Ingredient Index

Is Triclocarban banned in Europe?

Banned in US only

Reversed case. The US barred triclocarban from over-the-counter antibacterial wash soaps in 2016. The EU still permits it in cosmetics within strict limits, while its scientists keep reviewing it.

CAS: 101-20-2 Also seen as: Triclocarban, TCC

What the EU does

Permitted, with limits. The EU allows triclocarban in cosmetics under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, as a preservative on Annex V at a maximum of 0.2 percent and for other uses on Annex III, under conditions set by Regulation (EU) No 358/2014. So it is restricted, not banned.

That could change. The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety reviewed triclocarban and triclosan as possible endocrine disruptors and issued advice in 2023, part of the EU program examining hormone-active cosmetic ingredients. For now, the European position is dose control rather than prohibition.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex III and Annex V (triclocarban), as amended by Regulation (EU) No 358/2014; SCCS advice on triclocarban and triclosan (2023)

What the US does

Banned from wash soaps. On 2 September 2016 the FDA issued a final rule finding that triclocarban, along with triclosan and 17 other active ingredients, was not generally recognized as safe and effective for over-the-counter consumer antiseptic wash products. Companies had to remove it from those soaps, and it left the US consumer wash market in 2017.

This is a reversed case with a twist: the US action was specific to wash soaps and rested on a lack of proven benefit over plain soap and water, together with safety questions. It did not sweep triclocarban out of every possible product, but it ended its main consumer use, which the EU still permits under limits.

Citation FDA final rule, 81 FR 61106 (2 September 2016), OTC consumer antiseptic wash products

Products that commonly contain it

Triclocarban is relevant mainly in:

Antibacterial bar and liquid soaps, barred from the US consumer market since 2017
Some EU cosmetics and personal-care products, within the 0.2 percent preservative limit
Older or imported products that predate the US rule

What to look for on a label

On a label, triclocarban is listed by name:

Look for "triclocarban" or "TCC" in a cosmetic or soap ingredient list
US consumer antibacterial wash soaps should no longer contain it
In the EU, it may appear within the permitted concentration limit

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Frequently asked questions

Is triclocarban banned in Europe?

No. The EU permits triclocarban in cosmetics within strict limits, including a 0.2 percent preservative cap, and is reviewing endocrine concerns.

Why did the US ban it?

A 2016 FDA final rule found it was not generally recognized as safe and effective for over-the-counter antibacterial wash soaps, which removed it from that market in 2017.

Is it the same as triclosan?

No, but they are close cousins and were covered by the same 2016 US wash-soap rule; triclosan has its own page.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed October 1, 2026 · How we assign statuses