Key Hand Sanitizer Ingredient May Cause More Harm than Good

Triclosan can impair thyroid function, upset estrogen and testosterone levels, and promote problems that could interfere with fetal development.

by Wenonah Hauter

Every year, U.S. consumers spend an estimated $1 billion on household and personal care products to shield themselves from a host of unseen germs. Yet many items marketed for their so-called "anti-bacterial" properties contain an ingredient perhaps more insidious than the microorganisms they're designed to combat: triclosan.

Invented by the chemical company Ciba in the 1960s to kill germs in medical settings, triclosan now appears in an array of popular hand-sanitizers, soaps, toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, clothing, and children's toys. Yet a mounting body of scientific evidence shows that the chemical is no more effective at killing germs than plain soap and water. And it may cause more harm than good.