The Ubiquitous Triclosan
www.beyondpesticides.org
Ok - Triclosan - I've seen it in toothpaste, antibacterial hand cream, dish detergent and now it's being impregnated into toys, kitchen utensils, socks and even bedding. It's called triclosan, triclocarbon, biofresh or microban, and it is being marketed as the answer to all our antibacterial needs!
But, what is it really?
Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal that was originally developed for use in hospitals; first as a surgical scrub and more recently as a skin wash for patient battling MRSA. However according to the Beyond Pesticides article - it has been showing up in more and more commercial applications since at least 1994. By 2000 it was found in 50% 0f commercial soaps. The other day I was at the grocery store, and I had a hard time finding a liquid hand soap that did not contain it.
In the article, Aviva Glaser does a great job describing what triclosan is, how effective it is, and what the risks are. Despite early indications that this chemical might not have any ill effects on humans, it can now be found in high concentrations in breast milk, and has been shown to interfere with thyroid function.
It is persistent in the environment, and shown to affect animal life.
Did you know that it is one of the active ingredients in popular anti-gingivitis toothpastes?
Here is a link to a PDF of the complete article...
Beyond Pesticides - Triclosan
Highly recommend you read the article straight through, As a result you will probably want to take the necessary steps to reduce your family's exposure to this unnecessary chemical that will add to your family's toxic load.
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