As the first state government in the U.S., Minnesota has decided to no longer purchase products containing the chemical triclosan. The executive order will come into effect June 2013. It is considered subsequential to the publication of a recent study that found triclosan and dioxin to be ubiquitous in Minnesota’s lake sediments. In the environment triclosan is biotransformed to dioxin, which causes cancer and hormone disruption. Triclosan is used as an antibacterial agent in consumer products including soaps, detergents, toothpaste. In Europe, triclosan is also authorized for plastic food packaging under directive EC 10/2011 (Provisional List of Additives, pdf). In the U.S. FDA no authorization for triclosan use as indirect food additive has been issued.

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Minnesota Pollution control Agency

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