Antibacterial Soaps and Gels: A Moden Danger

Antibacterials pose a threat because of how they promote changes in microbiomes and bacterial communities (Aiello and Larson 2003). Through this website, we will outline the dangers antibacterial products pose, their impacts on the environment, and how to reduce these negative impacts.

Antibacterial Soaps and Gels

Antibacterial products are any product designed to stop or slow the growth of bacteria. In today's society, they are used as disinfectants and cleansers, and are seen as something promoting cleanliness and overall health. However, antibacterial products have a range of negative impacts on the environment. In 1994, marketing for at home cleaning products that contained antibacterial compounds was roughly a few dozen (Levy 2001), today, there are over 700 products.

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic marked the beginning of a new era of antibiotics. In March 2020, the U.K. saw a 255% increase in the purchase of antibacterial hand sanitiziers, with a 10% increase in soap purchases (Taylor 2020). With the purchase rates of these products at an all time high, their effects on the environments will only become more profound in the coming years.