The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has 559 pallets of expired hand sanitizer — and it's going cost big bucks to get rid of them.. Saskatchewan Health Authority Sign .The SHA put out a public tender in December to dispose of the excess hand sanitizer, with the tender closing on January 9. It was extended to January 13, the SHA did not say if they received any bids..The expected cost to dispose of the hand sanitizer is expected to cost over $100,000, according to the SHA..According to the tender, the hand sanitizer is stored at a Park Street warehouse in Regina and the SHA wants it gone by the end of January..Some of the hand sanitizer expired as far back as April 2022..The tender said the hand sanitizer falls into Category Two or Category Three hazardous materials. Some of the side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and eye irritation..The expired hand sanitizers came from China through New Zealand, New Brunswick, and Calgary..According to a SHA statement, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) gave the hand sanitizer to Saskatchewan during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of medical supplies given by the federal government..The SHA “very much appreciated the PHAC shipment” but found a “more effective” hand sanitizer..Service Employees International Union West President Barbara Cape said the SHA used the hand sanitizer for two weeks before “shelving it” over health concerns, as it is a technical grade hand sanitizer, not meant for daily use..“It’s unfortunate the product is expired and has to be disposed of, but I think we’re erring on the side of caution in order to keep people safe at the time,” said Cape. .“If it’s a technical grade rather than a daily use hand sanitizer, I think it was probably the best decision possible at the time.”.The SHA told healthcare workers to use warm soapy water for disinfection purposes until finding a suitable daily use hand sanitizer..NDP Opposition Leader Carla Beck said the provincial government could have used the hand sanitizer before expiring..“This is an ongoing need of course in our hospitals, in health care facilities,” said Beck..“If they didn’t have the ability to use it in those facilities. Then I think there are lots of non-profits, community organizations that certainly have this ongoing need and could have used it.”.Saskatchewan’s ministry of Environment (MoE) statement said “leftovers or expired material should be managed according to sound environmental protection practices to protect soil and water quality.”.The issue with hand sanitizer is that landfills cannot take large quantities of liquids and the recycling or disposal must meet the MoE’s regulations.
