Antimicrobial products help reduce the proliferation of undesirable bacteria, fungi, algae and viruses including many that affect public health. Disinfecting and sanitizing products protect many essential aspects of industry, institutions, hospitals and homes.

Disinfectants and sanitizers have been in use for over 50 years and have stood the test of time.

Antimicrobial products are regulated by one or more of three government agencies (EPA, FDA, USDA) depending on their intended use. Commercial products are subjected to extensive efficacy and toxicity testing before they can be sold.

The regulation of antimicrobial products by the federal government is thorough and encompassing. For instance, prior to marketing an antimicrobial product, the manufacturer must obtain EPA registration by submitting the product label and extensive data on chemistry, toxicology, and efficacy (effectiveness).

In antimicrobial products, the ingredients that are effective against microorganisms are called active ingredients. Only small quantities of biocidal actives are required for effective control, but every microbial problem calls for a different solution. Most products contain other substances called inert ingredients to make the products safer and easier to handle, measure and apply, or to make them effective for other uses such as cleaning.

The mixture of active and inert ingredients is called the formulation. Government agencies regulate both the active ingredient and the formulation.

In order to obtain EPA registration, sterilants, disinfectants and sanitizers must pass a series of rigorous efficacy tests to verify their manufacturers' claims. Sterilants are subjected to the highest efficacy standards, followed by disinfectants, and then sanitizers. Toxicology screening and thorough chemical characterization are also required by EPA for each antimicrobial active ingredient and inert ingredient.

Antimicrobial products for hard surfaces should not be confused with agricultural pesticides that are used to treat crop diseases or antibiotics used to treat human and animal infections.

The increased awareness of a link between overuse and misuse of antibiotics and the development of resistant strains of bacteria has led to concern that similar resistant microorganisms may develop as a result of home and institutional use of antimicrobial surface cleaners. There is no basis for this concern as the phenomenon has never been observed in these environments.

Drug resistance in bacteria does not imply any increased hardiness of the organism or increased resistance to general disinfectants. The same disinfectants will still work for drug-resistant strains.

Drug-resistant bacteria resulting from misuse of antibiotics is an emerging public health issue. There is currently no evidence that resistance to disinfectant products occurs as a result of their use in home or institutional settings.

Disinfectants and sterilants used in health care are literally life savers. They destroy harmful bacteria, viruses, spores and fungi which affect public health.

Disinfectants are important tools in fighting disease in the home and at work. They break a link in the chain of events that leads to infection by killing or reducing disease-producing microorganisms on environmental surfaces and objects or when used in antimicrobial (antiseptic) soaps for skin application.

Further evidence of the effectiveness of antimicrobial products is seen in a study and intervention program in a New York child-learning center that focused on disease transmission and the regular use of disinfectants. The results showed a 24 percent reduction in overall infections and 37 percent reduction in respiratory illness among the children during the intervention period. As a result, days missed from school due to respiratory illness, physician visits and course of prescribed medication also declined.

Recommendations for the use of home mixtures as alternatives to disinfectants or sanitizers are based on the misperception that commercially formulated products are inherently hazardous. They ignore the extensive efficacy and toxicity testing that form the basis for the safe and effective use of commercial products, when used according to label directions. The use of ineffective home mixtures instead of disinfectants can lead to serious health risks.

Antimicrobial substances that are added to various products and materials to prevent contamination and deterioration are called preservatives. Without preservatives, microbial contamination would cause widespread and costly spoilage of products such as household cleaners, detergents, paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and wood fibers.

Benefits derived from the use of antimicrobial agents in an industrial environment are predominantly economic. The largest industrial use of antimicrobials is to render drinking water free of disease producing contamination and eliminate off-taste and odor.

Continuing incidents of food poisoning demonstrate the uncertainty of some food sanitation practices and the importance of antimicrobials in the maintenance of the safety of our food supply.