Antibacterial soaps have undergone a major change. There are ingredients that are banned effective Sunday. One of which is the triclosan that have been used for years, but now is found to be harmful in the hormonal cycle and muscle weakness.
Minnesota instituted a statewide ban on products containing the germ-killing chemical triclosan because of its effects on the environment.
Minnesota University professor Bill Arnold has been studying this problem for years. They looked at seven lakes in Minnesota and they found tricolsan in it.
This chemical is used by manufacturers to label their products as antibacterial. It was formerly used in deodorants, soaps and toothpaste, but was found to be harmful in the body hormones and other body function.
His research about antibacterial soap led to Minnesota banning the chemical in 2014. The chemical is known to be potentially harmful in lakes and rivers.
The industry had until Sunday to comply.
Arnold also stated that without the chemical soaps could actually still kill germs. Liquid soaps that says antibacterial has high content of this tricolsan.
According to the WLOX, the federal government banned 19 ingredients in soaps and body washes because they could do more harm than good.
Companies had until September to remove it from the shelves or remove the chemical.
According to the NPR, here are the list of chemicals that are newly banned. Aside from triclosan there are 17 other chemicals.
The Cloflucarban, Fluorosalan, Hexachlorophene, Hexylresorcinol, Iodine complex (ammonium ether sulfate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate), Iodine complex (phosphate ester of alkylaryloxy polyethylene glycol) , Nonylphenoxypoly, Poloxamer-iodine complex, Povidone-iodine 5 to 10 percent, Undecoylium chloride iodine complex, Methylbenzethonium chloride, Phenol (greater than 1.5 percent), Phenol (less than 1.5 percent) 16, Secondary amyltricresols, Sodium oxychlorosene, Tribromsalan, Triclocarban, Triclosan, Triple dye.
FDA also added that there is no actual data that anti-bacterial soaps are more effective than regular soaps. They encourage people to use regular soaps.
However, there are data and evidences that this chemical could disrupt hormone cycle and muscle weakness. Antibacterial soap is no longer safe for usage.
