A New York Times artcile (August 20, 2011) describes an FDA investigation of triclosan – an antibacterial ingredient used in hand soaps, toothpaste and kitchen cutting boards. The FDA and EPA are investigating whether the chemical is safe – now that 75 % of Americans over the age of five have it in their urine. Animal studies suggest that the chemical may alter hormone regulation or cause antibiotic resistance.  But the prevalence of the chemical across many household products suggests the widespread supply chain impact of a ban on the product. If they decide the ingredient is unacceptable, should the FDA just ban manufacturing ? Should sales be banned – thus requiring large amounts of inventory to be destroyed across the supply chain ? Should the bans be staggered across products to enable the industry to adjust by substituting triclosan with other acceptable ingredients ?