Unfortunately, tricolosan is probably only the edge of the iceberg.

There are thousands of chemicals which are put in our cosmetics, household products and even food, whose safety was never tested with the same strict criteria that the safety of medications is tested.

In many of them the safe levels were determined based on animal studies, in which the lethal dose was checked. There is no data regarding their effect on behavior, neurological, endocrine and reproductive functions or even risk of cancer with cumulative exposure to those seemingly safe levels.

Some of them ( those in which there is some concern regarding effect on the respiratory system or neurological toxicity) there is a recommendation to use them in restricted amounts. But, even if you restrict their concentration in a certain product, how do you control the exposure to other products containing the same substance? And why should we continue to expose ourselves and our off-springs to substances that are potentially neurotoxic just because they confuse our senses to think that they smell and look good?

Cosmetic and cleaning products can contain "fragnance" or "perfume".Under this innocent appearing name they can hide an enormous amount of chemicals which they do not have to disclose (unless those have been clearly proven to cause cancer).

The voice of environmental groups trying to fight this is a quite whisper in the chorus of loud voices of the various industries that make a lot of money from this. Every day a new "safe" substance is found to turn male frogs into females, have significant effects on our endocrine system and that of our children who were exposed in utero, is suspected in causing behavioral problems in children and the list goes on and on.

In our own household we can't totally avoid exposure to those substances, but we can at least minimize it as much as possible.
If we all do that, industry will realize that people don't buy their merchandise, they will hopefully pay more attention to what they put in what they are trying to sell. It might not smell and look as good, but it will definitely be healthier.

The fact that some cosmetics are at least trying to fool us to think that they are made of natural and organic substances, and the perfume industry is trying to set criteria for restricted or even prohibited chemicals, shows that possibly they are starting to take the first steps in the right direction.

The fact that those who try to fight this, are no longer seen as paranoid or making conspiracy theories. The fact that serious journalists write about it in leading papers gives some hope that this will eventually change.