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EPA ISSUES STOP SALE ON DISINFECTANT PRODUCT
Release Date: 12/23/99
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, DEC. 23, 1999
EPA ISSUES STOP SALE ON DISINFECTANT PRODUCT
The Environmental Protection Agency today issued a Stop Sale, Use or Removal Order for a commercial disinfectant spray because of potential bacterial contamination in hospital and health care settings. The order affects Medaphene Plus Disinfectant Deodorant (EPA registration Number 11694-98) registered by ITW Dymon, Inc. The product is currently used on environmental surfaces such as counter tops, walls, chart racks, bedside furniture, and wheelchairs in hospitals, medical and dental offices, schools and other health care facilities. It is not used on critical medical devices. During the course of testing this EPA-registered product, Agency staff determined that three lots of the samples were contaminated with the microorganism Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium that may cause infections in immunosuppressed or traumatized patients. At this time, neither the Agency nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received any reports regarding incidents linking Bacillus subtilis infections to this susceptible group. The EPA order immediately halts sale by the manufacturer of the product until the Agency can further evaluate the extent of the contamination. The Agency is working with the CDC to take appropriate steps to notify health care facilities nationwide of the order. For further information, call Ellen Kramer, 202-260-4376.
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