Is the sun setting on triclosan in Minnesota?
Triclosan is a common ingredient in a variety of household personal care products, including liquid antibacterial soaps, dish detergents and toothpastes. Unfortunately, most of the triclosan in these products is washed down the drain, where the wastewater disinfection process converts triclosan into a chemical that causes dioxins to rapidly accumulate in the Mississippi River.
Worse still, despite abundant research that shows these products provide no benefit to consumers, their use is proving to present risks to animal and human health including interference with thyroid and reproductive systems in laboratory studies.
Several recent triclosan research papers, combined with the release of FMRs State of the River Reports attention to the issue, have resulted in an unexpected flurry of media converge and public outcry about the risks of the widespread use of triclosan in consumer products.
On March 4th, Governor Dayton signed an executive order requiring State agencies to stop buying products that contain triclosan. As a result, Minnesota has quickly become ground zero for a national debate on triclosan use in consumer products.
Because triclosan represents a risk to human and animal health, and poses an irrefutable threat to the health of the Mississippi River, FMR has been working with members of the Minnesota House and Senate on a pair of bills (HF 1322 and SF 1166) that would phase out the use of triclosan in household personal care products next year.
Unfortunately, on March 13th the Senate version of this bill, authored by Senator John Marty, failed on a 7 to 5 vote in the Commerce Committee with democrats Jim Metzen and Vicki Jensen voting with republicans against the measure. Please follow future issues of Mississippi Messages for updates on this issue.
In the meantime, we encourage all river lovers to discontinue the use of triclosan products at home. There is no evidence that the use of triclosan-based products offers any health advantages over traditional products. If you are concerned about bacteria and hand washing, use soap and water and consider using an alcohol-based sanitizer as needed. Triclosans antibacterial properties in toothpaste can be safety substituted with antibacterial mouthwashes that dont contain triclosan.
For more on recent coverage of triclosan, including editorials in support of a statewide phase-out of triclosan in household personal care products, please visit the links below.
- Editorial: Protecting Minnesota waters from triclosan
lawmakers should follow state agencies lead and move quickly to adopt an even broader measure to safeguard the waterways so crucial to the states economy and quality of life.
- Star Tribune: Minnesota government won't buy antibacterial products
Starting this June, dont look for antibacterial soap in state government bathrooms. State agencies have been ordered to stop buying products that contain triclosan
- Pioneer Press: University of Minnesota study: Antibacterial soap ingredient builds up in states waters (w/ video)
Levels of triclosan, the active ingredient in household products ranging from soap to cosmetics have increased in rivers and ponds as people have used more of it over the past several decades, according to a study made public Tuesday, Jan. 22, and published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
- MPR: Triclosan pollutes Minnesota lakes, U of M study finds
Increasing amounts of triclosan, a common antibacterial agent used in soaps and other products, has been detected in Minnesota lakes, according to the results of a new University of Minnesota study.