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Chapter 7: Disinfectants and antibacterials · Part 3: Phenols

Triclosan

  • Poison schedule (Australia)
  • Contaminant risk
Also called
triclosan
Found in
older antibacterial soaps and dish detergents, some toothpaste and deodorant

The worst fact: the US FDA banned it from consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes from September 2017, because makers couldn't show it was safe for daily long-term use or better than plain soap. It was found in 74.6% of Americans' urine in 2003–04, and in Australian breast milk. In lab tests with chlorinated water it formed chloroform, and in water exposed to sunlight 3 to 12% of it turned into a low-chlorinated dioxin (2,8-DCDD).

Why brands use it: it lingers on skin and works well against common skin bacteria.

Take care if: you use several triclosan products: Australia's regulator found blood levels may rise in some people who use several. Australia classes it as "Toxic if inhaled" and an eye and skin irritant. It's a Schedule 6 Poison in cosmetics above 0.3%, and the EU bans it in hand-hygiene biocides.

Comes from: a chlorinated diphenyl ether, treated with aluminium chloride (made in benzene as the solvent).

Myth check: "Antibacterial soap beats plain soap": the FDA says there isn't enough evidence it prevents illness better than soap and water.

Contaminants: dioxins and furans. Pharmacy-grade triclosan must stay under 1 picogram per gram of the most toxic dioxin; Australia's regulator couldn't confirm all imports met that standard. They're unlikely in a well-made product, but it's a factor you can't see on the label.

Fair to say: Australia's regulator found the risk of chronic health effects from normal use low, and no evidence it was increasing resistant bacteria. Australian cleaning products used less than 1 tonne a year in 2009.

Correct as of November 2026. What the badges mean

Sources

  • Australian Government. Poisons Standard October 2026 (SUSMP), F2026L01327: didecyldimethylammonium salts; quaternary ammonium compounds; triclosan; o-phenylphenol; chlorocresol; p-dichlorobenzene; thymol; methanol; Appendix B.
  • Safe Work Australia. Hazardous Chemical Information System (HCIS): classifications for each chemical, and for benzene and benzyl chloride.
  • NICNAS. IMAP: cationic surfactants (2015). Priority Existing Chemical Assessment Report No. 30: triclosan (2009).
  • European Union. Regulation (EU) 474/2014 (1,4-dichlorobenzene); Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/110 (triclosan); Regulation (EU) 358/2014 (triclosan in cosmetics); Regulation (EU) 2019/831 (chlorophene); Regulation (EU) 2014/866 (cetrimonium chloride).
  • European Commission SCCS. Opinions on alkyl trimethylammonium chlorides (2009) and triclosan (2010).
  • HSDB (US National Library of Medicine), via PubChem: manufacturing, toxicity and impurity data.
  • Calafat AM et al. Urinary concentrations of triclosan in the US population. Environ Health Perspect 2008.
  • Toms LM et al. Triclosan in Australian breast milk. Chemosphere 2011.
  • Fiss EM et al. Formation of chloroform from triclosan-containing products. Environ Sci Technol 2007.
  • Latch DE et al. Photochemical fate of triclosan. Environ Toxicol Chem 2005.

The full source list is at the end of Chapter 7.