In a lather over antibacterial soap

Should you be washing your hands or bathing your children with antibacterial soap?

The University of Texas student government and Canadian leaders say no. Many environmentalists and scientists agree.

The concern is triclosan, an antibacterial chemical used for more than 30 years in soaps, toothpastes, lotions and deodorant and marketed as a germ killer. But antibacterial soap does not work any better than regular soap, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other studies.

And there are growing concerns about the effect triclosan has on humans and what the chemical runoff does to plants and animals in lakes, streams and rivers.

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http://www.chron.com/life/article/In-a-lather-over-antibacterial-soap-34...