In an era defined by global health challenges, climate shocks and geopolitical instability, it is easy to overlook the everyday tools that silently keep society functioning and safe. Yet among these silent guardians, biocidal products stand out as one of the most essential, and often underappreciated, lines of defence against infectious threats.

Biocidal products—such as disinfectants, hand and surface sanitisers, and insecticides—are designed to control harmful organisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi. They are used in hospitals, homes, schools, public transport, and across key industries including food production and healthcare. Their role is simple yet fundamental: to prevent infections before they happen. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which treat diseases after they spread, biocides are a core part of prevention strategies, helping us to avoid the very outbreaks that strain health systems and economies.

Among these biocidal substances, ethanol has proven itself time and again as one of the most effective, accessible and versatile. And yet, its future use is now at a regulatory crossroads.

Five years ago, the world needed alcohol more than ever. The rapid spread of COVID-19 thrust infection prevention into the global spotlight and ethanol was everywhere. From hand sanitising gels to surface sprays, ethanol-based products became the first line of defence in homes, hospitals, offices, supermarkets and public spaces. Its effectiveness against a wide range of pathogens, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, made it a critical tool in reducing transmission.

The lesson was clear: effective hygiene saves lives, and ethanol makes it possible.

But as memories of the pandemic begin to fade, it is essential not to forget that ethanol had —and continues to have—in maintaining hygiene, safety and public health resilience.

Ethanol is a versatile and essential ingredient and plays a pivotal role in many other industries that are part of our everyday lives including the detergents industry, particularly for its disinfecting properties. Its effectiveness and broad-spectrum capabilities make it indispensable in combatting a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and non-enveloped viruses like polio.

During the pandemic, it became the most widely used active ingredient in disinfectants due to its efficacy and availability.

Its success is not accidental. Ethanol is:

• Fast-acting, killing a broad range of microbes within seconds.
• Widely available as it is primarily derived from renewable sources and is fully biodegradable
• Safe as it leaves no residue on surfaces, evaporates quickly.
• Versatile, acting as a solvent, preservative and carrier in many formulations.

Ethanol is a key ingredient in hand disinfectants, surface disinfectants, cleaning products and insect repellents

The World Health Organization (WHO) has long promoted ethanol-based products, particularly ethanol-based hand sanitisers, as the gold standard for hand hygiene in healthcare settings (1). During the COVID-19 crisis, WHO launched the Safe Hands Challenge, a global campaign encouraging frequent use of alcohol-based sanitisers to combat the virus (2).

In resource-limited settings especially, ethanol-based hand rubs proved to be a cost-effective, scalable solution—demonstrating that sometimes, the simplest tools are the most powerful.

The importance of ethanol in hygiene and safety did not begin with the COVID-19 pandemic—nor will it end there. For years, ethanol has played a vital role across a wide spectrum of sectors, quietly supporting public health through its disinfecting and preservative properties. In hospitals, it is used to sanitise skin before injections or surgeries, clean medical instruments and prepare sterile surfaces in operating rooms. In the food industry, ethanol contributes to microbiological safety during food processing and packaging, helping to prevent contamination and ensure consumer protection.

Its role extends to laboratories and research settings, where it is used routinely to maintain sterile conditions and clean equipment. In hospitality, public transport and other high-traffic environments, ethanol-based products are key to reducing microbial transmission on shared surfaces and in enclosed spaces. Even in everyday consumer goods—from air fresheners to personal care items—ethanol serves as a solvent, carrier and preservative, enhancing the performance and stability of countless formulations.

Despite its safe and effective use, ethanol is currently facing regulatory uncertainty in the European Union. Ethanol is currently under assessment under the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), and there is growing concern that ethanol could be reclassified as toxic to reproduction and carcinogenic, a move that would significantly limit its use in biocidal products – it would in fact lead to a de facto ban for the general public.

Reclassifying ethanol would have massive consequences for European industry and society, without bringing any benefit to human health or the environment. Even with derogations, the availability of ethanol would be severely restricted due to local regulations. Authorities would face numerous unintended consequences, including changes in infection patterns and higher costs.

But the implications wouldn’t stop there. Because ethanol is also widely used in non-biocidal products – such as cosmetics, air fresheners or medical products – this reclassification could create ripple effects across multiple sectors.

This de facto ban is not a regulatory debate. It is a public health issue with real-world and far-reaching consequences.

Restricting or removing ethanol from these varied applications would undermine routine hygiene practices and disrupt critical supply chains and product formulations. The effects would extend beyond public health, with potential impacts on economic efficiency, product availability, consumer safety throughout Europe and the EU’s capacity for deal with another healthcare crisis.

In the early months of 2020, Europe—and the world—experienced a dramatic shift. Empty store shelves, rationed disinfectants and overstretched hospitals became everyday realities. And in the middle of this crisis, ethanol quietly did its job, protecting people where vaccines and medicines had not yet arrived.

Today, we face a choice: to act on the lessons learnt, or to allow our collective memory to fade. We must remember that pandemic preparedness starts with prevention, and prevention starts with hygiene.

Ethanol is not a luxury. It is a vital public health tool. Its availability must be protected. Its use must be safeguarded. And its regulation must be grounded in proportionality, practicality and scientific evidence.

How can society continue to prevent the spread of infection without ethanol? Find out in 60 seconds