Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid with a sweet taste, and is an excellent solvent for water-insoluble chemicals and drugs. DEG is used as a component of multiple different products including antifreeze preparations, cosmetics, lubricants, brake fluids, wallpaper strippers, heating/cooling fuel and as a plasticizer. DEG has also been inappropriately substituted in pharmaceutical preparations for nontoxic constituents, resulting in more than a dozen epidemics of human poisoning, with resultant high mortality rates. The hallmark of DEG toxicity is acute renal failure, and deaths have been reported despite aggressive treatment with hemodialysis.