EPA’s List Of Approved SARS-CoV-2 Surface Disinfectant Products Passes 500

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now approved more than 500 surface disinfectant products for use against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This is an important milestone for ensuring American businesses, families, schools, and other organizations have as many tools as possible to disinfect surfaces and protect themselves and their families against the novel coronavirus.

“Since the beginning of this coronavirus pandemic, the Trump Administration has worked to ensure that Americans have access to safe and effective surface disinfectant products to use against the novel coronavirus,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “With more than 500 products now on our list of disinfectants, Americans have a wide range of options to choose from to help protect themselves and their families from COVID-19.”

In early March, EPA released its initial List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2. This list began with 85 products and continues to be updated on a weekly basis. The list is searchable and sortable, comes with helpful tips on how to use disinfectants properly, and features frequently asked questions  to ensure correct product usage. EPA’s List N has received more than 20 million views and remains a valuable resource for the public.

The more than 500 wipes, sprays and other products on List N are expected to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 because they demonstrate efficacy against:

• The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
• A pathogen that is harder to kill than SARS-CoV-2.
• A different human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2.

When using an EPA-registered disinfectant, it is important to follow the label directions for safe, effective use. These directions include, but are not limited to:

• Always follow the product label. This includes making sure to follow the contact time, which is the amount of time the surface should be visibly wet. Use disinfectants only at the concentrations specified in the label directions.
• Keep disinfectants out of reach of children. Children should not apply disinfectants. Disinfectants can harm children’s health if used or stored incorrectly.
• Only use fogging, fumigation, and wide-area or electrostatic spraying to apply EPA-registered products designed and labeled for use in this way. Unless the pesticide product label specifically includes disinfection directions for these application methods, it may not be effective when applied in these ways.
• Do not apply disinfectants to skin, food or cloth face coverings. Do not mix disinfectants with other chemicals.

If an EPA-registered disinfectant from List N is not available, diluted household bleach can be used to disinfect surfaces. Users should closely follow the bleach dilution directions on the CDC’s website, including precautions.