The Vienna Ombuds Office for Environmental Protection — in collaboration with international and national experts from the Austrian Worker‘s Compensation Board (AUVA — Allgemeine Unfallversicherungsanstalt), the Austrian Society for Hygiene, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, the Vienna Hospital Association, the Bureau for Chemical Engineering TB-Klade and other institutions — developed the Viennese Database of Disinfectants, WIDES. This database is freely available online, in both English and German, and has two functions. First, it provides structured information on disinfectants and their ingredients, including information on efficacy, hazard classification, properties, uses, activity, material compatibility and toxicity/eco-toxicity. Second, it provides an assessment of hazardous properties, ranking ingredients from low to high risk. The hazard categories are as follows: ‘Acute toxicity (respiratory tract)’, ‘Irritation and corrosivity’, ‘Allergenic potential’, ‘Mutagenic, carcinogenic, toxic for reproduction, chronically toxic’, ‘Behaviour in surface water — acute’ and ‘Behaviour in surface water — chronic’. Thus, the hazardous properties of more than 200 disinfectant ingredients are compiled in an overview table and are easily accessible and comparable using WIDES.

Level of Education: Higher education, Continuing vocational education and training

Lead Organisation: City of Viena

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