Most of the talk about kitchen sponges is about the number of bacteria they can harbor. Sure, that’s a very good point, but what about the effect of these disposable items on the environment?

How often do you change your kitchen sponge, once, twice a week? Imagine that it is repeated millions of times every week all over the world. That’s a lot of waste, especially since so many sponges are made from plastic, making them just another petroleum-derived item in our household.

While changing your sponge regularly is good hygiene practice, try to buy one that is made from cellulose fiber only, and that the cellulose comes from forest plantations or is recycled.

There is an added danger with many synthetic sponges these days; they are often infused with chemicals like triclosan. Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal agent and is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as a pesticide. It is also used in many antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes, and cosmetics.

Aside from mounting evidence linking triclosan to health problems, it is also believed to destroy fragile aquatic ecosystems; especially the algae that other animals may depend on, either directly or indirectly.

Since sewage and wastewater treatment plants cannot remove triclosan and the compound remains stable for long periods of time; is posing a growing problem in our waterways: It is now one of the most common man-made chemicals found in US streams.

Any sponge package that claims it’s antibacterial or odor destroying is probably best left on the supermarket shelf, as it likely contains triclosan or something equally environmentally harmful.

To help keep your “green” cellulose sponge free of nasty bacteria, try to keep it as dry as possible between uses. You can sterilize them by soaking them for a few minutes in boiled water, or try a diluted bleach/hydrogen peroxide solution.

In bacteria alone, it seemed that we had developed a great paranoia about these critters. Not only are there good bacteria, but in order to develop resistance to some of the less desirable ones, we need some exposure to them. While basic good hygiene practices should never be abandoned, all we do by disinfecting everything we touch is weakening our immune systems and producing more robust bacteria.