Environmentally Safer to Make Your Own Soap

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 26, 2010 -- Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom – It seems that everything contributes to pollution and global warming, even staying clean.(http://www.supersoapmakingsecrets.com)

The antibacterial agent, triclosan, which was first introduced as a liquid hand soap ingredient in 1987 has been a part of many controversies. The most popular of which dealt with the chemical's ability to disrupt hormonal function, as well its ability to promote bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Despite these characteristics, triclosan is still widely used as an antibacterial agent.

Research done this year has once again put triclosan in the spotlight. Studies done on the Mississippi river have shown that an increasing amount of dioxins derived from triclosan is polluting the river. The chemical turns into dioxins once it comes into contact with sunlight. This can occur once it gets release in wastewater treatment plants. Even after treating the water, the chemical can remain in the wastewater and when it is released into the environment, the sunlight converts it. Dioxins are environmental pollutants, which can be also detrimental to human health. The Mississippi river showed a 200 to 300 percent increase of four dioxins that could only be derived from triclosan.

Scientists admit, however, that the toxicity of the dioxins derived from triclosan are not well understood, nor do they have evidence that the extent of their distribution is large. Despite this, ignoring the situation of increasing dioxin levels shouldn't be done. Triclosan has been known to play a role detrimental to human health, so the situation should not be taken lightly.

“Triclosan is simply not a safe ingredient.” says Sandy Simmons, author of The Super Soap Making Book. “I'm baffled as to why the FDA still hasn't banned its use. It's bad for human health (in the long run) and now it's bad for the environment. It really makes more sense to make our own soap again. It's better for us and the environment.”

Simmons may be right. Making soap at home is known to be safer for the health, since soap makers can control which chemicals are used. It has also been known to be cheaper in terms of long term use. Now, it may be environmentally safer.

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