Disinfectants: Lethal Weapons
Disinfectants and antimicrobial cleaners are becoming morepopular and potent as consumer awareness of the unseen dangersof bacteria increases.
BY SHELLEY M. COLWELL, SENIOR EDITOR
Over 80 million Americans suffer from foodborne illness annually,ranging from slight stomach pain all the way to the dreaded salmonellapoisoning. And who knows how many more millions catch colds orother viruses because of everyday contamination in the home. Thedisinfectant market is growing as consumers learn more about thehidden dangers lurking on their seemingly spotless kitchen counters,in their food and even on themselves. It's not enough just towash a counter, pot or pan, as regular detergent can't kill avirus. The only way to ensure those germs are eliminated is touse a disinfectant spray or cleaner.
Disinfectant sprays kill a range of germs as do many cleanersthat are also registered as disinfectants. While disinfectantsprays are still popular, the segment of multi-purpose cleaners- products that clean, add shine or degrease while disinfecting- are leading the growth in this segment. Yet, even though themarket is doing well, it is not an easy one. Disinfectants mustgo through a rigorous registration process with the EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA), so much work, time and money is involvedin creating a new product, even ones that are just a new fragrancevariation of an existing, registered disinfectant.
Hospitals and other health care facilities have always had themost potent disinfectant products at their disposal, but consumersare demanding stronger products for use in their homes as well.Most companies agree that the desires of these consumers are forcefullydriving this market.
"Fueled by newspaper headlines, magazine reports, moviesand television programs, the general public is becoming increasinglyaware of the need for a safe and effective way to protect themselvesfrom contemporary infectious diseases, such as AIDS, staphylococciaureus (Staph), Legionnaire's disease and treatment resistanttuberculosis, E. Coli and salmonella, to name just a few,"states Paul D. Donovan, Jr., director of marketing, Upland Innovations,marketers of SteriSafe, a broad spectrum disinfectant that is saidto have 30-day antimicrobial activity.
"Our assessment of the disinfectant market is that consumerstoday are particularly aware of and sensitive to foodborne andtransmitted illnesses, especially food poisoning," concursRosemary Benedict, publicity director, Knight Marketing Corporation,makers of Spray Nine, a leading disinfectant for both I&Iand household markets. "This awareness also extends to germsin bathrooms as well as the growing day care and nursing homeindustries, where large numbers of our most-susceptible-to-diseasepopulation groups are thrown together. However, consumers maynot understand the difference in efficacy between cleaners, sanitizersand disinfectants. The cleaning and disinfection of food preparationareas is, therefore, a major marketing target."
Suppliers to the market agree that consumer knowledge truly ispower. Terri Romeo, marketing manager, I&I, Lonza Inc., afirm that markets ingredient for I&I or household use, notes,"the disinfectant market has been bolstered by media attention,and consumers are being educated to the benefits of good housekeepingpractices that lead to disease prevention and control."
Dennis Daun, business development manager, Stepan Company, anothersupplier of disinfectant ingredients, adds that consumer interesthas fueled growth, but to a greater extent in the household arena.He remarks that the institutional area has shown steady growthat a rate of two percent to three percent per year. "Thereis bigger growth entering into the home products segment withantimicrobial items and more ready-to-use type products,"he reveals. "The household market has opened up many opportunitiesfor us, with new counter products, disinfectants, and cleanersfor floors outside of the bathroom, the kitchen and laundry area."
ADDING MUSCLE
    To stay competitive in the market, many firms are spreading outwith specific products such as disinfectant tile cleaner or aconcentrated toilet bowl disinfectant, or developing more potentall-in-one disinfectant cleaners. The leading firms in householdcleansers - such as Reckitt & Colman, The Clorox Company andDowBrands - have all recently added new, stronger products totheir rosters.According to DowBrands (makers of the Fantastic multi-purposecleaners and Dow Bathroom Cleaner), heightened media coverageof the pervasiveness of germs in the home has created a "newbreed" of educated and concerned consumers. Now they're lookingat cleaning product labels for information and proof of germ-killingperformance. The firm also believes that consumers are demandinga new level of clean - products that do it all: clean, shine,disinfect and kill germs. In light of these demands, DowBrandshas developed a three-item line of Antibacterial DisinfectantCleaners. The range, registered with the EPA, can kill food-relatedbacteria and odor-causing germs such as salmonella, Strep, Staphand athlete's foot fungus.
Antibacterial products have already transformed the liquid handand dish soap categories, in which most brands offer antibacterialSKUs. The hard surface category is next, the company predicts.Only one hard surface brand has launched a national antibacterialproduct, Dow reports in its product literature - Reckitt &Colman, with its Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner, which hasgrown to a 14 percent share in two years. Overall, the multi-purposetrigger category has grown 13 percent.
The $202 million multi-purpose trigger category is a growing segmentas consumers desire products that will do more than just clean.The first product in DowBrands' new line is the AntiBacterialDisinfectant Multi-Purpose Cleaner, which is designed to leavesurfaces shiny, kill germs and disinfect without leaving a film.
DowBrands also offers an AntiBacterial Disinfectant Toilet BowlCleaner. Though the $119 million liquid toilet bowl cleaner segmentis declining due to limited ad spending and few product introductions,DowBrands suggests, there is still a great consumer interest inproducts that offer disinfection for the bathroom.
The third product is the AntiBacterial Disinfectant ConcentratedCleaner. This $469 million market is flat, DowBrands reports,with pine cleaners declining and non-pine cleaners growing. Thefirm notes that 91 percent of consumers who used the product intests said it met or exceeded their expectations. The most uniqueattribute cited was its light fresh scent. Approximately 40 percentof consumers are tired of the overpowering smells (bleach, pine)in their homes.
Another firm with a new addition is The Clorox Company, whichhas recently reformulated its popular Formula 409 All PurposeCleaner to provide disinfection. The new Formula 409 rolled outnationally late last year. While it still offers the cleaningbenefits users have grown to expect, it now adds disinfectingto its multi-purpose properties at the same price as the originalformula. In addition, Clorox bleach, when mixed according to instructions,can be used to disinfectant countertops, floors or dishcloths.
Reckitt & Colman's Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner andLysol Disinfectant Spray are leading products in their segments.The company most recently added Crisp Linen Lysol DisinfectantSpray and in two years, it has become almost as popular as Lysol'sleading fragrance, Country scent. The disinfectant spray is alsoavailable in Original, Fresh and Mountain scents. All the sprayskill rhinovirus, rotavirus, RSV, mold and mildew.
For cleaning and disinfecting at the same time, Lysol's AntibacterialKitchen Cleaner kills bacteria such as salmonella and E. Coli."People don't realize that a surface that appears to be cleancan still harbor invisible bacteria," comments Joe Rubino,a microbiologist with Reckitt & Colman. "Water and detergentdo not kill the bacteria that cause food poisoning. In fact, spongesand dishcloths can spread bacteria to more surfaces. To preventthe spread of these bacteria, it's best to use an antibacterialkitchen cleaner."
In addition to these products for home use, the professional-marketgroup of Reckitt & Colman, ProBrands, has added three disinfectantcleansers to its Lysol offerings - Antibacterial All Purpose Cleaner,No Rinse Sanitizer and Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner. These EPA-registered products are designed to simplify disinfecting andsanitation in a variety of facilities, including food processingplants.
Taking a different approach to killing germs while cleaning isThe Dial Corporation, which has introduced an improved BrilloAll-Purpose Cleaning Pad that prevents the growth of odors inthe pad. Though not marketed as a disinfectant, it is the firstproduct in its segment to use antibacterial technology.
"Consumers are increasingly concerned about germs, and ourimproved Brillo pad responds to this concern," says SteveChilds, senior brand manager, Dial. "An added value is thatBrillo's price will remain the same, despite this significantimprovement."
Brillo's new ingredient is the patented Aegis Microbe Shield™,a colorless, odorless substance that is infused into the cleaningpad during manufacturing and maintains its effectiveness for thelife of the pad. The Aegis Microbe Shield is used in other consumerand medical products, such as disposable diapers, surgical drapesand air conditioning filters.
Though not competing directly with the mass market brands, Upland'sSteriSafe and Knight Marketing's SprayNine may soon become forcesto be reckoned with. With consumers venturing to wholesale clubsand seeking out products in other venues, rather than just keepingto the supermarket, these disinfectants may find a whole new audience.
Upland's SteriSafe is registered with the EPA as an environmentalsurface disinfectant. It is offered in a concentrated form, packagedin various sizes from 16 ounce bottles to 60 gallon drums. During1997, the firm is launching major consumer-product campaigns includingpersonal-sized, recyclable aerosol spray cans; an oral hygienedental rinse and an oral hygiene mouthwash; plus other ready-to-useconsumer and industrial-sized items.
The key to its success will be to explain to consumers why theyshould choose SteriSafe over the disinfectants they currentlyuse. According to Donovan, "the difference between SteriSafeand other disinfectants are dramatic. High-level disinfectantscan be found only in hospitals and other controlled settings.Many high-level disinfectants are able to kill a broad spectrumof germs (bacteria, viruses, fungus, mold, mildew, algae, spores),but require special handling to remain safe to use. Even whenhandled properly, problems occur regularly," he explains."Most disinfectants offered to consumers are low-level disinfectants,which are more kill-specific. These low-level disinfectants aregenerally safe to use but do not provide the consumer with theprotection - that which they believe they are getting - againstmany of the organisms that cause contemporary infections and diseases.
"An industry standard for determining if a disinfectant ishigh level is its ability to kill tuberculosis (TB) and the poliovirus. SteriSafe destroys both of these difficult-to-kill organisms,"Donovan continues. "After more than 20 years of research,testing and practical application, SteriSafe is the first high-level,hospital-grade disinfectant that is safe enough to be used byeveryone, everywhere, and the only disinfectant with independentlaboratory proof, documenting that SteriSafe continues to killgerms long after use."
Knight Marketing's Spray Nine also has a long history of use.The company currently manufactures two quaternary ammonium chloride-baseddisinfectant products: Spray Nine Multi-Purpose Germicidal Cleanerand Bact-X germicidal detergent/disinfectant concentrate, butSpray Nine is its most popular. Invented in the mid-1950s, SprayNine was America's first "spray-on/wipe-off" all purposecleaner to appear on the market, according to Knight's Benedict."Until that time, multi-purpose cleaners were either soapyconcentrates or messy powders. In addition, Spray Nine was alsomade germicidal," she reports.
"Back then, disinfecting wasn't the major concern it hasbecome today. Now, consumers are aware that cross- contaminationof food-preparation surfaces can have serious health consequences.The kitchen can be a bacterial battle zone. And if someone inthe household is sick, every surface is suspect. A good all-purposecleaner isn't good enough. A good disinfectant is important. Agood cleaner/disinfectant is invaluable," Benedict asserts.
Spray Nine is registered with the EPA as a hospital-grade disinfectanteffective against salmonella choleraesuis, Staph and pseudomonasaeruginosa in 45 seconds. Spray Nine is also recognized by theEPA as being effective against HIV-1 in 30 seconds. Knight Marketinghas recently generated data to show that Spray Nine can eliminateother bacteria (Shigalla, E. Coli) in 45 seconds, other viruses(influenza A2 and herpes simplex type 1) in 30 seconds, kill yeastand fungus in three minutes and is an effective fungistat/mildewstat, Benedict details.
Helping household product manufacturers make their disinfectantstrue germ-killing machines are suppliers such as Stepan and Lonza,who are among the list of companies that create quats and otheringredients used in many disinfectants today.
Stepan makes quaternary ammonium compound or "quats,"and biocidal quats. "We have a complete line of disinfectantformulas for institutional and healthcare settings. We offer registeredformulations as well as the active ingredient," Daun says.
"It is very difficult to develop a new active because ofall the requirements involved," he continues. "We dohave a product that we've introduced, a formulation that we offer,for a quat-based product that is a ready-to-use product that iseffective against TB and the canine virus. We believe we havethe only quat that is truly effective against those two viruses,and it is very popular for us." Another popular product forthe company is Onyxide 3300, a 97 percent active quat that issolid at room temperature with very little water solubility. Itis fully registered for disinfectant use and is ideally suitedfor a formulation in which a slow-dissolving product is requiredbecause of its gradual release of the quat.
The main element companies expect from suppliers is a more economicalingredient. "Because there aren't many new actives, we haveto make our products more economical and cost-efficient,"Daun observes. To do so, Stepan tries to make its ingredientsmore multifunctional so its customers can offer more claims ontheir product labels. "We try to help individual customershave their products stand out," he adds. As the productsare often seen side-by-side on the shelf, it will help a customerif its product has a certain use or can make another claim, therebydifferentiating itself from the competition.
Lonza helps its customers stand out by offering a broad rangeof disinfectants and sanitizers for the household, institutionaland industrial markets, points out Romeo. The firm offers ready-to-useand concentrated formulations based on quaternary ammonium compounds,phenolics and iodophors. Its most popular products are its neutralpH series of one-step disinfectant cleaners, which offer broadspectrum efficacy and selection of use sites.
Its Barquat 42Z-10 was recently approved by the EPA for use inhospitals. "Barquat 42Z-10 is different from all of our otherformulations in that it carries a claim of being effective againsthepatitis B virus and HIV-1," Romeo says. "As a resultof this claim, Barqaut 42Z-10 is an appropriate disinfectant underOSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard. Our customers are quite pleasedwith the product and are excited about its availability underLonza's supplemental registration program."
The disinfectant segment may be one of the only markets in whichthe competition isn't the greatest challenge to a new product;it's trying to meet all the EPA regulations. Even though otherindustries must deal with regulatory issues, disinfectants seemto have a longer road to government approval. EPA has recentlymade some changes that may shorten that journey, but whether theroad will ever be smooth remains to be seen.
"It is no secret that, in the recent past, EPA regulationsconcerning disinfectants have caused problems for disinfectantmanufacturers and marketers. Inflamed by the public concern overthe dangers of transmission of AIDS, TB and hepatitis as reportedby health care workers, both the regulatory (EPA, FDA, OSHA, USDA)and the investigative (CDC) agencies reevaluated just about everythingto do with infection control practices," declares Upland'sDonovan.
"Concerns about the efficacy of disinfection and sterilizationled to a highly critical evaluation of the EPA by the GeneralAccounting Office (EPA being the primary agency involved in registeringdisinfectants). EPA then set about doing in-house lab work toverify label claims. As a result of these investigations, EPAstarted pulling products off the market," he continues. "Disinfectantmanufacturers and marketers, to avoid the wrath of the EPA, beganbacking off on label claims, extending required exposure timesand increasing the concentrations needed for efficacy as a disinfectant."
According to Donovan, the current regulatory scene in the U.S.is still in a state of flux as EPA struggles to better protectthe American public. "Disinfectants are classified as pesticidesby the EPA. This puts disinfectants in the same category as arsenicand rat poison. The label warnings that are required because ofthis classification leave the consumer with the impression thatdisinfectants are too dangerous to use. It takes an exceptionalamount of time, money and effort to verify to the EPA that yourproduct does not warrant all of these label warnings. The disinfectantindustry is working hard to get disinfectants a classificationof their own, but it does not seem likely that this situationwill change any time soon," Donovan observes.
Knight Marketing's Benedict agrees that even though EPA is takingsteps forward, it is too soon to tell what effect these changeswill have. "Just recently, EPA set up a disinfectant divisionseparate from all of the other pesticides. Even though disinfectantsdo not present the same hazards to the user and to the environmentas other pesticides, they have been subject to the same labeland disposal regulations. It is hoped that the recent actionsby the EPA will speed up revising the required label statementsthat take up a lot of space but have little to do with disinfectants.Hopefully, this change will speed up the registration and amendmentprocess as well," she states.
This separation of the division came about because of the adoptionof the Food Quality Protection Act. With this act, "EPA hasformed a separate branch to manage antimicrobial registrations(i.e. disinfectants and sanitizers, etc.) and this new branchis working to streamline the regulatory process," explainsLonza's Romeo. "This has already begun to improve the processof obtaining and amending registrations for disinfectants andsanitizers."
Stepan's Daun concurs that this ruling should help speed thingsalong. He adds that this branch has promised that when a companysuch as Stepan puts in a simple amendment to an existing, approvedregistration, the turn-around period will be 90 days. He notesthat Stepan is pleased so far with what the EPA is trying to doin its attempts to streamline the registration process of productsthat are just amendments to existing formulations.
EPA still poses a great challenge in the development of new ingredientsin that the cost of registration can reach as much as $50,000to register a new formulation with known active ingredients andinert ingredients, Daun points out. This is in addition to everythingthe company must do under Good Laboratory Practices before evenapplying for the registration - spending money on microstudies,preparations and the actual studies, as well as time involvedon the addition of further claims. Each one of the claims hasto be proven and tested, and time is cost. "We are not capableof testing some of these viruses internally, so we have to sendthose out of house. And, when working with the lag time of gettingproducts through EPA approval, some of the products may not berealized for two years. What if, at that time, the trends havegone beyond what you've been doing and it's not a hot topic anymore? We need to compare the length of time to register a productwith the need of the product on the market," Daun comments.
When all is said in done, the EPA is just doing its job - tryingto keep consumers safe, in spite of all the red tape. It willbe up to disinfectant manufacturers to keep those consumers trulysafe from potential infection.
"As the public's awareness of the dangers posed to them bythis world of microscopic organisms increases, the demand foreffective and safe disinfecting products will continue to increase,"predicts Upland's Donovan. "Biocidal products will be designedinto our clothing, appliances, furniture and building materials.Children's toys will be protected from germs. Computer keyboards,telephones and office supplies will protect users from cross-contamination."
Lonza's Romeo concurs that "due to the greater understandingof the benefits of disinfectants, the outlook for the future isupbeat. Manufacturers of disinfectants will continue to work onincreasing the value of their products to their customers."
Stepan's Daun believes there won't be too many new active ingredientsin the next five years, in part because of the cost of registeringthose ingredients, though there will be formulation advancements."We will see the active ingredients that are being used todayutilized in more innovative type of formulations tomorrow,"he observes.
Knight Corporation anticipates that "the market for disinfectantswill continue to grow and expand (aging baby boomers, an ever-shrinkingworld coupled with a growing world economy - all without any reductionin the things that spread disease). Any advances would includenew and more powerful active ingredients that are even more userand environmentally friendly," concludes Benedict.
As long as there is risk of germ exposure in the home, consumerswill continue to seek out stronger, more multi-purpose and easier-to-usedisinfectants and cleaners. It will be up to the manufacturersto keep up with the demand.