Dangerous Household Cleaning Products: Go Green

The Children's Health Environmental Coalition estimates the average American has 3-10 gallons of hazardous materials in his/her home. The hazardous materials are found in a variety of places throughout our homes. Kitchens and bathrooms are probably the most ordinary places to store and use hazardous materials in the home.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed a study on Indoor Air Quality. The study noted that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in a variety of chemicals, some of which have short and long-term adverse health effects. They found that concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.

The EPA goes on to note the following:

"These organic compounds and chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products. Cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, aerosol sprays, disinfectants, moth repellants, air fresheners, and hobby products contain organic solvents/chemicals, as do paints, varnishes, and wax."

The study goes on to note that the pollutants found inside the homes were several times higher than outside the home regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas. Furthermore, additional EPA studies noted "that while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed."

The EPA notes the following regarding the Health Effects from use of these types of products/chemicals:

"Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, and damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness."

As you can see, dangerous household chemicals are found in many commonly used products in our home. It is clear these chemicals can cause health effects. In addition, they damage the environment. You may not believe your home generates enough household hazardous waste to cause a problem, but when you combine it with the waste from all the other homes in your community; you can begin to understand how household hazardous products can pose a danger to your health and the environment.

Did you know the Environmental Protection Agency has instituted policy that calls for all government agencies to consider purchasing Green cleaning products? It is called Environmentally Preferable Purchasing of Green Cleaning Products.

The US EPA notes the following:

"Cleaning products are necessary for maintaining attractive and healthful conditions in the home and workplace. In addition to the obvious aesthetic benefits of cleaning, the removal of dust, allergens, and infectious agents is crucial to maintaining a healthful indoor environment. But cleaning products can present several health and environmental concerns. They may contain chemicals associated with eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, or other human health issues.

Cleaning products are released to the environment during normal use through evaporation of volatile components and rinsing down the drain of residual product from cleaned surfaces, sponges, etc.

Certain ingredients in cleaning products can present hazard concerns to exposed populations (e.g., skin and eye irritation in workers) or toxicity to aquatic species in waters receiving inadequetly treated wastes. For example, alkylphenol ethoxylates, a common surfactant ingredient in cleaners, have been shown in laboratory studies to function as an "endocrine disrupter", causing adverse reproductive effects of the types seen in wildlife exposed to polluted waters.

Ingredients containing phosphorous or nitrogen can contribute to nutrient-loading water bodies, leading to adverse effects of water quality.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) in cleaning products can affect indoor air quality and also contribute to smog formation in outdoor air.

Spending approximately $230 billion annually on a large quantity and wide variety of products and services, the federal government leaves a large environmental "footprint." However, by purchasing environmentally preferable products and services, the federal government can wield its spending power to increase national demand for greener products as well as to help meet environmental goals."

According to FEMA:

"Hazardous materials can be found in a variety of places throughout our homes. Kitchens and bathrooms are probably the most ordinary places to store and use hazardous materials in the home. Cleaners, pesticides, mercury, batteries, soaps and detergents, medical supplies, and hygiene products ARE ALL CONSIDERED HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS MATERIALS."

Fema offers a free online course to educate consumers this subject. The course information is as follows:

IS-55 Household Hazardous Materials - A Guide for Citizens
http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is55.asp

Since 1950, at least 70,000 new chemical compounds have been invented and dispersed into our environment. Only a fraction of these have been tested for human toxicity. We are, by default, conducting a massive clinical toxicology trial, and our children and their children are the experimental animals.
[Source: Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Raising Children Toxic Free]

150 chemicals found in the home are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.
[Source: Consumer Protection Agency (CPA)]

3 groups of people are primarily affected by indoor chemical concentrations because they spend more time indoors and their immune systems are weaker. The 3 groups are: Infants and toddlers, Chronically ill, Elderly
[Source: 1988 EPA, 5-year study]

Liquid dish soap is the leading cause of poisonings in the home for children under the age of six (over 2.1 million accidental poisonings per year). Most brands of liquid dish soap contain Formaldehyde and ammonia. Of the chemicals found in personal care products: 884 are toxic, 146 cause tumors, 218 cause reproductive complications, 778 cause acute toxicity, 314 cause biological mutations, 376 cause skin and eye irritations.
[Source: United States House of Representatives Report, 1989]

Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home.
[Source: State of California Study]

Most laundry detergent contains a form of NTA. NTA is a substance we may reasonably anticipate to be a carcinogen.
[Source: The Merck Index]

Household Chlorine bleaches which claim to disinfect are classified as pesticides under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Inadvertently mixing bleach with other cleaners that contain ammonia produces a toxic chloramines gas. These toxic gases can cause coughing, loss of voice, a feeling of burning or suffocation, and even death.
[Source: Guide to Hazardous Products Around the Home, Household Hazardous Waste Project, 1989]

Women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside of the home.
[Source: 17- year EPA study]

As more toxic chemicals have been introduced to our everyday environment in greater amounts over the last 20 to 30 years, the level of toxins stored in dipose tissues (fat cells) of our bodies have risen. Bioaccumulation studies have shown that some toxins store in our bodies for life. Greater and greater amounts are being stored at younger ages. One study showed that in the fat of 100% of the people tested was 1,4-Dichlorobenzene, a chemical found in most household deodorizers and room fresheners. Some products release contaminants into the air right away, others do so gradually over a period of time. Some stay in the air up to a year. These contaminants, found in many household and personal care products can cause dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, eye/skin/respiratory tract irritations and some cause cancer.
[American Lung Association]

I believe from reading and viewing all the information on this site you can come away with only one conclusion....there is a real and present danger to the health of you, your family, your pets, and our planet by using traditional household cleaning products.

The problem is clear and the solution is even clearer. We must find alternative ways to clean our homes. There are plenty of good GREEN cleaning products for you to use. Research and find them. Don't believe the myth that GREEN cleaners do not work. That is factually untrue. Sure, there are some bad green products but there are also many good green cleaning products. What is the alternative, to continue to use toxic cleaners in your home that have known and unknown adverse health effects? That makes no sense.

When researching GREEN cleaning products, the overall best value takes into account performance, price, and environmental impact. Be careful with claims that the product is "environmentally friendly," "eco safe," etc. Just because the label makes such a statement does not mean it to be true. Look at the actual ingredients. Are the ingredients all natural or does the product contain chemicals?

Also, is the company consistent in their environmental approach? Do they carry through with environmental considerations in all aspects of their business? For example, does the company use reusable containers shipped in recycled cartons. Is the ink on the product made from environmentally-friendly ink?

Please do not procrastinate in making the change over to GREEN. And whatever you do please do not allow a bad experience with a GREEN cleaning products tarnish your outlook on all GREEN cleaning products. That was something I battled with at the beginning. I tried several different GREEN cleaners and was frustrated when many did not work as claimed. Instead of giving up I pressed on until I found cleaners that worked just as effectively if not better for the same price as traditional, toxic cleaners.

In the end, your switch to green cleaners will be the right thing for you and yours and those around you.

Monique
www.greenproducts4me.net