The Trouble with Triclosan
Who knew that washing your hands could harm your health and the environment? Thanks to the chemical industry, a hazardous
antibacterial compound called triclosan is now an ingredient in many household and personal care products such as soaps,
cleaners, cosmetics, clothing, and even children’s toys.
While consumers might think triclosan can protect them from harmful bacteria, it turns out that the use of this dangerous chemical
in household products is no more effective than soap and water; and may be doing more harm than good.
To make matters worse, triclosan persists in the environment, mixes with other chemicals to form more toxic substances,
contributes to the growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and causes a range of human and ecological health
problems.
Triclosan also poses a threat to the environment. It is toxic to algae, phytoplankton and other aquatic life. This is a major problem,
as many products that contain triclosan are now washing down our drains and into our water systems, making triclosan a
common contaminant of streams and rivers.
Because it is a contaminant in sewage sludge that is often spread on land, the chemical is now showing up in earthworms.
Triclosan bioaccumulates in these organisms and researchers are concerned that it will accumulate and spread through aquatic
and terrestrial food webs.
Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have some responsibility for regulating
the marketing claims companies make about products containing triclosan. But unfortunately, neither agency restricts use of the
chemical in consumer products.
When a product containing triclosan is used on inanimate objects, it is regulated by the EPA, which has registered the chemical
as a pesticide. If a company markets a product containing triclosan with a health claim such as “kills bacteria,” then EPA must
verify the product’s effectiveness. If a product contains triclosan, but does not make such a claim, then EPA does not review it.
Read the full story: http://fwwatch.org/water/chemical-contaminants/what-is-lurking-in-your-soap
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