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Are There Toxic Products in Your Home?

by Amy Greenberg

In the average American home you can find a toxic waste dump. Floor and furniture polish contain phenol, diethylene glycoland other toxic compounds; glass cleaners have ammonia; metal cleaners have phosphoric and sulfuric acids; oven cleanerscontain lye; drain cleaners have hydrochloric and sulfuric acids; all purpose cleaners contain ammonia and chlorine; and toilet cleaners contain paradichlorobenzene. Air fresheners, which are designed to "clean" the air, contain phenol, cresol,and formaldehyde.

According to the American Lung Association, the air inside a home can be up to ten times worse than outside air. And according to the Clean Water Fund, more than 290 million tons of hazardous waste are generated in the production of consumergoods each year. In addition to environmental impacts, these chemicals in homes expose us to many known and unknown health risks. Allergies, asthma, cancer, migraines, dizziness, nausea, eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation are just a few of the hazards of toxic chemicals in our homes. Only 7% of the 3,000 chemicals produced in amounts of 1 million pounds a yearhave been fully tested and "virtually no data" exists for about 50% of them. Furthermore, manufacturers of cleaning compounds don't have to tell you what's inside them. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 1988 hospital emergency rooms treated more than 9,000 patients for injuries related to household bleaches, and more than 60% were children. One U.S. child in 13 under the age of 6 will come in contact with a hazardous chemical, resulting in a call to a poison center.So why are we still using these products?

How To Tell If A Product Is Toxic:

We must distinguish between hazards arising from the use of a product and from its disposal. The determination of the hazards from product use is made by one of three federal agencies:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): regulates pesticides, insecticides, chlorine bleach, mildew removers, wood preservatives, rodenticides, fungicides.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): regulates food, drugs, cosmetics and personal care products.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): cleaners, non-chlorine bleach, wood finishes, other household items except food, drugs, cosmetics and personal care products.

The following four properties make products hazardous:

"Toxic:" poisonous or causes illness. Includes pesticides, solvents, paint stripper
"Flammable:" catches fire easily. Includes gasoline, paints, paint thinner, lighter fluid, aerosol products.
"Corrosive:" causes skin or eye burns. Includes drain cleaners, oven cleaners.
"Reactive:" causes chemical reactions. Includes chlorine bleach, ammonia, acids, bases.

What's On The Label?

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

"Caution" = least toxic
"Warning" = more toxic
"Danger" = most toxic and hazardous

The EPA does not allow "safe" to be used on the labels of pesticides. The above label warnings are all followed by phrases that identify specific health hazards and some environmental hazards. Labels must identify active ingredients, but not "inert" ingredients ("inert" ingredients may include solvents, detergents, propellants that pose their own hazard). The EPA has recently changed their regulation so labels have to say "other ingredients" rather than "inert ingredients". Detailed use information must be given - it is illegal to use a pesticide in any way contrary to the instructions on the container.

Food And Drug Administration (FDA):

Must list all ingredients; no specific signal words.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

"Caution" and "Warning" mean about the same.
"Danger" = most hazardous.

What's Not On The Label?

Carcinogens, Environmental hazards (except pesticides), and chronic health hazards

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Other label information that is important to note includes whether or not a product has volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The major sources of VOCs come from car and factory emissions, alcohol, butane, propane, and isobutane. VOCs contribute to ground level ozone, or smog, and can cause breathing difficulties and asthma attacks. Other sources of VOCs are products such as household cleaning products, floor polishes, charcoal lighter fluid, windshield washer fluid, and hair styling spray, gel, and mousse - whether in aerosol cans or spray pumps. (For more information on aerosol sprays, contact Products Chemical Company, 2707 Barber Court, Cleveland, OH 44113, (216)241-3545, (800)233-5078, FAX (216) 241-2626, and ask for "Myth vs. Reality")Be aware of advertising claims from product manufacturers that boast of being "environmentally safe", "biodegradable", "ozone friendly" and "recycled". The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with the cooperation of the EPA and the Office of Consumer Affairs, recently issued guidelines explaining various circumstances in which the FTC considers use of "green" advertising claims to be misleading. You may contact the FTC: Correspondence Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580 or call 202-326-2222. For a copy of the "Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims," call 202-326-3753While one product may be safer than another, other factors also need to be taken into account when deciding which product is best for the use intended, such as: "application, storage, and disposal of cleaning products, how the product is diluted, how to maintain proper ventilation in the area where the products are being used, and how to correctly use any cleaning equipment that is being employed." (Steve Ashkin, VP, Rochester Midland Corp., from Indoor Environment Review 4-98)

ALTERNATIVES TO TOXIC PRODUCTS

The Old Fashioned Way: "Elbow Grease!" The American consumer is inundated with advertising claims touting the advantages to speed, convenience and "fresh scent" while ignoring the health and environmental dangers. With a little "elbow grease." and non-toxic cleaners, you can get your home just as clean as with the toxic cleaners. Some non-toxic products need time to work. You can spray a shower with cleaner, leave it while you do something else, and come back to it later when the cleaner has had the dwell time to do the work for you. There are many books available with recipes for making your own cleaning products. Check your local library, used book stores, new book stores, the Internet, and your grandmother. Toxic cleaning products have only been in widespread use in this country for the last 50 years. Some commercial janitorial supply companies also carry a line of less toxic cleaning agents.Soaps are the simplest forms of cleaning agents. Soaps are usually in solid form, alkaline in pH and lather more slowly than detergents. Their cleaning and rinsing abilities are readily reduced by various water conditions such as hard or cold water. In general, they break down more quickly in the environment than some detergents.Soaps can be purchased in most grocery and health food stores in the laundry soap section. Other natural products that make great cleaning agents are: baking soda, soda ash, vinegar, and creme of tarter.

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