Disinfectants in consumer products

Over the last few years an increasing number of consumer products containing disinfectant substances, such as triclosan, chlorhexidine or quaternary ammonium compounds, have come onto the market. In particular, their inclusion in cleaning agents and in personal hygiene products, such as hand soap, shower gel, deodorant and toothpaste, has been on the increase. Producers claim that these supplemented products offer consumers increased protection against harmful micro-organisms. Because infections represent a considerable proportion of the burden of disease in our country, a greater use of disinfectant substances might yield benefits to health. At the same time, however, the disinfectant effect of the substances is due to the fact that they are toxic to certain organisms, with the corollary that they may be not entirely harmless. In the present report, the pros and cons are weighed against each other. Both the importance of disinfectants for public health and their effect on the environment are considered. Greater emphasis is placed on the former.