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Questionable additive okay for toothpaste but not hand soap?

Flickr - Brooke Singer

Starting in 2017, the state of Minnesota will ban the use of an antibacterial chemical in consumer products. Triclosan has been found in the waters and fish of the Great Lakes, and a number of health organizations in Canada are urging their government to ban the chemical as well.Yesterday, an article in Bloomberg looked at the process of how triclosan was considered for use in some brands of toothpaste. Current State's Melissa Benmark speaks with article's author, Tiffany Kary, to learn more about the potential dangers of triclosan.

This segment is supported by Michigan State University's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. More news about the Great Lakes environment can be found at GreatLakesEcho.org and on Current State every Tuesday as part of our partnership.

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