EDUCATE
YOURSELF
ARE SOME
HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS TOXIC ?
Just because we find
cleaners
in our grocery stores,
we cannot assume they
are safe.
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ØHousehold cleaners with toxic chemicals fall under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. These products must have labels with SIGNAL WORDS – DANGER, POISON, WARNING, CAUTION. |
Ø There is no federal regulation requiring testing before cleaners go to market. Under the Consumer Product Safety Act, a product can be banned, recalled or required to change labeling. However, it can take years to build evidence before action is taken. |
The following information was
taken from
“In Harm’s Way: Toxic Threats
to Childhood Development”,
a report by Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility,
May 2000. [7]
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Ø
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There
are about 80,000 chemicals in commercial use in the U.S. today. 500-1000 new chemicals are synthesized each
year. |
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Ø
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The
ability to predict the long term health effects of chemicals lag behind their manufacture and placement on the
public market. |
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Ø
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Of
the chemicals on the EPA’s inventory, even basic toxicity information
is missing from public sources, for nearly 75% of the top 3000 high
production volume chemicals. |
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Ø
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The
EPA estimates that up to 28% of known chemicals could be harmful to
the human nervous system (neurotoxins).
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Ø
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Experience
with lead, mercury and PCBs show that animal tests grossly under estimate
the risk to human health. |
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Ø
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Historical
record reveals that “safe thresholds” for known neurotoxins have been
continuously decreased as scientific evidence builds, ex. lead &
mercury. |
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Ø
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Common household chemicals have been linked to behavior and learning disabilities. |
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Learning about hazardous
products in your home can help prevent serious health problems and
injuries.
|
Americans
use 2 million tons of household hazardous waste per year.
[11]
The average American home stores
3-10 gallons of hazardous materials. [4] 80-90% of cancer
in humans is caused by exposure to carcinogens found in our
environment. [5] |
EPA
studies show that indoor levels of airborne pollutants may
be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels. [3] EPA
lists indoor air pollution in the top 5 environmental risks
to public health. [3] It
is estimated that most people spend 90% of their time indoors.
[3] |
|
Pesticides,
moth balls, insect repellent Indoor,
outdoor plant products Pool
& hot tub disinfectants Art
supplies, glues Office supplies |
Thermostats Camera
film Batteries Fluorescent
lights Paints
& wood repair Building
products |
Look in each room
of your house to see where hazardous products
are stored.
The average
American uses
40
pounds of toxic
32 million pounds of household cleaners
are poured down the drain per day.
[10]
Every year, around 10% of child poisonings
are caused by exposure to household
cleaners. [16]
can be toxic to
humans and
| Ø | Scouring Powder | Ø | Chlorine
Bleach |
Ø | Metal Polish |
| Ø | Toilet Bowl Cleaner | Ø | Pesticides |
Ø | Furniture
Polish |
| Ø | Drain Cleaner | Ø | Disinfectants |
Ø | Spot Remover |
| Ø | Oven Cleaner | Ø | Carpet Shampoo |
||
SOME HARMFUL CHEMICALS FOUND IN
COMMON HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS [14]
Sodium Hypochlorite (chlorine bleach)
Crystalline Silica . EDTA
. Lye
Naptha . NTA
. Paradichlorobenzene
Perchloroethylene . Pesticides
Petroleum Distillates . Phenolic
Compaunds . Phosphates
Phosphoric Acid . Sodium
Hydroxide . Trichloroethylene
|
BUTYL
CELLOSOLVE is commonly found
in all purpose cleaners and window cleaners. It is a know neurotoxin, and causes kidney and liver damage. |
CRYSITALLINE
SILICA, found in many powdered scouring cleaners and in kitty litter, is
a known carcinogen. |
(back to top)
include a SIGNAL WORD on the label.
|
Signal
Word
|
Category
|
Lethal
Dose
|
|
|
Danger
or Poison
|
highly toxic
|
a few drops to 1tsp
|
 |
|
Warning
|
moderately toxic
|
1 tsp to 1 ounce
|
|
|
Caution
|
slightly toxic
|
1 ounce to 2 cups
|
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(no singal word)
|
non toxic
|
large quantites
|
LABELS DO
TELL YOU
the SIGNAL WORD
– DANGER,
WARNING, POISON, CAUTION
– if the product contains hazardous chemicals.
|
LABELS DON’T TELL YOU about long term, chronic health effects
like: Asthma, Allergies, Cancer, Liver & Kidney Disease,
Developmental & neurological Disorders, Reproductive Disorders,
Birth Defects. LABELS DON’T TELL YOU about the environmental effects of manufacturing,
using or disposing of toxic cleaners. LABELS DON’T TELL YOU all the ingredients. NO LAWS require manufacturers to list all
the ingredients in household cleaners, even if they are known
to be harmful. Manufacturers
may list some voluntarily. |
Hazardous chemicals,
even those found in common household
cleaners,
can cause damage to human and/or
environmental health.
These problems can be immediate
or long term.
ACUTE IMMEDIATE HUMAN
HEALTH EFFECTS
|
These can occur
from improper use on one given occasion. Manufacturers
are required to indicate these dangers on the label. These health effects
are tested only on adults.
Manufactures are not required to test acute health
effects for children. |
Ø
Toxic
– poisonous if ingested, breathed or absorbed through skin Ø
Corrosive
– can burn living tissue, effecting skin, eyes or lungs Ø
Irritant
– can irritate living tissue, effecting skin, eyes or lungs Ø
Flammable/combustible
– easily ignited, injury from fire |
LONG TERM CHRONIC
HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS
|
These can occur sometime later,
from one or multiple uses, even if the product is properly
used. Manufacturers are not required
to test for chronic health effects. |
Ø
Asthma,
allergies or other respiratory diseases Ø
Cancer Ø
Developmental
disorders, birth defects Ø
Neurological
disorders Ø
Reproductive
disorders Ø
Accumulates
in human tissue and passed in mother’s milk |
HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
|
Hazardous chemicals from toxic cleaners can enter the environment
during manufacturing, normal use and disposal. This can impact the air, water and earth. Manufactures
are not required to test the environmental effects of normal
use and disposal. |
Ø
Air
and water pollution, ozone depletion Ø
May
not be biodegradable Ø
Accumulates
in animal tissues Ø
Septic
and sewer systems are not designed to handle hazardous chemicals |
DO
A HOME INVENTORY
(back to top)
Please complete
this survey of your household cleaners.
Go through every room where you store cleaners.
Look at the label of each cleaner and identify the SIGNAL WORD. For each cleaner, put ONE ‘/’ tally mark in the box, according to the room where it is stored
and its SIGNAL WORD. Total at
the bottom.
HOW MANY TOXIC CLEANERS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE?
| SIGNAL WORD > | Danger | Poison |
Warning | Caution | No signal word |
| KITCHEN |
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| BATH |
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| LAUNDRY |
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| OTHER |
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| TOTAL |
P.O. Box 428
Plainfield, VT 05667
(802) 454-8400
admin@vtrecyclers.org
&
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources