Every September, there is a morning when I wake up and think, “It’s the first day of school! I have to get the kids ready!” I sit up in bed, throw the covers back, then, of course, I remember that the kids are grown-ups and I don’t need to pack their lunches or fill their backpacks with school supplies. By the way, this is Susan, the mom, speaking to you this month. Anyhow, September always feels like the start of a new year to me. It’s filled with energy and promise, however it is also filled with antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer.
Is Antibacterial Soap Really Better?
School supply lists have changed over the years. I have noticed that antibacterial products seem to be on nearly every list. At the risk of sounding old, way back when I was in school, kids had colds and flu and all kinds of infectious diseases and weird viruses. We were messy. We shared desks, and probably didn’t wash our hands as carefully as we should have. And we just used regular soap – that was all we had. At first, the antibiotic soaps seemed like a great idea – modern science had made the world safer for kids. What parent would argue with that? Then I started to wonder, how much of this stuff is really helpful?
Why You Should Be Concerned
Looking beyond the natural inclination to protect our children, there are two main concerns about the use, or overuse of antibacterial products. First, as doctors and scientists have been saying for years, the overuse of antibiotics leads to resistant bacteria and actually weakens our immune systems.
The second concern is with Triclosan, a chemical often found in antibacterial products. Triclosan, functions as an antibacterial agent. The EPA, however, classifies it as a pesticide. They link it to hormone disruption and interference with human endocrine and immune systems. Recent studies have also found links between triclosan and asthma, allergies, and thyroid disease. According to the CDC, it is now being detected in breast milk. U.S. Geological Survey found the antibacterial in nearly 58% of freshwater streams. And because these streams are often used to irrigate crops, scientists are concerned that it is making its way into our food supply.
The FDA has been taking tentative steps to look into this problem for years. It has finally committed itself to publishing a tentative final monograph by December 16, 2013 and, after taking comments and reviewing data, to issuing a final monograph by September 15, 2016. The NRDC, (Natural Resources Defense Council), which supports the prohibition of triclosan in soaps, called it “outrageous” that the FDA has waited 35 years to take action.
Summary
So based on the current evidence, it seems that using soap that contains triclosan doesn’t make you any cleaner than using regular soap and water and may, in fact, be harmful. Antibacterial soap may be a comfort to worried parents. Everyone has to make their own decisions on these matters. But why are we requiring kids to purchase these products for school?
We started out making our all natural soap because it was fun to make, luxurious to use and it smelled great. My children are grown and out in the world, but I still worry about them and the world we have made for them. I think I’ll go make them some good old-fashioned soap now. Enjoy your September!