Triclosan is a word no one wants to read on the ingredient label of their antibacterial soap today.
The Food and Drug Administration has banned the widely used and disputed antiseptic chemical, along with triclocarban and 17 other chemicals from being used in hand and body washes. Companies nationwide have been instructed to take these ingredients out of their products or remove the products from the market. The triclosan ban applies to all consumer products.
Numerous studies on triclosan, troclocarban and the other chemicals blacklisted by the FDA found the chemicals can disrupt hormone cycles and cause muscle weakness, according to Mae Wu, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council, which originally asked the FDA to ban the ingredients.
The FDA’s investigation into the 19 banned chemical found no clear, compelling evidence that “these ingredients are Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective.” The FDA officially announced its ban on December 19, 2017 in its final rule for the Federal Register: “Safety and Effectiveness of Healthcare Antiseptics; Topical Antimicrobial Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use.”
“This decision by the FDA is a huge victory on behalf of human health and the environment,” said Ken Cook, co-founder and president of the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
Before the FDA’s banishment, Triclosan was a popular antibacterial and anti-fungal agent used in a wide range of consumer products from soap to toothpaste to detergents, toys and surgical cleaning treatments. Triclosan could be found in products as obscure as credit cards.
It was also a leading agent in antibacterial soaps added to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination. But triclosan’s use in harmful products such as pesticides inspired scientists to step up their research into its potential health risks, University of Maine biochemist Julie Gosse, PhD, told WebMD’s Matt McMillen.
The FDA’s Triclosan-Free Soap Rule is part of a broader effort by the agency to encourage consumers to choose more natural cleaning agents, like regular soap and water. Triclosan-Free soaps like B4 Brands’ Aterra 7 Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap offer safe, natural and proven cleaning power for all hands, big and small, young and old. Aterra 7 Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap is a made safe, dye-free, features a fresh cotton scent and is powered in part by benzalkonium chloride. The pre-lathered foam quickly removes dirt from hands while hydrating skin.
As part of B4 Brands’ product line, Aterra uses Earth’s natural chemistry to protect people against illness.
And made-safe antibacterial soaps like Aterra 7 Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap gives consumers an effective, true and soothing advantage over using non-antibacterial soap and water. Plus, they are just as effective as Triclosan-based soaps.
“Washing the hands with an antiseptic soap can help reduce the risk of infection beyond that provided by washing with non-antibacterial soap and water,” American Cleaning Institute spokesman Brian Sansoni said.
Aterra 7 Antibacterial Foaming Hand Soap gives consumers an assured, comfortable and Triclosan-free means of cleaning their hands.