Anti-bacterial soaps may not be as safe as some think, new bill bans chemical in Minnesota

By Staff Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (INTELLIHUB) — Last Friday, Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill which will make triclosan, a chemical commonly found in anti-bacterial soaps and other personal hygiene products, prohibited in the state of Minnesota starting Jan. 1, 2017, reports say.

“Triclosan is used in an estimated 75 percent of anti-bacterial liquid soaps and body washes sold across the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The federal agency announced last year that it would revisit the safety of triclosan and other germ-killing ingredients used in personal cleaning products. While triclosan hasn’t been shown to be hazardous to humans, studies have raised concerns that it can disrupt hormones critical for reproduction and development, at least in lab animals, and contribute to the development of resistant bacteria”, reported Yahoo News today.

Moreover, there is really no evidence that exists that proves anti-bacterial soaps work any better than standards types.

So far, Minnesota is the only state which has enacted the ban on the toxic substance, which has been shown to affect reproductivity in animals.

Other states are expected to follow lockstep.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)