Environmental Groups Push For Ban on Triclosan In Household Products

More scientists and advocacy groups are urging that a chemical ingredient called triclosan be removed from some household soaps and cleaning products, partly due to concerns about the chemical getting into surface waters like the Great Lakes.

Minnesota recently decided to ban triclosan from most personal care and cleaning products by the year 2017. The Canadian Environmental Law Association would like more Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces to do the same, not just for triclosan but also for a related chemical, triclocarban.

Arizona State University professor Rolf Halden has been tracking the issue and last week joined the Canadian group on a conference call to share his concerns.

“Triclosan and triclocarban are detectable in blood and urine in the general population of North America, and in 97 percent of U.S. breast milk samples tested for these chemicals,” said Halden.

Halden said that the chemicals have also been found in lakes, rivers and streams, and sewage sludge-amended agricultural soil, and even on occasion in drinking water and food.

Halden says studies have shown that triclosan can be converted to highly chlorinated dioxins, which are potential cancer-causers.

Paul DeLeo of the American Cleaning Institute, which represents manufacturers of chemicals and cleaning products, said most of the triclosan that goes down the drain is later removed.

“Certainly in the United States, wastewater treatment removes a very high portion of the material, so that the traces that end up being released into the environment are very small,” said DeLeo.

DeLeo said he nevertheless expects more companies will reformulate their products and not use triclosan.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may decide soon whether to make companies prove that their anti-microbial soaps are any better than using soap and water and are safe for long-term use.