EPA Changes Wet Wipes Labels

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requiring manufacturers of wet wipes to modify label instructions to ensure end users give the product the proper dwell time.

Manufacturers are required to state on the label that surfaces must remain "visibly wet" for the prescribed contact time in order to ensure disinfection. Some end users had been under the impression that simply wiping a surface and walking away was sufficient for disinfecting. Improper disinfecting can lead to cross-contamination, an especially dangerous problem in healthcare facilities.