Are nano spray gun sanitising liquids safe?

NANO spray guns are commonly used at home and in workplaces during this current Covid-19 pandemic to spray sanitiser. But the sanitising liquids available in the market should be investigated by the Health Ministry. The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) urges the ministry to address this issue urgently because of the widespread use of nano spray guns.

Information from the ministry about the sanitising liquids used in these guns is scant, yet such liquids are easily available. Many of them do not declare the ingredients on their labels and some simply tout “proven active ingredients against virus listed in” the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Depart-ment of Environment and even the Health Ministry.

Although the chemicals may have been declared safe and efficacious by various agencies and organisations, they must also be treated with extreme care because the “safety” aspect of a chemical hinges on the duration of exposure to it as well as its concentration in the carrier liquid. Moreover, a person may have an adverse reaction to a particular chemical in the liquid.

Some of the liquids sold do not even have a proper warning label, handling instructions, the name of the manufacturer or distributor, or the ingredients and their concentration. We do not know how and where these liquids were prepared and bottled or by who.

We are concerned because some people have used the spray gun to discharge the aerosolised liquid onto their entire body and there is no indication whether this is safe. Inhalation of the aerosol may be detrimental to the respiratory system, or the liquid may come in contact with eyes and mouth, which is definitely unsafe. Also, is it safe to spray onto a surface meant for food?

There are traders claiming that the liquid they sell is safe enough to be sprayed all over the body. People may innocently share this on social media thereby giving others the wrong information.

We therefore reiterate our call to the Health Ministry to release information soonest possible about nano spray guns and the sanitising liquids that they use. It would be helpful if such information can be in the form of a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list so the layperson can understand it easily.

The nano spray guns are popular items because they are perceived as a viable sanitising method for personal use, thus the people need to know if the chemicals in them are safe.

MOHIDEEN ABDUL KADER

President

Consumers Association of Penang