NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Report Faults EPA Disinfectant Testing

Up to 20% of disinfectants on the market may not kill germs as advertised because the Environmental Protection Agency does no independent testing to verify manufacturer claims, a General Accounting Office report said. GAO investigators told the House Government Operations subcommittee on the environment that the EPA’s regulatory program relies solely on testing data supplied by manufacturers. EPA officials admitted lapses, but said only a “small number” of the 8,000 EPA-approved disinfectants pose a potential health problem due to ineffectiveness.