When it comes to the products made with antimicrobials, manufacturers and producers are not just relying on the government regulations. They don’t believe it’s just up to the government to make sure their products are safe for their intended use. They regulate themselves by routinely monitoring and assessing their own products and taking corrective action when needed.

So much of industry’s research happens long before an antimicrobial product is approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A series of safety, toxicity, and exposure tests are run to demonstrate the product and the chemical components of the product pose little risk to human health or the environment. These tests are often run by independent third-party laboratories.

For antimicrobials used for disinfection and sanitation in public health, industry relies on tests to prove antimicrobials kill specific bacteria and germs – like E. coli. Without this information, these products could not even begin the process to obtain EPA approval.