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You know
that outdoor air pollution can damage your health but most people do
not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects
on your health and the health of your children. Studies of human
exposure to air pollutants by the Environmental Protection Agency
indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2-5 times, and
occasionally more than 100 times, higher than outdoor pollution
and that the main reason is usage of chemical household
products.
Using
standard cleaning products in the home introduces chemicals that
linger much longer than most of us realise. These toxins accumulate
in the home and can cause serious ailments that are rarely traced
back to their source.
The
following are some specific facts on the toxicity of chemicals
contained in household cleaning products:
Formaldehyde,
phenol, and pentachlorophenol (found in spray starch)
Formaldehyde
is a chemical widely used in many household products. According
to the Environmental Defense Scoreboard it is ranked as one of
the most hazardous compounds to ecosystems and human health. It
is a colorless gas extremely irritating to eyes, skin, and
mucous membranes of nose and throat. It may also cause lethargy,
nausea and dizziness, headache, and upper respiratory tract
irritation.
Phenol (carbolic acid) is a liquid having a
sweetish, sickening odor. In aqueous solution, it is readily
absorbed through the skin. It’s vapour is strongly irritating
to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes of nose and throat.
Experimental exposure by inhalation to a low concentration of
phenol on six occasions for a mere five minutes each time has
been shown to increase sensitivity to light.
Pentachlorophenol inhaled or ingested
pentachlorophenol is extremely toxic to humans. Acute
inhalation can cause damage to the nervous system, liver and
blood constituents. Longer term exposure by
inhalation poses additional hazards to respiratory tract, renal
function and the immune system. Studies of it’s effect on
human reproduction are as yet inconclusive. An association
between exposure to pentachlorophenol and cancer has been
suggested.
Nitrobenzene
(found in furniture and floor polishes)
Nitrobenzene
is an oily yellow liquid with an almond-like odour. Acute (short-term)
inhalation, as well as ingestion and dermal contact can cause
shallow breathing and vomiting. Nitrobenzene has been
implicated as a cause of cancer, birth defects, genetic changes,
heart liver kidney and central nervous system damage. [1]
Naphthalene (found
in toilet bowl cleaners)
Naphthalene fumes can irritate eyes,
skin, and respiratory tract. Chronic exposure to naphthalene can
cause damage to liver, kidneys, skin, and the central nervous
system. Naphthalene is also widely used in mothballs (Tea
tree oil mixed with water, or
vinegar mixed with water, make
excellent eco-friendly alternatives).
Hydrochloric
acid or sodium acid sulphate (found in toilet bowl cleaners)
Hydrochloric acid or sodium acid sulphate
can cause blindness if inadvertently splashed in the eyes.
Ammonia (found
in glass, floor and jewellery cleaners)
Ammonia is
an irritant to lungs and skin. If mixed with chlorine, as it
often is in bleaching agents and
disinfectants
(for example Vortex and Toilet Duck),
it releases toxic chloramine gas, which is similar to
"mustard gas" used in the 1st
World War [2]. Short-term exposure
to chloramine gas causes irritation to eyes, nose, throat, and
airways. Symptoms include watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat,
coughing and chest congestion with choking sensations. These
symptoms may develop after only a few whiffs of chloramine and
may last up to 24 hours. Long-term exposure can result in severe
health problem and may even be deadly. Asthmatics may be
particularly vulnerable to chloramine fumes.
Some truths of everyday life
Studies conducted on the association between
common household chemicals and the safety of children have been
staggering. Although household chemicals have seriously affected
millions of children, many parents still do not fully understand the
dangers they pose.
Did you
know:
- More
than 7 million accidental poisonings from household products occur each
year; more than 75% of
these involve children under age 6
- Two types of childhood cancer have
risen significantly in the past 15 years: acute
lymphocytic leukemia
by 10% and brain tumours by more than 30%. Childhood
asthma, moreover, has
increased by more than 4
%. Exposure to airborne
toxins released by household chemical products has been directly
implicated.
- Over
150 chemicals found in the home have
been implicated in causation of
allergies, birth defects,
cancer and psychological disorders [3].
- Women
who work in the home have a 54%
higher mortality rate from cancer
than do women
who work outside the home. While
there are many possible
explanations for this
undeniable fact, greater exposure in the home to noxious
chemicals can
certainly not be excluded.
- Some
household products release contaminants immediately
upon exposure to
the air; others do so gradually, over a
period of time [4].
- The
past decade has seen an overall increase in asthma of 42%. Among
women,
the rate has been significantly higher than among men (82%
against 29%). This
higher rate among
women is believed to be
due to women's greater exposure
over time to household chemicals.
- Cleaning products were responsible for
nearly 10% of health disorders among all
toxins that can
be found in the air, reported to
Poison Control Centers in
year 2000.
YES, all
of these are just the shocking truth of our everyday lives.
We at Eco Clean are not just out to
scare you by setting out all these disturbing facts. We believe they
are not as well known, as they should be. We also believe most
people would want to know them and, once informed of them, would
want to react appropriately. Which is exactly what we at Eco Clean
propose for you. If you are interested in reducing possible harm in
your own home and having a healthier lifestyle, and if, at the same
time, you want to contribute to a cleaner environment, we think we
can help.
References:
[1] http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1361.pdf
[2] http://web311.pavilion.net/FWWmustard.htm
[3] http://www.scorecard.org/health-effects/chemicals.tcl?short_hazard_name=cancer&all_p=t
[4] http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=117535
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