Ethanol under EU scrutiny: what's the story?

09.04.2025 - The European Union is currently reviewing ethanol—a chemical best known as the key ingredient in alcoholic beverages—due to concerns over its potential health risks. But the spotlight this time isn't on alcohol as a drink but rather on ethanol as a disinfectant.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ethanol-based hand sanitizers became essential tools for personal hygiene and public health. Ethanol is effective in killing viruses, bacteria, and fungi and is widely used in hospitals, food production, and everyday cleaning products.

However, under the EU's Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), every chemical substance used as a disinfectant must pass a detailed safety review. Greece has led the evaluation of ethanol since 2000, examining its safety for three primary uses: personal hand sanitizers (like gels and rubs), surface disinfectants for hospitals and public places, and disinfectants used in food industries. In March 2024, Greece submitted its updated report to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

ECHA has flagged ethanol because it potentially meets criteria for causing cancer and reproductive harm. But here's the confusion: these risks are mainly based on data from drinking alcoholic beverages, not from using ethanol as a sanitizer. When people drink alcohol, even moderate amounts quickly increase blood ethanol concentrations, significantly raising cancer risks, as well documented by the World Health Organization (WHO).

An important clarification is that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, classifies alcoholic beverages as Group 1 carcinogens (clearly cancer-causing). Pure ethanol itself, however, hasn't been classified independently by IARC; the carcinogenic classification specifically pertains to alcoholic beverages consumed orally and containing additional contaminants.

But does the same risk exist from using ethanol on the skin or surfaces? According to the Alcohol Task Force—an industry group legally required to submit detailed "Analysis of Alternatives" reports under EU regulation—ethanol absorbed through the skin or inhaled during disinfectant use doesn't reach harmful concentrations comparable to drinking alcohol. Their analyses strongly argue that using ethanol as a disinfectant poses minimal health risks compared to its consumption as a beverage. These industry-submitted reports play a critical legal role by informing ECHA and ultimately the European Commission about the practical realities and impacts of substituting or banning ethanol.

Right now, the EU has opened a consultation period (ending on April 30, 2025), seeking feedback on potential alternatives to ethanol. According to detailed industry analyses, however, no suitable replacements currently exist that match ethanol's effectiveness, affordability, and minimal side effects.

Following the consultation, ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee will review all evidence carefully, with a final opinion expected in late 2025. The European Commission will then make a final decision. If ethanol is ultimately classified as harmful, it won't automatically disappear from disinfectants, but stricter labeling, handling, and possibly limited usage might be introduced.

Meanwhile, alcoholic beverages—already classified by the WHO as carcinogenic—remain widely available to consumers, regulated under entirely different laws focusing on food safety rather than chemical hazards.

This ongoing EU review of ethanol highlights a curious paradox: ethanol may soon face tighter controls as a disinfectant due to cancer risks, yet drinking ethanol as alcohol, known to cause cancer, remains commonplace and widely accepted.

As the regulatory process continues, clarifying these distinctions and risks will be crucial—not just for public health professionals but for everyone using ethanol, whether in disinfectants or drinks.

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Sources: ECHA ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES