HSE reviewing all sanitising products after recalls

The HSE is now reviewing all biocidal products, including soaps and wipes, after more than 50 unregistered products were removed from schools. Picture: file photo

The HSE has initiated a full review of all biocidal products, including hand sanitiser, wipes, disinfectants, soaps, and detergents, used in the health service to see if any products are unregistered. 

This follows a major review of these products in the education sector that sees more than 50 sanitisation items removed from the approved list of biocidal products for use in schools. 

Affected schools now must remove and replace the listed items before Monday morning as children return to their classrooms. 

The HSE confirmed to the Irish Examiner that it has initiated a review of all biocidal products used by hospitals, nursing homes, GPs and throughout the health service on foot of the latest update.

"Following updated information from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine on biocidal products, the HSE team has initiated a full inventory and review of biocidal products used in the health service," it said. 

This process commenced [on Thursday] and will review all HSE stores and services and a wide range of products. It is estimated to take some time to complete.  

As first reported by the Irish Examiner, the HSE purchased more than three million units of Virapro hand sanitiser at a cost of more than €9.1m, which was recalled last week from the market due to health fears. 

The HSE did not go through a formal tender process with Virapro. Instead, it was awarded by negotiated procedure. This was due to the “extreme urgency arising from the pandemic".

Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) general secretary Michael Gillespie has said that his members are angry about why checks were not carried out previously on sanitising products used in schools.

Speaking to RTÉ, Mr Gillespie asked why the certification of products wasn't checked. 

"This will mean school principals, teachers and staff will have to go into schools over the weekend to remove the withdrawn items."

This was all at a time when staff were supposed to be off taking a well-deserved break, he added. He said that his members want to keep schools open, but they can't do that if the supports aren't there. 

They have to be resourced — there are going to be challenges, schools have to reopen [early] to deal with all this. Our members are angry.

According to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, there is no evidence that the products being removed are unsafe. However, by law, only products listed on the Department of Agriculture's biocidal product register may be placed on the market.

"The department has been liaising with other departments, including the HSE and the Department of Education, to ensure that only sanitiser products included on the register are being used across the public service." 

"Suppliers of biocidal products are legally required to ensure that their products are safe and effective. It has now become clear that there are some products on the market that are not properly registered." 

When it comes to registration issues, the department is taking action on a "precautionary basis".