Bethani+B’s+OpEd+Article

media type="file" key="antibacterials2.wma" align="center" width="300" height="45" ="Why Antibacterials Are Killing Us All"= by Bethani B media type="file" key="bethanib-muckraker-0910.mp3" I’m going to tell you why I cringe every time a teacher insists the students wipe down their desks with chemicals and uses the industrial sized bottle of hand sanitizer and when people use antibacterial soap. And why this makes sense even coming from an obsessive-compulsive hand-washing germaphobe.

First, the bad, but not the worst. Triclosan, a chemical used as an antibacterial agent in hand soap today, disrupts hormone balances in animals, cell growth and development, is thought to be a toxic carcinogen, and accumulates in the body. Triclocarban is another popular antibacterial, which causes cancer and reproductive problems. Not only that, but it resists water treatment. Antibacterials build up and contaminate our water. What are the things I’ve always thought of as pure? Soap and water. Soap is being ruined by ignorant, confused consumer demanding industrial chemicals. And now water. In the desperate, paranoia-driven strive to be “clean”, we’re more contaminated than ever.

Soap is made, and has been made since it’s invention, from plants and natural means. Today, it is most commonly made with lye. Not antibacterials. It washes off all of the germs from your hands and it is all you need to keep the contaminants at bay.

Now, before I tell you the part that makes me the angriest of all, let me tell you this: The FDA reported that there is no added benefit from using antibacterials opposed to plain soap and water. There is no reason for all of these effects I’m listing. We are just a society of sheep, that trusts chemicals above common sense. The safety of these chemicals are finally being called into question by everyone but the consumer. The FDA states that there is no evidence that they help prevent infections better than soap and that the resistant strains they create are very dangerous. Does it even occur to you that you’re consuming all these chemicals? You’re touching these chemicals to your face, it goes into the food you prepare, it's even in the detergent you wash your clothes with. It’s on your skin, it’s in your system, you feed them to your children.

But guess what else? The bacteria strains that already exist are producing more and more resistant strains every time you pump that hand-sanitizer dispenser. They are stronger and more deadly, new antibiotics have to be made just because of their use. Triclosan, especially, is known to encourage the growth of resistant bacteria. It kills people. It puts people in hospitals and there is almost nothing you can do but dump more antibiotics and everything you can think of in to them and hope it works. My last boyfriend was in the hospital for three months straight with one of these resistant strains. It kills people because you can’t be bothered with walking over to the sink, but you’re also too important to be bothered with a cold. Here’s the kicker to that, though: antibacterials do nothing to viruses. They’re just sitting on your hands swimming in the hand sanitizer you keep piling on, unharmed. You know how you can get rid of them? Wash it off with soap and water, down the drain. Plain soap and water. It is really very simple.

Antibacterials are contaminating water, animals, yourselves, and everyone else. Antibacterials kill people. If you really want to keep from getting that cold everyone’s got, wash your hands. With normal soap. Don’t touch your face until you have. Don’t eat until you have. Maybe even get one of those silly medical masks if you don’t trust me. It’ll keep you just as safe as any hand sanitizer or antibacterial wipe or soap will. Actually, I change that to MUCH, MUCH safer, considering that soap doesn’t create resistant infections and kill people and cause cancer. I hope this will change from being common convention to being the odd, ignorant customs of the past, like putting lead in face powder or mercury in hats.