EPA To Reexamine Triclosan’s Safety

Triclosan is among 19 pesticides that EPA will review again this year for safety, the agency announced last week. EPA reexamines the registration of a pesticide every 15 years to ensure that its safety assessment is based on current scientific data. Triclosan, which is also an antimicrobial agent, is an exception. The agency examined triclosan in 2008, but it opted to review the substance again this year given the growing amount of scientific data on the chemical, including its endocrine-related effects. EPA regulates the use of triclosan as an antimicrobial agent in conveyor belts, fire hoses, and ice-making equipment and as a preservative in toys, toothbrushes, footwear, and carpeting. FDA, meanwhile, has jurisdiction over triclosan used in anti­microbial soaps and some toothpastes. But FDA is under fire over the chemical. A federal appeals court in mid-March ruled that the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, can sue FDA for failing to regulate triclosan in personal care products. The court said NRDC provided evidence that triclosan “is potentially dangerous.”