13 Apr 2005
Being too clean could be hazardous to your health

Once again the science community misses the mark - chloroform is the least of the problems with antibacterial soaps and cleansers. The real problem lies in speeding the evolution of newer, more virulent strains of bacteria (particularly staph types), resulting in more human infections.

Researchers have discovered that the use of antimicrobial soaps and other products may unnecessarily be directly exposing consumers to significant quantities of chloroform. Researcher Peter Vikesland has shown in his research that when the chemical triclosan, present in many antimicrobial soaps, reacts with chlorine in tap water, chloroform is produced. Chloroform is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a probable human carcinogen.

(link) [Science Blog]

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