Antibacterial soap is not better 200 scientists to promote strict control

Excerpt from the 2017-06-26 TEIA Taiwan Environmental Information Center

Do you want to buy antibacterial soap and laundry? Hold on. More than 200 scientists and medical professionals around the world, co-author of the peer review journal "Environmental Health Outlook" jointly pointed out that the common antibacterial products are not only unhealthy, but also harmful to health and the environment. The article also calls for consumers to be particularly careful when using the daily antibacterial chemicals. Last fall, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that 19 kinds of antimicrobial chemicals, including notorious trichloro and trichlorocaram, were ineffective and should not even allow consumers to purchase without prescription. Now more than 200 scientists said that FDA's decision is not enough to protect consumers and the environment. Antibacterial agents often appear in unexpected products, including paints, sports mats, flooring, clothing, food storage containers, home textiles, electronic products, kitchen supplies, school supplies and countertops. "People think that antibacterial hand soap can prevent disease invasion, but in general, the performance of antimicrobial soap is not better than the average soap and water." San Francisco University sanitation professor Seattle (Barbara Sattler) pointed out.

Consumable soaps and hand sanitizers are often used in different additives. "I am pleased that the FDA has finally banned these additives from being used for soap, but the products that are selling near my home are now worse than before," said Arlene Blum, executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute Say. "Consumers may feel that antibiotics can reduce the chance of infection, but in most of the products, no research has confirmed that," said Dr. Ted Schettler, Scientific Director of the Science and Environment Health Network. In 2016, Chartler wrote an article on antibiotic agents for hospital furniture for “Health care Without Harm”, a nonprofit organization.

The abstract of the essay states that triclosan and trichlopans are endocrine disruptors in long-term retention environments, with bioaccumulative effects, harmful aquatic organisms and other organisms, according to a large number of peer review studies. Evidence shows that antimicrobial agents with similar properties such as trichloroacetate and trichlorocarban should be kept away from humans and ecosystems because antibacterial agents can cause unexpected damage to health and the environment and can only be used if there is evidence to show that they are healthy.

The authors believe that the use of antimicrobial agents for non-medical purposes should be reduced. "Triclosan and trichlorocarban have a negative impact on the environment and the human body, including pregnant women, developing embryos and breastfeeding babies, and we should develop better alternatives to avoid unnecessary exposure to antimicrobials. "Said Rolf Halden, professor of engineering at Arizona State University.
Reference Eurekalert (2017-06-26), Buyer beware: Antimicrobial products can do more harm than good