The Canadian Environmental Law Association found that two antibacterial chemicals found in consumer products might need to be banned in Canada. The two chemicals, called triclosan and triclocarban, are used in products such as hand soap, plastic food containers, toothpaste, body wash and more, as there are approximately 1,600 products containing triclosan sold in Canada. The report condemned the chemicals, suggesting that Canada and the U.S as well as provinces and states bordering the Great Lakes should ban the chemicals found extensively in the waterway. The study looked at the chemicals’ impact on 18 different human health and environmental factors, including toxicity, endocrine activity, eye irritation and skin sensitivity.
Canadian federal government released a preliminary report on triclosan two years ago, stating that the chemical is not harmful to human health but can harm the environment when used in significant amounts.
