Tell EPA: Ban triclosan now

Regulated by both EPA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, triclosan is commonly found in clothing, toys, kitchen utensils and cutting boards, hair brushes, computer keyboards, countertops, plastics, facial tissues, hand soaps, cosmetics, toothpastes, deodorants, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, antiseptics, and medical devices.

The health community has already flagged this chemical as potentially harmful. Because of concerns about antibacterial resistance, the American Medical Association said in 2000 that “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.”

Research indicates that widespread use of triclosan causes a number of serious health and environmental problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that triclosan is in the bodies of 75% of the U.S. population, and its levels are increasing. Triclosan is an endocrine disruptor and has been shown to affect male and female reproductive hormones, which potentially increases cancer risk. Further, the pesticide accumulates in biosolids, is taken up by food crops, and breaks down into dioxin, a highly toxic persistent contaminant.

We have until February 7, 2011, to let EPA know that triclosan must be banned in non-hospital settings to protect public health. Your voice is critical in generating public comments on a petition, filed by PSR and over 80 public health and environmental groups, to ban the hazardous antimicrobial/antibacterial pesticide triclosan for non-medical use.

Please note: To enter a comment in the public docket, copy the letter below and paste it into the comment box of the listed website – or write your own, original comments. You may enter your personal information in the “contact” fields or leave those fields blank. If you sign your electronic comments, your name will be published in the EPA docket.

Sample Letter:

I am writing to support the concerns raised in the petition submitted by Beyond Pesticides and Food and Water Watch regarding the prevalence of the toxic pesticide triclosan in consumer products. Research has shown that triclosan poses a threat to human health, contaminates water, and persists in the environment. EPA has a responsibility under the law to protect the health of the public and the environment and must move to do so now. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds triclosan concentrations are increasing in the human population, and triclosan in consumer products is causing involuntary exposure directly and through environmental contamination. Triclosan has been linked to:

- endocrine disruption as it interferes with the thyroid, estrogen, and androgen hormones and as a result can impact fetal development
- bacterial resistance and possible cross-resistance to antibiotics
- contaminated biosolids that are used for compost and agricultural fertilizer
- toxic and persistent breakdown products including dioxins
 
Since triclosan is no more effective than regular soap and water at reducing bacteria, there is absolutely no need for triclosan to be incorporated into consumer products, given the potential human health hazards. Please move quickly to rid this chemical from consumer products.