Press release: New MN soap law kicks in January 1, 2017

New MN soap law kicks in January 1

Triclosan ban a win for public health and the Mississippi River

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, December 21, 2016

St. Paul — Beginning January 1, 2017, consumer hand and body washes sold in Minnesota can no longer contain the chemical triclosan.

“While this change will be imperceptible for consumers, this is a major victory for both water quality and public health," says Whitney Clark, executive director of Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), the Twin Cities-based nonprofit that led the effort to ban the chemical in consumer products.

"It's also a testament to the ability of average Minnesotans to come together, regardless of their political leanings, to protect our water, our wildlife, and our communities," Clark added.

Triclosan and the river

In 2012 FMR learned from local researchers that triclosan, a common additive in soaps marketed as antibacterial, breaks down into cancer-causing chemicals known as dioxins in the river. The research received public attention after its inclusion in the “State of the River Report,” a project of FMR and the local Mississippi River unit of the National Park Service.

Triclosan was developed in the 1960s and introduced in 1972 for use in health care facilities. While the Food and Drug Administration has long acknowledged that there is no evidence to support claims that it provides any health benefit beyond washing hands with normal soap and water, it’s been increasingly added to a wide variety of household products.

Today the antimicrobial is ubiquitous, found in liquid soaps, toothpaste, cosmetics, deodorants, other personal care products — even sportswear.

In 2009, University of Minnesota researchers discovered that triclosan generates four specific dioxins when exposed to sunlight. In 2012, scientists from the university's Institute of Technology, Pace Analytical (Minneapolis), the Science Museum of Minnesota and Virginia Tech found that these “triclosan-derived dioxins” had increased 200-300 percent in river sediment in Lake Pepin, an enlargement of the Mississippi River roughly 60 miles south of the Twin Cities.

Nationally, triclosan has been identified in 58 percent of rivers and streams in the nation, and in Minnesota lakes that receive treated wastewater.

Triclosan and human health

Today, about 75 percent of Americans test positive for triclosan in their urine. It also shows up in the breast milk of nursing mothers.

Triclosan has been linked to increased allergy susceptibility for people and research suggests it may pose risks to healthy reproduction, hormone development and muscle function in animals.

"Unfortunately, people are assuming an added health benefit, and it’s not there," says Russell.

First in the nation

The fall 2012 launch of the State of the River Report generated a great deal of media attention with many reporters focused on the the newly discovered pollutant. As public awareness grew, so did momentum toward a state solution.

In March 2013, Gov. Mark Dayton issued an Executive Order barring state agencies from buying products that contained triclosan. And in 2014, legislation to phase triclosan out of over-the-counter soaps and body washes was signed into law.

FMR said several environmental and public health groups were essential to its passage, including the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, Conservation Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, Healthy Food Action, and the Minnesota Medical Association.

Individual citizens played a key role as well, Russell noted. All told, roughly 1,300 Minnesotans asked their legislators to support the initiative, passing with the bipartisan support of 168 legislators.

FDA follows suit

Fall 2016 the Food and Drug Administration announced a ban on triclosan and 18 other chemicals used in consumer hand and body wash products. The ruling was a national victory for environmental and public health advocates who have worked for years to secure federal action.

Senator John Marty DFL-Roseville authored the original triclosan ban bill in the Minnesota Senate. Soon after, in his newsletter, he predicted that it would lead to other state bans and FDA action. “This is precisely what happened, showing that our work in Minnesota can have a broader, national impact,” says Marty.

Marty also noted that Minnesota's leadership put significant pressure on manufacturers: "While triclosan was once used as a marketing ploy to make consumers believe they were buying a superior product, it's now a liability to product marketing. One major toothpaste company still adds triclosan, but its competitors do not, and many now advertise that their toothpastes are 'triclosan free.'"

Toothpaste is one of the products that the Minnesota law and FDA rule do not apply to. Shampoos, body lotions and other personal care products are also not covered.

Nevertheless, supporters of environmental and public health say this is a milestone worthy of celebration.

"As we approach the 2017 Legislative session," noted FMR's Whitney Clark, "It's a good time to reflect and celebrate our ability to reach across the aisle and protect what's important to us as Minnesotans — healthy rivers and lakes, and healthy communities."

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Potential sidebars and images

So, how should we wash our hands?

Minnesotans should follow the recommendations of the Minnesota Department of Health and wash hands with warm water and plain soap. Additional information on hand washing is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The State of the River Report"

Produced by Friends of the Mississippi River and the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area unit of the National Park Service, the “State of the River Report” seeks to answer the question: “So, how is the Mississippi River?” It highlights 14 key indicators of river health and presents each in a way non-scientists can understand.

The inaugural 2012 State of the River Report spurred a series of river management milestones, including closure of the Upper St. Anthony lock, statewide phase-outs of triclosan and coal tar sealants, and improved targeting of state clean water funds.

Released this fall, the updated 2016 State of the River Report has refocused attention on the importance of agricultural water pollution while alerting Minnesotans to the rise of newly identified pollutants like microfiber pollution from fleece and other synthetic clothing.

The full reports — as well as related teacher’s, stewardship and policy guides — are available at www.StateOfTheRiver.com.

 

Suggested image:

High-resolution public domain image available to download at http://www.pixnio.com/people/child-is-taught-to-wash-hands-at-kitchen-sink

 

About FMR

Friends of the Mississippi River engages citizens to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Learn more at www.FMR.org.

 

Media Contacts

• Trevor Russell
Water Program Director
612.388.8856 - cell, available until Friday 12/23 at noon then out 'til 12/31 
trussell@fmr.org

• Whitney Clark
Executive Director
612.812.7499 - cell
wclark@fmr.org

• Additional coordination and support available from
sue rich
Communications Manager
651.222.2193 x14 (office)
srich@fmr.org