Super Eco

Photo credit: CathyK, stock.xchng

Microban is both a company and brand name. Microban-branded antimicrobial chemicals have been used in an immense range of consumer, industrial and medical products since the late 1980s. The active ingredient in Microban, Triclosan, is permanently added to the structure of products during manufacturing. It is designed to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew.

While companies that manufacture Microban-added products claim that Triclosan is safe, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered it as a pesticide. Its chemical formulation and molecular structure are similar to toxic chemicals such as dioxins and PCBs. The EPA scores Triclosan high for human health risks as well as environmental risks. Microban is approved by the European Union for use in food contact applications and has been shown not to taint food that come in contact with Microban-infused plastic surfaces. Microban is registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in medical and food-related products.

Microban's prolific and persistent use in long-lived products such as cutting boards and flooring have raised questions about its long-term effects on human health and the environment. Concerns exist over whether or not Microban may:

• set the stage for the development of resistant organisms
• show possible carcinogenic properties
• be liable to conversion by sunlight into dioxin
• produce chloroform when in contact with water

See also: Triclosan