Red River Biorefinery (RRB), the US-based ethanol production facility, has expanded its production into pharmaceutical-grade ethanol for sustainable hand sanitisers and disinfectants, in a bid to help consumers seeking to protect themselves and loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As demand for hand sanitisers continues to surge as a result of the pandemic, the North Dakota-based company will now supply sanitiser manufacturers with ethanol that meets the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) standards for purity and quality.
It comes as the company has witnessed a sharp rise in demand from its key customers – including sanitiser manufacturers and consumer goods companies – as hospitals, pharmacies, retailers and consumers across the US seek hand sanitisers that are high quality and safe to use.
Keshav Rajpal, President of the RRB, said: “Now more than ever, consumers are concerned about the quality of ingredients in hand sanitisers and disinfectants.
“RRB is committed to supplying safe, high quality, sustainable USP-grade ethanol for use in hand sanitisers and other products that fight Covid-19.
“We produce ethanol that is made green to help families stay clean during the pandemic.”
With a carbon footprint said to be 50% below that of a conventional ethanol plant and among the lowest in the US, the RRB production facility uses its excess agricultural byproducts as a feedstock for ethanol production and recycles its own waste to generate renewable natural gas to power its operations.
As well as hand sanitisers, the company's ethanol is suitable for use in a wide range of products including disinfectants, wet wipes, spray sanitisers and other cleaners.
James Leiman, Director of Economic Development and Finance Division for the State of North Dakota, added: “It is extremely gratifying to have a local producer supplying safe ingredients for hand sanitisers while providing local jobs to support our communities.
“The Red River Biorefinery serves a vital role in the region’s value-added agricultural, energy and low carbon economies.”
