Common disinfectant wipes expose people to dangerous chemicals, research reveals

Shelves where disinfectant wipes are usually stocked are nearly empty at a Target store on 2 March 2020 in Novato, California. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Since the pandemic’s outset, the global use of disinfectants has gone through the roof. Clorox dramatically boosted production of its wipe packs to 1.5m a day by mid-2021, and an industry trade group said 83% of consumers surveyed around the same time reported they had used a disinfectant wipe in the last week.

But as schools reopened, a group of toxic chemical researchers grew concerned as they heard reports of kids regularly using disinfectant wipes on their classroom desks, or teachers running disinfectant foggers.