Clean health: household hazards
Friday, July 27, 2007 at 04:53AM The fact that most chemical cleaners can fume you out of your own bathroom is more than a temporary inconvenience. A new report by the Women’s Voices for the Environment (WVE) sheds light on the health issues linked to commonly used household products.
Household Hazards: Potential Hazards of Home Cleaning Products was released this month as part of the WVE’s Safe Cleaning Products Initiative. The Health and Environment Alliance points out the disproportionate exposure rates between men and women - women, and children, are more impacted than men:
The report examines 5 types of chemicals commonly found in household cleaners and points to the mounting evidence linking exposure to chemicals in cleaning products and rising health problems.
Drawing information from over 75 reports and scientific studies, the study illustrates the pervasiveness of health concerns associated with household cleaning products, in particular asthma and reproductive harm. Potentially hazardous chemicals include monoethanolamine (MEA), glycol ethers and benzalkonium cholride.
The report aims to increase public awareness and instigate better product labelling, drawing out some of the “hidden ingredients” in household cleaners that are potentially harmful.
Personally, I’m a clean freak but I can’t remember the last time I poisoned myself to get the house sparkling. My favorite for everything clean: Seventh Generation. They’ve got a product for every cleaning task and are widely available, easily found in most grocery stores.
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