Recently, there has been a big push for hand sanitizers in grocery stores as well as department stores such as Walmart. As soon as you walk into one of these places, you’ll find free hand sanitizer by their shopping carts. While this may seem like a convenience to the consumer, it may have detrimental effects as well.
A new study revealed that hand sanitizers can increase BPA in your system. Additionally, antibacterial sanitizers contain triclosan or triclocarban, which kills the good bacteria that protects your immune system. You can also find triclosan or triclocarban in hand soaps, dish detergents and toothpaste.
The EPA website states that triclosan can be “used as a material preservative in mattresses, plastics, textiles (footwear and clothing), toys and adhesives”. Additionally, “Triclosan was first registered as a pesticide in 1969″.
The study can be found in the article, “Holding Thermal Receipt Paper and Eating Food after Using Hand Sanitizer Results in High Serum Bioactive and Urine Total Levels of Bisphenol A (BPA)“.
According to Colleen Rogers, Ph.D., a lead microbiologist at FDA, antibacterial soap products are not any more effective at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water.
Seeking Alpha reported the following:
More than 27 studies have shown it to be ineffective as an antibacterial. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences published a report that triclosan dramatically impairs heart and skeletal muscle contractility. Triclosan is also reported to disrupt the endocrine system. Tufts University published aWhite Paper detailing some of the dangers of triclosan and its lack of effectiveness as an anti-bacterial. Tufts’ White Paper also describes how pervasive triclosan has become in humans and the environment. Triclosan is so widespread that it has been found in 75% of all of the urine samples analyzed and was also found in 57% of all of the United States waterways.
Triclosan was registered with the EPA as a pesticide in 1969 and may besimilar in chemical structure to the deadly chemical Agent Orange meaning that hundreds of millions of consumers all around the world may have unknowingly been brushing their teeth, cleaning their bodies, and using everyday household products with a dangerous pesticide similar to Agent Orange.
Numerous class action lawsuits are in motion against companies who have been using triclosan in their products, including Colgate Palmolive and Dial Corporation.
On July 27, 2010, a class action lawsuit was filed against the Food and Drug Administration by the Natural Resources Defense Council for failing to issue a final ruling to regulate the chemicals triclosan and triclocarban. The lawsuit asked the court to impose a strict deadline for FDA to finalize the rule, which has been pending for 32 years.
As of this date in 2015, the FDA has still refused to rule against the use of triclosan and triclocarban.
For now, your best bet is to use organic soap.
Sources:
1.) http://www.epa.gov/testmike/oppsrrd1reregister/REDs/factsheets/triclosan_fs.htm
2.) http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/triclosan/triclosan-questions.htm
3.) http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0110509
4.) http://seekingalpha.com/article/1947441-fda-triclosan-ban-may-ignite-record-class-action-lawsuits-stock-implications
5.) http://www.gotaclassaction.com/colgate-named-in-class-action-lawsuit-over-sale-of-softsoap-antibacterial-hand-soaps/
6.) http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/dial-complete-antibacterial-hand-wash-soap-class-action-lawsuit
7.) http://www.nrdc.org/media/2010/100727.asp
Source: BodyMindSoulSpirit
About the Author:
Gregg Prescott, M.S. is the founder and editor of In5D andBodyMindSoulSpirit. He hosts a weekly spiritual show on In5D Radio and promotes spiritual, metaphysical and esoteric conferences in the United States through In5dEvents. His love and faith for humanity motivates him to work relentlessly in humanity’s best interests 12-15+ hours a day, 365 days a year. Please like and follow In5D on Facebook as well asBodyMindSoulSpirit on Facebook!