Person taken to hospital after ingesting hand sanitiser supplied by Australia’s largest privately owned hotel chain | Consumer affairs
A man staying at Australia’s largest private hotel chain was hospitalized with acute methanol poisoning after drinking now-recalled hand sanitizer, Queensland health officials said.
Dr Schwartz Hand Sanitizer was recalled by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Wednesday after it was found to contain high concentrations of methanol.
High concentrations of methanol are not allowed in alcohol-based hand sanitizers or any products used by the public.
The regulator said 60ml bottles of the product were offered free of charge to guests at Paradise Resort on the Gold Coast between August 31, 2020 and January 6, and non-complimentary 200ml bottles were also affected.
New South Wales Health announced the recall on Thursday, warning that although the likelihood of serious poisoning from skin exposure is low, methanol is highly toxic if ingested and can cause serious and irreversible injury or death.
After health authorities announced the recall, the hotel’s general manager, David Brook, said “the recall occurred after a guest improperly consumed two bottles of disinfectant, resulting in a medical reaction.”
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Queensland Health later confirmed methanol contamination was detected due to someone being poisoned.
“Methanol contamination was detected and a product recall was initiated after an adult in Queensland ingested this product and suffered acute methanol poisoning,” a health department spokesperson said.
“This individual was treated at the hospital and released.”
They said there were no other known hospital presentations or acceptances of the product in Queensland as of Thursday afternoon.
“The community is reminded to use hand sanitizer products as intended and follow product label instructions,” the spokesperson said. “Drinking or swallowing hand sanitizer is dangerous.”
The ACCC said the recall was carried out by the hotel’s owner, Schwartz Family Co. He said it was inspected by.
The ACCC said Schwartz Family Co provided the hand sanitiser to Paradise Resort after importing it from India.
According to its website, Schwartz Family Co is Australia’s largest privately owned hotel group, with 14 hotels including Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbor and others in the Rydges, Ibis, Mercure and Hilton franchises.
Schwartz Family Co. declined to comment beyond Brook’s statement.
Health officials said anyone who has the recalled hand sanitizer should immediately stop using it and destroy it.
People in NSW can dispose of it with general waste, while those in other states and territories should check with their local council, environmental protection authority or waste centre.
