www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/global-grocer/
Stop squirting that "anti-bacterial" chemical scam on your hands. It won't keep you cold-and-flu-free because...Hey! Those are viruses, not bacteria. Food and Water Watch knows its soap from its triclosan. Every year, U.S. consumers spend an estimated $1 billion on household and personal care products to shield themselves from ‘germs’. Yet many items marketed for their so-called "anti-bacterial" properties contain an ingredient perhaps more insidious than the microorganisms they're designed to combat: triclosan. There is research aplenty showing that the chemical is no more effective at killing bacteria – not virues - than plain soap and water. And it may cause more harm than good. While triclosan has been shown to kill most of the bacteria it encounters, both good and bad, bacteria that survive emerge stronger and thus harder to eradicate. Triclosan can impair thyroid function, upset estrogen and testosterone levels, and promote problems that could interfere with fetal development. Scientists have also grown critical of the chemical's potential effects on the environment. Triclosan can now be found in rivers, streams, and the sewage sludge that's often used to fertilize crops. It's toxic to algae, phytoplankton, and other aquatic life. Its absorption by these organisms means it can spread through the food chain. Even consumers who avoid triclosan still risk exposure to the chemical. Our exposure to triclosan is so widespread that it lurks not only in our soap, but in our own bodies. Studies have found traces of it in urine, breast milk, and umbilical cord blood.
- KBOO