Francisco Romero/istockphoto
DCL
Germophobes: Are You Unknowingly Poisoning Dolphins?
Sorry, Flipper. You could be swimming in a sea of toxic Triclosan, the antibacterial compound commonly found in human personal care products like hand soaps, dish soaps, sanitizing hand gels and even toothpaste.
A recent research study found levels of the toxic pollutant in the blood of bottlenose dolphins, our incredibly smart and people-loving marine mammals.
But unless the dolphins are scrubbing down their flippers with anti-bacterial soaps and brushing their pearly whites three times a day, this is evidence that our less-sustainable, squeaky clean "human" ways do have a cause and effect.
It's simple. We use toxic products and those products end up washing down the drain, ending up in our wastewater and then our waterways.
If we don't make a conscious effort to use green personal care products, Flipper faces a serious issue. And he's not alone. Triclosan effects us too since it is a proven endocrine disruptor, meaning it has the capacity to alter our natural hormone balance--potentially resulting in cancer.
The take-away: seek out all-natural, biodegradable, Triclosan-free brands like Lloyd lists here in his post on TreeHugger. My personal favorites include Dr. Bronner's for body wash and hand soaps, Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid, and Tom's of Maine Toothpaste. They are just as effective as killing germs as the anti-bacterial brands and are surefire ways to keep us and our sea creature friends like Flipper healthy.
::Care2