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Triclosan: Regulation and Policy
NEW:
Beyond Pesticides tells FDA that triclosan is too hazardous to the aquatic
environment
(May 24, 2010) In comments to the FDA in response to the agency's request
for environmental data regarding tricosan's use in certain over the counter
products, Beyond Pesticides and others urged the agency to comply with
the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), complete environmental
assessments for triclosan and reminded the agency that it must recognize
that significant adverse environmental impacts will occur with continued
triclosan use.
Read comments and
Daily
News Blog
FDA
and EPA respond to calls to ban triclosan (April 8, 2010). Prompted
by a 2009 petition
by Beyond Pesticides, Food & Water Watch and others outlining the
dangers associated with triclosan and echoed by Rep.
Markey's (D-MA) letters
of concern, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded,
"existing data raise valid concerns about the [health] effects of
repetitive daily human exposure to these antiseptic ingredients,”
and announced plans to address the use of triclosan in cosmetics or other
products.
In its response, EPA maintains that the agency does not currently plan
to reevaluate its regulations surrounding the use of triclosan until 2013.
- For Beyond Pesticides' analysis, read the Daily News Story
- Read the FDA letter
- Read the EPA letter
- Washington Post coverage of FDA and EPA's response
Beyond
Pesticides and others petition EPA to ban consumer uses of triclosan
(January 14, 2010). Beyond Pesticides, Food & Water Watch and 80 other
organizations petitioned EPA to ban triclosan for non-medical applications
on the basis that those uses violate federal laws regulating pesticide
registration, clean and safe drinking water, and endangered species.
- Read petition and Daily News blog entry.
- See the list of environmental and public health groups supporting the petition.
- Want to show support? You can still sign your group on as a supporter of the petition.
Beyond
Pesticides and others petition FDA to ban consumer uses of triclosan (July
14, 2009) Beyond Pesticides and Food & Water Watch petitioned FDA
to ban triclosan for non-medical applications on the basis that those
uses violate federal law.
- Read petition and Daily News blog entry.
- Want to show support? You can still sign your group on as a supporter of the petition.
Groups tell EPA to restrict triclosan (December 29, 2008). Groups sign statement seeking to restrict triclosan citing EPA health and environmental standards too weak (read comments to EPA). Tell EPA to ban the non-medical uses of triclosan.
EPA releases
triclosan RED, allows continued use of toxic chemical (October
29, 2008). The EPA released its final Reregistration Eligibility Decision
(RED) document for triclosan which contained several amendments to the
risk assessment as a result of comments submitted by Beyond Pesticides
dozens of public health and environmental groups. However, despite many
lingering issues related to triclosan's continued threat to human and
environmental health, the agency concluded that triclosan is eligible
for reregistration.
Groups Tell
EPA to Stop Uses of Anti-Bacterial Consumer Products
(July 7, 2008). In
comments to EPA on its new risk assessment and evaluation of the widely
used anti-bacterial chemical triclosan groups point to health and environmental
effects and call for end to consumer products. Read the press
release and comments
to EPA.
FDA asks for data on triclosan (October, 25, 2005) The Non-Prescription Drug Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a call for further research regarding the risks and benefits of specific consumer antibacterial products. Read petition and press release
Regulating
Antibacterials
In general, EPA regulates all of the pesticidal uses of antibacterials when they are used as a preservative, a fungicide, or a biocide, such as with Microban® in plastics. Articles or products that claim to be effective in controlling microorganisms such as E.coli etc, must be registered as a pesticide, once the product makes a public health claim that goes beyond the use of the pesticide as a preservative to protect the product itself.
According to the EPA,
..
"FIFRA [Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act ]
does not allow companies to make public health pesticidal claims for any
product distributed or sold unless the product has been approved and registered
by EPA or is covered by an exemption from registration. EPA is concerned
about these claims because, in addition to being unlawful, they are also
potentially harmful to the public (e.g., if people believe that a product
has a self-sanitizing quality, they may become lax in their hygiene practices).
Practicing standard hygiene practices has been proven to prevent the transmission
of harmful microorganisms and, therefore, reduce the possibility of public
health risk."
For more information visit EPA's Consumer Products Treated with Pesticides
| Did
you know…? All uses not applied to the human body (bathroom and kitchen cleaners, hospital disinfectants), that make pesticidal claims, such as “kills bacteria and mildew” are regulated by EPA as pesticides. In spite of shared responsibility, the FDA and the EPA have done little to warn consumers of the possible health and environmental effects of triclosan. |