The Food and Drug Administration washed its hands of some chemicals in antibacterial products, saying there is no scientific evidence that they are better than plain soap and water.

With a the ban on these chemicals the FDA is acknowledging that they are not just ineffective, they are also concerning.

Plenty of marketing for antibacterial hand washes and body washes, however, the problem was there wasn’t ever really any science. For years, researchers have been trying to convince consumers that soap and water does just as good a job as antibacterial products when it comes to protecting you from disease.

Worse, some of the antibacterial chemicals have proven ill effects: they contribute to the growth of drug-resistant bacteria, cause health problems by destroying helpful bacteria that live on our bodies, and have the potential to disrupt our hormones and after they flow down our drains, they cause environmental damage.

“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”

All Sonett products are FREE from triclosan and triclocarban methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparabens. Sonett is made from 100% certified organic plant oils and is 100% biodegradable. All Sonett products are certified to the highest ecological standards. 

FDA Press Announcement - FDA issues final rule on safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps, Rule removes triclosan and triclocarban from over-the-counter antibacterial hand and body washes.

ABC News – FDA bans chemicals in antibacterial wash

Huffington Post – FDA Bans Antibacterial Chemicals From Consumer Soaps

The Guardian – Antibacterial soaps banned US FDA

The New York Times – FDA Bans Sale of Many Antibacterial Soaps, Saying Risks Outweigh Benefits

NZ Herald – As well as triclosan, the authors led by Erica Hartmann of the university of Oregon listed other common anti-bacterial chemicals including triclocarban, and methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparaben. These parabens are commonly found in many cosmetics and shampoos. Triclosan is also found in some toothpastes.