Triclosan ban bill in Minn. Senate stalls

A state Senate committee has stalled efforts to ban a substance commonly found in antibacterial soap.

Triclosan is causing environmental concerns, but a proposed ban on the chemical didn't receive enough votes to make it out of the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday.

Sen. Vicki Jensen of Owatonna was one of two DFLers who voted against the bill. She noted that supporters had agreed triclosan could still be used in medical facilities.

"There's obviously a benefit to it as well, so a complete ban didn't make sense to me," Jensen said. "How that would work with other states being able to do it ... I had some concerns about that."

Minnesota would have been the first state to ban triclosan. Jensen said she wants to hear the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration's conclusions about triclosan before moving forward with a state ban. Both federal agencies are studying the chemical.

Supporters of a statewide ban say they'll push for it again next year.

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