Two chemicals known as triclosan and triclocarban are used in a welter of consumer products, particularly antimicrobial soaps, personal-care products and other items of daily use. But extensive research has shown that these chemicals are often ineffective in safeguarding the public from harmful microbes and, further, pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Now, more than 200 scientists have joined together top call for a halt in the use of these products.