Ingredient Index

Is Triclosan banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No: the EU restricts triclosan to a short list of product types at 0.3% or less; in a twist, the US is stricter where it matters most, having banned it from consumer antiseptic washes in 2016.

CAS: 3380-34-5

What the EU does

Restricted, often misreported as banned. Under Annex V of the Cosmetics Regulation, triclosan is permitted as a preservative only in specific product types (toothpaste, hand and body soaps, deodorants (non-spray), face powders, nail cleaners) at a maximum of 0.3% (0.2% in mouthwash). Uses outside that list were removed in 2014.

The EU concerns were familiar antimicrobial ones: endocrine-activity signals in lab studies, environmental persistence in waterways, and the population-level worry that ubiquitous low-dose antibacterials breed resistance.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex V/25 (max 0.3%; restricted product types)

What the US does

Here the usual roles reverse. In 2016 the FDA banned triclosan (and 18 other actives) from consumer antiseptic wash products (the liquid soaps and bars that had built the "antibacterial" aisle) after manufacturers failed to show the additive made soap work better than plain soap and water. That rule eliminated triclosan's biggest US exposure source.

It remains legal in US toothpaste (Colgate Total used it under a drug approval for gingivitis benefits until reformulating in 2019) and in some other product categories. Net result: both jurisdictions squeezed triclosan, from different directions, and the marketing era of antibacterial everything is over in both.

Citation FDA final rule on consumer antiseptic washes, 81 FR 61106 (2016)

Products that commonly contain it

Triclosan's footprint has collapsed on both continents. It can still appear in:

Some toothpastes and mouthwashes (within drug or EU limits)
Deodorants (EU: non-spray, 0.3% cap)
Older "antibacterial" cutting boards, socks, and consumer goods (regulated outside cosmetics rules)
Hand soaps sold before 2017 (US ban compliance date)

What to look for on a label

Quick checks:

"Triclosan" in ingredient lists; "triclocarban" is the related bar-soap active, banned in the same FDA rule
"Antibacterial" soap claims post-2017 in the US rely on different actives (e.g., benzalkonium chloride)
Plain soap and water perform equivalently for home handwashing, the FDA's stated reason

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Frequently asked questions

Is triclosan banned in Europe?

No, restricted. It is permitted only in specific product types (toothpaste, soaps, non-spray deodorants, and a few others) at up to 0.3%, under Annex V of the Cosmetics Regulation.

Is triclosan banned in the United States?

Partially, and significantly. The FDA banned it from consumer antiseptic wash products in 2016 because makers couldn't demonstrate benefit over plain soap. It remains legal in some other categories, including toothpaste.

Why was triclosan in everything in the 2000s?

"Antibacterial" was a marketing gold rush. The science never showed household benefit over plain soap, and concerns about endocrine activity, environmental persistence, and antibiotic resistance eventually ended the era on both continents.

Is triclosan toothpaste safe?

The FDA approved triclosan in Colgate Total based on demonstrated gingivitis benefits, and the EU permits toothpaste use at 0.3%. Colgate nonetheless reformulated in 2019. Regulators on both sides treat the remaining uses as acceptable.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses