Scouts publicize dangers of 'antibacterial' soap

[Guest guest]

Im not sure where this article is from or who the author is. But

its def. worth reading.

 

Scouts publicize dangers of 'antibacterial' soap

 

A funny thing happened when Hannah Nesser tried antibacterial soap

to clean up the spores she cultured for a third-grade science fair.

A few of the bacteria didn't die. They grew.

 

Two years and hours of research later, Hannah is scheduled to

testify today before the Minnesota Senate Commerce Committee on a

bill to ban household antibacterial products. Joining the 11-year-

old St. Paul girl at the hearing are her father and 10 fellow

members of Girl Scout Troop 2173 who helped with the research.

 

One by one, the scouts in badge-covered green vests will tell

senators how household antibacterial products are little more than

an advertising ploy. They'll argue that these products, by not

killing all bacteria, could actually create super-germs that will

pose a threat to public health. And they'll offer scientific

evidence about triclosan, the active agent in most antibacterial

products, and its own potential health hazards.

 

The hearing is informational only. There is little chance the Senate

will try to ban household antibacterial cleaners during the same

session in which the House voted to take Sudafed off store shelves.

 

But Sen. Ellen Anderson, who submitted the bill on the girls'

behalf, said they have a legitimate public-health issue. The bill

first came up last year, but never received a hearing. Anderson

wondered if the girls would lose interest.

 

" These kids grew up; they got a year older, " said the DFL senator

from St. Paul. " I didn't know if they would still be interested.

Well, my gosh, they have done graduate-level research in the past

year. "

 

" They're very serious about this and they've done their homework

better than a lot of lobbyists at the Capitol do, " she said, " and

I'm serious. "

 

Between rock-climbing and cookie selling, the junior-level troop met

in the art room of the Capitol Hill magnet school to test various

bacteria samples. They collected water from Lake Como and samples

from surfaces in their school that were likely collection points for

bacteria.

 

They used special chemicals to grow the bacteria samples, testing

their resistance to different levels of soap containing triclosan.

 

They also reviewed research from the University of Minnesota and

conducted experiments at the Science Museum to test their theories.

 

In the end, they concluded household antibacterial soap kills 99.6

percent of germs if used long enough, but that regular soap kills

99.4 percent of germs. Given the potential for antibacterial

cleansers to create resistant germs, the products don't seem worth

the risk, the girls decided.

 

" People get tricked into thinking it kills all the bacteria, " said

11-year-old Emma Burnham. Antibacterial products surfaced in the mid-

1990s, she said, because they appealed to parents who thought they

would make their children safer.

 

Other members of the troop are Audrey Berdahl-Baldwin, Iris Smith,

Alison Hope, Tess Chudzik, Elizabeth Ericksen, Natalie Sherf,

Marissa Yetter, Sara Gannaway and Anna Amidon.

 

Initially, they started doing the research to earn a Bronze Award,

which is the Junior Girl Scout equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Later,

the girls met with their respective lawmakers. Then they waited and

waited for a chance to be heard.

 

When word came that a Senate committee would hear their proposal,

most of the girls admitted they were excited but nervous.

 

These aren't scientists, after all. In fact, some of the girls

admitted they hate science.

 

Their proposed ban would have a tremendous impact on retailers.

Triclosan is contained in 75 percent of household gel soaps and in

many types of toothpaste, in addition to dish soap and other

cleansers.

 

Scientists already have debated whether triclosan contributes to

antibiotic resistance, which is a public health problem because most

bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics.

 

Some studies have agreed with the scouts, while others have strongly

defended triclosan, said Pat Cleary, a microbiology professor at the

University of Minnesota.

 

He said a ban on household antibacterial products is too extreme,

but agreed such products are overused.

 

There are certain bacteria, he said, that actually help keep people

healthy and strengthen natural immune systems.

 

" I would kind of agree with the Girl Scouts, " Cleary said. " The idea

that you can keep people healthy by keeping people absolutely clean

is foolish. It just doesn't work that way. "

 

" I see uses for these antibacterials, " he added, " but I certainly

don't see that they ought to be in our toothpaste and our

mouthwash. "

 

Slated to speak today are spokesmen for the state's grocers and

retailers, and a spokesman for the nation's soap and detergent

manufacturers.

 

Gathered together last week, the girls arranged their parts of the

testimony and prepared a strategy to counter such polished

opponents.

 

" It'll be hard to disagree with us, " one girl said.

 

" Because we're so cute! " another finished.

 

The girls laughed, but they know it's a long shot.

 

 

" Even if it doesn't pass, " Marissa Yetter said, " we may get some

people aware of this. "