Minnesota Becomes First State to Ban Triclosan in Antibacterial Soap

Minnesota Bans Antibacterial Soap Due To Health And Environmental Concerns

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Minnesota has banned antibacterial soaps amid health and environmental concerns. That’s bad news for the triclosan industry, but according to the FDA, the use of the antibacterial agent triclosan does not kill more germs than regular hand-washing. In December, the FDA ruled that antibacterial soap manufacturers, given recent findings that triclosan may be unsafe, would have to prove that their antibacterial soaps are safe – and more effective than plain soap and water – if they planned to continue the use of the chemical in the future.

The AP reports that Gov. Mark Dayton signed a bill [May 2014] to make Minnesota the first state to prohibit the use of triclosan in most retail hygiene products, including antibacterial soaps. Sen. John Marty, one of the bill’s main sponsors, said that it is likely that manufacturers will begin phasing triclosan out of antibacterial soaps anyway. Minnesota lawmakers will not implement the ban immediately, but are hopeful the law sends an important message. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2017.

The FDA estimates that the antibacterial agent can be found in 75 percent of antibacterial liquid soaps and body washes. It is commonly found in toothpastes, though Crest toothpaste is now marketing itself as triclosan-free, and the agency questions the safety of the chemical. Issues that have raised concern about antibacterial soaps include its role in the development of super-bugs, environmental concerns, and human exposure risks. Inquisitr reported, “According to ScienceNews, “Microbiologist Blaise Boles, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues swabbed the noses of 90 adults and found that having triclosan-containing snot could double a person’s likelihood of carrying staph. The microbes may have adapted to triclosan, allowing them to remain steadfast in the nose.”

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