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Amid rising concerns about infectious diseases that are causing public service providers to rely heavily on hand sanitizers to protect human health, the EcoLogo Program, a third-party eco-labeling organization based in Ottawa, Ontario, is inviting comments to its first draft of the EcoLogo Hand Sanitizers Standard.

"This new standard will allow purchasers to select hand sanitizing products with reduced environmental and health impacts," said Scot Case, executive director of the EcoLogo Program. "Representatives from environmental NGOs and other not-for-profit organizations, academic experts, manufacturers, industry associations, government representatives, and purchasing professionals who take part in this process will help ensure environmental leadership is achieved."

Hand Sanitizers is a new product category for EcoLogo. As the third step in the standards development process, the EcoLogo Program is calling for stakeholder comment on the first draft standard to ensure fair, transparent and broad participation.

This stakeholder consultation period will be open for 30 days beginning Sept.18, 2009. Comments must be received by Monday, Oct. 19, 2009.

Governments — including counties, municipalities, federal agencies and state governments — are on EcoLogo’s list of prospective stakeholders for the proposed standard. “Governments, absolutely, are potential stakeholders, especially with health concerns now,” said Kate Rusnak, a communications and media consultant for Ecologo. “There are a lot of hand sanitizers being used in government installations. So, governments certainly would be very keenly aware of the health issues in hand sanitation, and also, they are making sure that hand sanitation stations are made available. I think governments would certainly be interested in being able to incorporate and use the greenest options possible in hand sanitizing.”

To participate in the development of the standard, the EcoLogo team is asking those interested to send an email to Robin Duchesneau at: rduchesneau@terrachoice.com, or call: (613) 247-1900 ext. 239 or (800) 478-0399 ext. 239 for more information.