Ecological Impact

Human Health Risks

Superbugs are a danger to humans and wild animals alike. The presence of superbugs creates bacterial infections that cannot be treated with current antibiotics. In multiple places across the world, cases of vancomycin-resistant bacteria have already emerged. In humans, an overabundance of antibacterial absorption can also trigger allergic responses and cause people to develop digestive tract complications. Additionally, some new studies have found that overexposure to antibiotics may create up to an 18% increased risk of cancer in humans (Petrelli et al. 2019).

When people interact with antibiotics, there is a risk of disrupting the natural microbiota of our bodies, particularly the bacteria-rich ecosystem in our digestive system. The damage to the natural microbiota in humans can cause not only digestive diseases but metabolic and neurological disorders as well, especially in children (Bottery et al. 2020).

Antibacterials in Nature

Antibacterial compounds in the environment cause destruction of bacterial microbiomes, such as those in soil, leading to changes throughout every trophic level. Due to the bacterial origins of both mitochondria and chloroplasts, they are highly affected by antibacterials, often resulting in toxicity to plants. It is predicted that 67% of all farm animals will be exposed to antibiotics through soil by the year 2030 (Poliancuic et al. 2020). As unneeded antibiotics continue to work their way up the food chain, eventually affecting animals and plants that humans eat, they become a silent issue for humans.

Antibacterial products that have leached into water and soil don't just kill bacteria, they can also damage archaea, viruses, and other microorganisms (Grenni et al. 2018). By destroying the lowest trophic levels in the food web, every other level, from plants to consumers, will be negatively affected.

In addition, the presence of antibiotics can directly influence the growth of resistant populations. As non-resistant individuals are killed entirely or made unable to reproduce through antibiotics, the antibiotic-resistant organisms will continue to thrive. As they can easily out-compete the non-resistant strains, the resistance in the community will continue to grow (Bottery et al. 2020). With more growth of bacteria-resistant bacteria comes more cases of severe illnesses and unstable environments.

Plastic Production

Mass-produced hand sanitizers and soaps come in plastic containers, which only add to the growing pollution problems Earth already faces. A quick search will tell you that humans are already producing approximately 300 million tons of plastic waste per year, a number that continues to climb. Containers and packaging make up the highest percentage of this waste, annually generating 14.5 million tons of waste in the U.S. alone ("Plastics: Material-Specific Data | US EPA" 2021).