FDA Bans 19 Antimicrobial Soap Ingredients

So many things went through my mind after the initial and loud cheer when I first read this announcement.

The first thing was my happiness about the act. Then I got scared because…the FDA has resisted this action since the 1970s and this ingredient list effects so many products (almost any soap that makes an “antibacterial claim”) that – there had to be serious pushback from the industry. What looming catastrophe caused them to finally do this? What sort of danger are we in?

Many of the banned ingredients are already banned in the EU and Canada. They are suspected hormone disruptors, bio-accumulative and known aquatic pollutants.

So now what?

All I can say is, if you know anything about DDT, it was banned in the 60s and we are still dealing with the long-term effects of this powerful environmental toxin and pollutant. This new FDA ban currently only applies to soap; these ingredients are also used in toothpaste, mouthwash, and other products.

So – FDA – now what?