. Also when it comes to the health of workers it is the responsibility of the employer to give them a safe environment. That is why only opt for natural and green certified hand hygiene products.

What is Green certified product?

A green certified product is defined as a product that, from raw material extraction, processing to use and end-of-life disposal, reduces its impact on the environment as meticulously as possible. The objective of Green Product Certification is to evaluate the holistic structure and highlight the way forward to achieve excellence in environmental performance.

Green certification system guides the manufacturers to position their products as green and eco-friendly. The certification motivates the product manufacturers to implement green measures in all phases of the product e.g. Product Design, Raw Materials, Manufacturing Process, Product Performance during use, packaging, and Recycling/Disposal.

Benefits of Green Product

• Sustainable use of resources improves the acceptability of product in the market.
• A green product carries low impact risk on the environment when compared to the chemically produced items.
• Green products carry long term benefits to lessen the climate change.
• Improves the environment by reducing toxic pollution and waste, conserving resources and habitats.
• Minimizing global warming and ozone depletion.
• Increases the health and well-being of your customers, particularly those most affected by chemical based products, such as children, service staff, and the elderly.
• Demonstrates that environmentally responsible products and services can meet or exceed performance and quality expectations.
• Most green products use natural renewable resources thus giving way to less energy use during the manufacturing process.

GOJO and PURELL products have been created using sustainable formulation and they implement green measures in all their product manufacturing phases. Gojo and Purell products are proven to be both effective and to minimize environmental impact. The entire portfolio of Gojo and Purell hand hygiene products are attested with green certification from industry-leading third party organizations. Few of the green certifications received by Gojo Industries are:

ECOLOGO Certified products are certified for reduced environmental impact. ECOLOGO Certifications are voluntary, multi-attribute, life cycle-based environmental certifications that indicate a product has undergone rigorous scientific testing, exhaustive auditing, or both, to prove its compliance with stringent, third-party, environmental performance standards.

PURELL Green Certified Instant Hand Sanitizer and GOJO Green Certified Foam and Lotion Hand Cleaners have been created to meet the standards of ECOLOGO to become the world's first, and now largest, green certified instant hand sanitizer and foam soap portfolio.

The USDA Bio-Preferred Label Program recognizes products that have been independently certified to meet USDA Bio Preferred program standards for biobased content.

PURELL Green Certified Instant Hand Sanitizers are manufactured with 100% naturally renewable plant-derived ethanol in a readily-biodegradable formula. Purell has been chosen and certified by USDA and is among the first 11 companies approved to use the federal agency's new product label as a certified biobased products.

The Design for the Environment Safer Product Labeling Program advances EPA's mission to protect human health and the environment. The program uses EPA's chemical expertise and resources to carefully evaluate products and to label only those that have met the program's highly protective standards. By allowing use of the logo on products, EPA empowers consumers and commercial purchasers to select safer chemical products that do not sacrifice quality or performance — and are safer for people and the planet. Purell and Gojo hand sanitizing products are certified by US EPA.