actually that's kind of not true. There's a throwaway line in the article where manufacturers have already started the process of removing the antibacterial compounds, before FDA guidance came in, because it seems like the market itself has already started to reflect the scientific wisdom; as in: People aren't that stupid. (Or maybe they're buying into the whole probiotic fad?)
You missed the part where the FDA lit a fire under the industry's ass in 2013 to prove antibacterial soap have value over non antibacterial soap and gave them a year timeline.
Everyone saw the writing on the wall that a ban was coming.
maybe it's the groups that I run in, but I know several people among my friends (with an admittedly small sample size since I don't often accompany them on shopping trips) who specifically avoid antibacterial soap, myself included.
You're a founder of a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit science research organization. I think it's safe to say it's the groups you run in. By contrast, my parents and family in the Midwest have no clue about it. Antibacterial means cleaner, right?
I wouldn't really call it stupidity, more like lack of information.
If I'm never told that antibacterial soap can harm the environment, then I might just show up at the store, see that one seems to be "better" and grab that one.
And I shouldn't have to spend an hour researching every item I find on my grocery store shelf. If we've done enough studies on an ingredient to know it's harmful, I'd rather there just be a law to not allow that ingredient.
