Prominent hotelier Jerry Schwartz has been forced to organise the destruction of a massive stockpile of potentially lethal hand sanitiser, following the discovery of a toxic chemical in the product. The 2500 litres of contaminated sanitiser is currently being stored in the Hunter Region.
Urgent Recall After Guest Hospitalisation
The crisis unfolded after health authorities in Queensland and New South Wales issued an urgent public warning on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The alert was triggered when a 38-year-old male guest at Schwartz's Paradise Resort on the Gold Coast was rushed to hospital after consuming two bottles of the sanitiser.
Subsequent testing revealed the presence of methanol, a highly toxic substance that can cause serious, irreversible injury or even death if ingested. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) immediately enacted a recall of the product.
The "Dr Schwartz hand sanitiser" had been gifted to visitors at the Paradise Resort Gold Coast between August 31, 2020, and January 6, 2026. The resort has since contacted previous guests, advising them to discard any remaining bottles immediately.
Imported Stock from Pandemic Era
Dr Schwartz explained to the Newcastle Herald that he imported two shipping containers of the hand sanitiser from India at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. His intention was to decant the bulk supply into 60ml and 200ml bottles for use across his hotel portfolio in Queensland and NSW, which includes Rydges Newcastle, Rydges Hunter Valley, and the Newcastle Novotel.
"My plan was to put it into 60ml and 200ml bottles, which I was going to put into all the hotel rooms so guests had access to sanitiser," Schwartz stated. He claimed the suppliers in India had assured him the product contained only ethanol, the safe and approved alcohol for sanitisers.
The methanol contamination was only detected two weeks ago, following the Gold Coast incident. Two pallets of remaining stock at the Paradise Resort have already been surrendered to Queensland Health for safe disposal.
Destruction Order for Hunter Stockpile
The focus now turns to the substantial 2500-litre stockpile held in storage within the Hunter Region. Dr Schwartz confirmed this entire batch must now be destroyed under regulatory supervision.
"It won't be a problem because we are not using it anymore. The only place where it was used was Paradise Resort," Dr Schwartz said, downplaying the ongoing risk from the stored product.
NSW Health has issued clear instructions to the public, urging anyone who possesses the recalled sanitiser to cease use immediately. Authorities recommend disposing of the product in the general waste bin, while strongly reminding people that hand sanitisers are for external use only and must be used as directed on the label.
In an official statement, NSW Health emphasised: "High concentrations of methanol are not permitted in alcohol-based hand sanitiser or any product used by the public." The incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of product safety and supply chain verification, even during global emergencies like the pandemic.
