Why Antibacterial Soap Is Dangerous

ORIGINAL: Google+ / Discovery

Jessica Meyer

Antibacterial equals safe, right? Think again. New research suggests that a particular ingredient common in antibacterial products is actually quite dangerous. Trace has all the details on Triclosan and what the FDA is aiming to do about it.

Decades-Old Question: Is Antibacterial Soap Safe?
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_LIQUID_SOAP_SAFETY

"It's a chemical that's been in U.S. households for more than 40 years, from the body wash in your bathroom shower to the knives on your kitchen counter to the bedding in your baby's basinet."

Triclosan Facts

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/triclosan_fs.htm

"Triclosan (2,4,4' --trichloro-2'-hydroxydiphenyl ether) is a chlorinated aromatic compound. Its functional groups include both phenols and ethers. It is used as a synthetic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent."

Triclosan: What Consumers Should Know

http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm205999.htm

"Triclosan is an ingredient added to many consumer products to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination."

Are Anti-Bacterial Soaps Poisoning Our Water?
http://news.discovery.com/earth/anti-bacterial-soaps-dioxins.htm

"A common chemical found in antibacterial soaps is turning up in lakes and streams and could potentially harm wildlife and human health."

Should I Avoid Products That Contain Triclosan?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/triclosan/AN02141 "There currently isn't enough evidence to recommend avoiding use of products that contain triclosan — an ingredient added to certain soaps, cosmetics, clothing, cookware, furniture and toys to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination."

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