Hand sanitiser being made with seaweed from our shores
CHANNEL ISLAND seaweed is being used to make hand sanitiser in a bid to tackle shortages.
Ben Trustin from Guernsey Seaweed and Luke Wheadon from the Channel Islands Liquor Company have teamed up to make just over 200 litres of hand sanitiser.
‘A lot of people are exploring ways of making their own sanitiser but the price of aloe vera gel has skyrocketed,’ Mr Wheadon said, who is more used to producing gin.
‘It occurred to me that we may have a solution right on our shores that could be sourced and produced in a sustainable way to get the product where it is most needed fast.’
Mr Wheadon contacted Mr Trustin to see if he had any ideas.
‘I immediately thought of using a type of seaweed which is used widely for cosmetic purposes and as a thickening agent and it’s known for its moisturising qualities,’ Mr Trustin said.
‘It is the ideal ingredient to produce the gel needed to make the sanitising hand rub and is readily available on our beaches.’
The pair teamed up with Jersey forager Kazz Padidar to collect seaweed over the last week.
They then tested the solutions to ensure they created a successful product.
There have been a number of recipes for hand sanitisers available online, but they must be more than 60% alcohol to be effective. The one made locally is 70% alcohol, which is strong enough to deal with most problems.
There have already been orders for the product from local companies such as Ferryspeed, the Co-op and St John Ambulance in Guernsey, along with many others in the hospitality industries.
‘This has been a real community project with everyone using their knowledge and expertise to help get this product to market as quickly as we can,’ Mr Wheadon said.
‘We are not looking to make a profit from our sales, but to help those that need it the most – from businesses that require sanitiser to continue operating to care homes and vulnerable communities across the islands.’
Environmental Health has tested the product to provide it with certification.
