Chances are good that you’ve never heard of triclosan, despite the fact that the chemical is in everything from toothpaste to children’s toys. Triclosan is added to products to slow or stop the growth of bacteria, fungi, and mildew. A survey found that some three-quarters of Americans between 6 and 65 have residues of triclosan in their bodies.
Triclosan has been in use for some 40 years. And evidence has been mounting that it’s bad for our health. Animal studies have linked exposure to triclosan to lower levels of thyroid hormone and testosterone. Imbalances can impair brain and reproductive function, causing things like learning disabilities and infertility. Triclosan has also been implicated in the rise of antibiotic resistant ‘superbugs’ and an increase in allergies.
Consumer groups have been urging the Food and Drug Administration to review the safety of triclosan, with the Natural Resources Defense Council going so far as to file a lawsuit. It looks like action will finally be taken this fall, with an FDA investigation into the safety of triclosan in household cleaners. Findings could have a ripple effect.
But the question remains – how did a chemical that was never proven to be safe become so ubiquitous in personal care products and, of all things, in children’s merchandise marketed to germ-phobic parents?
We need to do better. In the meantime, scrutinize labels on things that claim to be “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial.” And opt out of products with triclosan. Simply put, it’s not a necessary ingredient. And the exposure isn’t worth the risk.
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Web Links
Triclosan and Triclocarban
http://www.nrdc.org/living/chemicalindex/triclosan.asp
Triclosan exposure and allergic sensitization in Norwegian children
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.12058/abstract
NIH Supporting Information for Toxicological Evaluation by the National Toxicology Program
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPdf/triclosan_508.pdf
The influence of age and gender on triclosan concentrations in Australian human blood serum
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18207219
Urinary Concentrations of Triclosan in the U.S. Population: 2003-2004
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/571457
Photo, taken on August 25, 2007, courtesy of Orofacial via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.