Guest blog courtesy of Microban.
Consumer safety is a fundamental concern for us. All of the antimicrobials used by Microban® are registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their specific use in the products in which they are used, and have a history of safe use as directed in consumer, industrial and medical applications around the world.
Are Microban antimicrobials safe to use in products?
Microban technologies undergo regular and vigorous testing. Risk assessments by independent scientists, scientific bodies and governmental agencies (including EPA, FDA and regulatory authorities in Europe and Canada) are intended to evaluate the impact of antimicrobials on human health and safety, and have consistently reconfirmed our antimicrobial additives at the levels approved for use in consumer, industrial and medical products. The size and specific biological systems of microorganisms make them susceptible to antimicrobial agents at levels of exposure that are not harmful to human health.
Because our antimicrobial additives are built into the products themselves, using products protected with Microban protection does not result in consumer exposures or transmission directly into the environment in the way that products like disinfectants or liquid antibacterial soaps might during use.
EPA Regulations
Regardless of whether antimicrobial technology is incorporated within a product during manufacturing or applied to a finished product, it is classified by the EPA as a pesticide since it prevents the growth of microorganisms. You can learn more about the EPA's regulation of antimicrobial pesticides, including those that are integrated during manufacturing, on their website.
ECHA Regulations
Similarly, the European Chemicals Agency, or ECHA, classifies antimicrobials products as biocidal products, meaning they are intended to “protect humans, animals, materials, or articles against harmful organisms like pests or bacteria, by the action of the active substances contained in the biocidal product.”
Additional Regulatory Bodies
For textiles, we also go through the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, which is an independent testing and certification system for textiles. This process goes deeper than federal laws do, holding our textiles to a higher standard for the safety of consumers.
Additionally, we utilize the bluesign® system which regulates the environmental impact of production for textiles so you know that products with Microban protection are not only safe for your home, but safe for the environment as well.
No matter where your company operates, we ensure proper registration and approval of our technologies for their specific use so that it is clear that products featuring Microban antimicrobial protection are safe to use for all end-users.
Other Concerns
Do antimicrobials cause resistant strains of microorganisms?
After more than 30 years of use in numerous consumer, industrial and medical applications around the world, there has been no evidence of resistant strain development.
In conclusion, the answer to the question, “Are Products Featuring Microban Technology Safe to Use?” is YES. Contact Microban to learn more about and effective Microban technologies and their applications!