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Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 The Ripple Effect of Triclosan by Jean Radtke Have you ever heard of triclosan (also known as Microban® or Biofresh®)? If not, simply take a look around your home – you may be surprised by how many household products contain it. Triclosan is a common ingredient in anti-bacterial hand soap, facial cleansers, toothpastes, deodorant, cosmetics, personal care products, and even clothes and toys. Just check for the “Drug Facts” label, if it is an ingredient it will be included on the label. You may be wondering why I am talking about anti-bacterial soaps at the tail end of the cold and flu season, but the concern I want to share with you has a whole lot more to do with summer! According to a University of Minnesota study, which looked at triclosan levels in eight lakes including Lake St. Croix, the levels of triclosan byproducts in our lakes have increased by nearly 300% since the 1970s, and this ingredient comes mainly from municipal wastewater which comes right from our homes. Both the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommend against using anti-bacterial products in your homes because they provide little to no benefit. In fact, it kills both good and bad bacteria when you use it to wash your hands. What’s more, they can cause resistant strains of bacteria to emerge and increased risks of allergies. But how does the soap we use in our homes affect our lakes? When triclosan is washed down our drains and moves through the wastewater treatment process it is exposed to sunlight and chemicals like chlorine. This breaks it down into harmful dioxins and other carcinogens which persist in our environment for long periods of time, and these contaminants pose a risk to aquatic life. These risks have been taken seriously at the state level, and beginning in June 2013 you will no longer find anti-bacterial soaps in the bathrooms of any government building or public school. What’s a water savvy consumer like you to do? Follow the recommendations from the FDA and MDH and avoid using these products in your home. The next time you are out stocking up on hand soap or toothpaste, check the labels for triclosan, because what you do at home has a ripple effect far beyond your front door. Then gear up for some warmer summer weather out on the lake that you are helping to protect! For more information about triclosan in our water go to stateoftheriver.com, and for help in finding triclosan-free products go to http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/tr iclosan/what-to-do-about-triclosan/ Jenn Radtke is a Water Resource Educator for the East Metro Water Resource Education Program. She can be reached by email at jradtke@mnwcd.org.