I hope health and safety measures are taken in Pakistan as well
KARACHI: Recently, new information has stirred up debate on social media and in international newspapers regarding certain ingredients found in daily-use items that have been categorised as carcinogens. One such ingredient is triclosan, which is found in toothpastes and liquid hand soaps. According to a report, triclosan in cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoos and toothpaste has been found to trigger liver cancer in laboratory mice, raising concerns about its safety for humans. The link between triclosan and liver cancer in laboratory mice is relevant to human health because the chemical may cause similar hazards to humans. While international organisations have begun research seeking preventive measures to remove risky items from shelves, I hope something is done in our country to check and control the spread of unwarranted ingredients like triclosan.
Triclosan was first developed in the early 1970s for use in surgical hospital scrubs and since then, it has become the most ubiquitous antibacterial component of a wide range of consumer products ranging from shower gel to floor wax.
Secondly, just recently in India, local authorities found dangerous levels of lead in a batch of a famous brand of instant noodles. Raising concern over this finding, India’s assistant commissioner for food safety in Uttar Pradesh conveyed in an interview that lead levels found could potentially be life-threatening, and a criminal complaint was filed in a local court.
I hope health and safety measures are taken in Pakistan as well. The public should work to ensure that the government acts to ascertain the quality of products that are available to consumers, as elements like triclosan and many others can prove harmful to Pakistan’s collective human health and to our future generations.
M Farooq
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2015.
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