Minnesota Beats Rest Of Country In Banning Germ-Killer

But the people who spearheaded the law say it's already having its desired effect across the country.

The federal government caught up to Minnesota's 2014 decision with its own ban that takes effect in September 2017. Major manufacturers have largely phased out the chemical already, with some products being marketed as triclosan-free.

The backers of Minnesota's ban acknowledge that they can't take direct credit for the federal ban, but hope their efforts helped turn opinions against the chemical. They're confident the state's ban helped prod manufacturers to accelerate the phase-out.