An article published by the Chicago Tribune raises concerns regarding the use of triclosan as an anti-bacterial agent in commercial products such as soap. The article states that triclosan has no proven effect as an anti-microbial agent and may further not be safe for use.
Triclosan has been found to be estrogenically active in vitro. In Europe, triclosan is legally used as additive in food contact materials after a ruling by the EU General Court. In the US, triclosan is only approved for use in toothpaste but is used in many other commercial applications, including kitchen utensils.
A senior scientist of the Natural Defense Council. Sarah Janssen, stated that triclosan “doesn’t work, [i]s not safe and […] is not being regulated”. A review of triclosan by the FDA was scheduled for publication this winter 2012, and has been indefinitely deferred. The US Environmental Protection Agency has scheduled a reevaluation of triclosan for 2013.
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Chicago Tribunal, Do soaps with triclosan do more harm than good?
