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Jul 27, 2009

An unseen danger has quietly invaded my home and yours. Also our schools, workplaces, restaurants . . . 
.
Thanks to the chemical industry, a hazardous antibacterial compound called TRICLOSAN is now an ingredient in many household and personal care products.
.
No kidding!!! -- it's in your soaps, cleaners, toothpaste, cosmetics, clothing, and even your children’s toys.
.
Consumers have been tricked into thinking that triclosan can protect them from harmful bacteria - in reality triclosan is no more effective than ordinary soap and water... 
.
Triclosan contributes to life-threatening
and other harmful conditions, and 
has become so common that
it has shown up in blood, urine and
breast milk of people across the globe.
----------------------------------------------------
==> Triclosan hangs around in the environment where it 
mixes with other chemicals, forms more toxic substances
==> Triclosan contributes to the very real problem of
resistance to antibiotics and causes a range of human
and ecological health problems
==> Even people who do not use triclosan are exposed
to the chemical through food, water and household dust.
----------------------------------------------------
.
Triclosan kills most–but not all–of the bacteria it encounters.
The germs that survive triclosan emerge stronger, harder to kill.
.
----------------------------------------------------
.
WHAT IS TRICLOSAN?
.
== In the 1960s a chemical company Ciba invented triclosan
== In 1972, Ciba introduced triclosan into health care settings
== In the last decade, Ciba sold triclosan to household product manufacturers, who've created products using triclosan, claiming these products are healthier than other products
.
---------------------------------------------------
.
BENEFITS? THERE ARE NONE! 
.
'They' (marketing) say that products containing triclosan promote good health - but that's a lie. In 2005, an FDA advisory panel of experts voted 11 to one that antibacterial soaps were no more effective than regular soap and water in fighting infections.

-------------------------------------------
The AMA (American Medical Association) advised:
“There is little evidence to support the use of antimicrobials in consumer products" and that given the risk of antimicrobial resistance, “It may be prudent to avoid the use of antimicrobial agents in consumer products.”
-------------------------------------------------- 
.
TRICLOSAN'S ACTUAL THREATS TO YOUR HEALTH
.
==> allergies
==> affects reproduction
==> produces toxic chemicals e.g. dioxin and chloroform when it reacts with other chemicals- like the chlorine in water
==> irritates skin
==> causes cancer
==> disrupts thyroid hormone
.
TRICLOSAN'S THREATS TO ENVIRONMENT
.
==> toxic to algae, phytoplankton and other aquatic life
==> a common contaminant of streams and rivers
==> showing up in earthworms, even dolphins
==> likely to accumulate and spread through land and water food webs
.
--------------------------------------------------
IS IT JUST IN THE U.S.?
.
America doesn't restrict triclosan use in cosmetics, but Japan and Canada do.
.
The European Union classifies triclosan as an irritant, dangerous for the environment and very toxic to aquatic organisms, while public authorities in Denmark, Finland and Germany have issued statements advising consumers not to use antibacterial products.
.
--------------------------------------------------
EXAMPLES of PRODUCTS that CONTAIN TRICLOSAN:

Always check ingredients before you buy

Neutrogena Deep Clean Body Scrub Bar
Clean & Clear Oil Free Foaming Facial Cleanser
Lever 2000 Special Moisture Response Bar Soap, Antibacterial
Dawn Complete Antibacterial Dish Liquid
CVS Antibacterial Hand Soap
Ajax Antibacterial Dish Liquid
Dial Liquid Soap, Antibacterial Bar Soap
Colgate Total Toothpaste
Softsoap Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap
Right Guard Sport Deodorant
Cetaphil Gentle Antibacterial Cleansing Bar
Old Spice Red Zone, High Endurance and Classic Deodorants
Clearasil Daily Face Wash
Vaseline Intensive Care Antibacterial Hand Lotion

------------------------------------------------
Adapted from the articles The Trouble With Triclosan in Your Soap,by Melselected from Food & Water Watch Healthy & Green Living, Care2
and
What You Can Do About Triclosan
-------------------------------------------------
Related articles, websites:
Triclosan in Dolphins!
What’s Lurking in Your Soap?
Groups File Petition to FDA to Ban Triclosan
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/
http://abetterwaytoclean.com/?p=47


 

 
 
Content and comments expressed here are the opinions of Care2 users and not necessarily that of Care2.com or its affiliates.

Author

Thubten Chokyi
female , committed relationship, 2 children
Sydney, Australia
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