Hiram Walker hand sanitizer recalled by Health Canada

Unifor members help load and ship hand sanitizer made and donated by Windsor’s Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery, on March 28, 2020. (Ricardo Veneza / CTV Windsor)

Windsor, Ont. — Health Canada has issued a recall of hand sanitizer produced by Hiram Walker and Sons in Windsor.

The agency says the sanitizer “contains unacceptable ingredient ethyl acetate.”

The chemical could cause irritation or cracking of the skin if used frequently, according to the recall notice.

Health Canada is giving direction if you have the sanitizer:

Hiram Walker and Sons retooled a bottling line to mass produce the hand sanitizer when the pandemic hit last year.

The City of Windsor distributed hand sanitizer to residents, businesses and health care facilities free of charge, but officials say after it reviewed internal records regarding the product prepared and distributed via public depots last year.

“In March 2020, the City of Windsor was provided an initial batch of sanitizer product which was used for internal purposes only and was not part of any public distribution,” said a statement from Andrew Teliszewsky, chief of staff, Office of the Mayor.

“As we understand, refinement to the production methods were undertaken between this initial/early batch and all subsequent deliveries. It was only these later deliveries from Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd. which, in turn, were made available to local businesses and individuals between May and September 2020.”

Teliszewsky says to the best of their knowledge, none of the product distributed by the City of Windsor is presently covered under the Health Canada advisory.