The Trouble with Triclosan: new Environmental Defence report finds toxic antibacterial chemical in the bodies of diverse group o

May
16
2012
When I go out to give talks about toxic chemicals, people often ask me about antibacterial products, and if they’re actually safe. Today we are launching The Trouble with Triclosan to answer that very question. (Short answer: no.)
The Trouble with Triclosan
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When I go out to give talks about toxic chemicals, people often ask me about antibacterial products, and if they’re actually safe. Today we are launching The Trouble with Triclosan to answer that very question. (Short answer: no.)
 
One of the most common chemicals in anti-bacterial products is a hormone disruptor called triclosan. When I started doing research about it, I found that while Americans had been tested for triclosan in their bodies, we didn’t know how common it is in Canadian adults.
 
So I got on the phone, and recruited eight Canadians to be tested. Our study volunteers hail from Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Cornwall and Montreal, and work in diverse professions—a midwife, a chef, a journalist, an environmental scientist, two musicians, a filmmaker and a political strategist all stepped forward.
 
When the results came back, I was dismayed (but not shocked) to find that all but one of them had triclosan in their bodies. You can read the full results in the report, which contains the first publicly available data on triclosan levels in Canadian adults.
 
What do our results mean? With triclosan appearing in seven of our eight volunteers, it’s clear that its use in consumer products is too widespread. The average amount of triclosan in our volunteers was found to be above the level at which triclosan is toxic to marine organisms, including certain species of algae, crustaceans and fish. And remember, all the triclosan in our homes and bodies goes down the drain, into our rivers and lakes, affecting the water we depend on for life.
 
We’ve been raising the alarm about this hormone disrupting chemical since the publication of Slow Death by Rubber Duck, co-authored by our Executive Director Dr. Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie.
 
For his own research, Dr. Smith used a set of common personal care and cleaning products containing triclosan for two days. Dr. Smith’s own triclosan levels shot up from 2.47 nanograms per millilitre (ng/mL) to 7,180 ng/mL. To put this in perspective, triclosan is harmful to algae and certain species of frogs at levels below Dr. Smith’s starting point.
 
The explosive proliferation of triclosan in consumer products has resulted in the contamination of waterways, and may contribute to the rise of anti-bacterial resistance. For what? No benefits. Just marketing.
 
Thankfully, a process is underway that may protect Canadians and the environment from continued exposure to this toxic chemical. On March 30, Health Canada and Environment Canada published a draft assessment of triclosan. It concluded that the chemical can cause harm to the environment. A voluntary ban on the use of triclosan is one of the options being considered.
 
The publication of the draft assessment kicked off an official comment period. We at Environmental Defence hope The Trouble with Triclosan can contribute. We’re also not alone in wanting a mandatory household ban. The Canadian Medical Association has also called for one.
 
Consumers should avoid products with triclosan. And the government can help, by banning the use of triclosan in household products. This would protect the health of Canadians, as well as the health of fish, wildlife and the environment, from continued exposure to this nasty chemical.
 
For more information, download our Guide to Triclosan, or a copy of the report. Support the call for a ban on triclosan by signing our petition, and sharing it with your friends and family. Triclosan is unnecessary and unhealthy, and there’s no time like the present to kick it out of Canadian products.

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May
17
2012

Triclosan Sensitivity


Lisa Ross says:

I have personal experience with intolerance to triclosan. It took me forever to figure out what product I was using that was causing severe rashes on my flanks and in my armpits. It is a toothpaste product and whenever I use that toothpaste again I get the same reactions. It may have been affecting my thyroid as well as I was having symptoms at the same time and I was seeing an endocrinologist about it. I couldn’t believe that a toothpaste could do this because it is only in your mouth for a short period of time, however there is direct access to your bloodstream in the area under your tongue. Is there anyone that I should share this information with as no one knows (not my GP, dentist, endocrinologist) or seems to care for that matter? I’ve gone back to using the most basic toothpaste, sometimes children’s toothpaste, because triclosan is not allowed in children’s toothpastes due to endocrine disruption.

reply to this comment
Nov
30
2012

Triclosan in toothpaste


irene says:

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/research/ingredients

I use Tom's of Maine toothpaste mainly because it does not contain flouride... most of the ingredients are natural, and the manufacturer takes into consideration that we are constantly absorbing toxic ingredients into our bodies that will bio-accumulate.
I will admit it does not taste like commercial toothpastes, but the one I like is the spearmint. Keep in mind that commercial products are aimed to suck the consumer in so they will always look, taste, feel and seem better. Tom's of Maine is an excellent product, comparitavely priced and available in most drugstores. (Even in Canada at Jean-Coutu in Quebec). Think 10,000 years ago and feed your body accordingly... today's standards are deplorable and I am appalled at all the chemicals we are exposed to each day. Good luck!

reply to this comment
Nov
30
2012

Triclosan in toothpaste....


irene says:

Yikes. That's all I have to say. Another chemical on my list of skulls and cross-bones. It is appalling the number of toxic chemicals we are exposed to each day. Thank you for the information... the more research I do, the worse it seems... I've actually stopped talking with my friends about this (except for certain ones) because they don't believe or don't want to believe that we are actually being systematically poisoned.... even our environment will get fed up and bite the big one. What will we do then? I try to inform myself on all things toxic (even natural products) and minimize my exposure, but it's so hard living in our world. Even natual foods like fruits and vegetables may be injected with GMO's, or pesticices (be careful where your food comes from), and now I read that China is re-locating cemetaries to use the land for farming. I'm not sure I want to eat food where a concentration of human remains rested for a century, with/without formaldehyde, illness, etc. In any case, we all need to be our own advocate, and use the internet wisely. Good luck to all & stay healthy. (never trust anything you introduce your body to!)

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