In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is experiencing an unprecedented demand for hand sanitizers. From hospitals and healthcare facilities to food processing plants and restaurants, hand sanitizer is needed to keep employees and customers safe. To help meet increased customer demand, Ecolab has significantly increased production of its own hand sanitizer formula and now has also started manufacturing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) hand sanitizer formula.

“Producing the WHO hand sanitizer formulation offers our customers another option to help keep their employees and customers safe,” said Natalie Blake, director of Ecolab’s Global Polymer Platforms and the leader of this commercialization effort. “This offering enables Ecolab to help more customers meet their safety goals while providing a reliable source for hand sanitizer for use during this pandemic.”

The WHO formula contains 80% alcohol, meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation of using hand sanitizers with greater than 60% alcohol. Additionally, Ecolab has identified safety tools and provided guidance for the proper handling and application of the alcohol-based solution.

Getting started on the WHO formula production presented a unique challenge. Ecolab’s hand sanitizer production plants were already working around the clock, so teams across the company came together to convert plants around the world to safely and effectively produce hand sanitizer. Ecolab went from concept to production to sales in just three weeks.