Who doesn’t want a clean home? Who doesn’t want fresh-smelling carpets, shiny floors and snow-white toilet bowls? We expect our cleaning product to do one job: clean. But a mounting body of evidence suggest that there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to what’s under the sink.
Researchers from Battelle and the University of Washington tested 25 top-selling fragranced cleaners, personal care products, air fresheners and laundry products widely used in homes, workplaces, schools, airplanes, hospitals and public places in the US and abroad. The study found that of the products tested, about half of which were labeled as being ‘Green’, each emitted at least one chemical classified as toxic or hazardous under federal laws and 11 contained at least one probable carcinogen including acetaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde and methylene chloride.
So, how is it that chemicals like those used as embalming fluid (formaldehyde), end up in our cupboards and inevitably on our counters? To a large extent, it’s because we have no way of knowing that they’re there in the first place. On average, each product tested released 17 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but the study’s researchers were unable to determine whether they had come from the product ‘base’ or from the added fragrance. According to the study, “Virtually non of the VOCs were listed on any product label or materials safety data sheet (MSDS).” Under current law, manufacturers are not required to fully disclose ingredient lists, including ‘fragrances’ which can act as a catch-all term for mixtures of up to several hundred chemicals.
The lesson? Just because a product is on a store shelf does not mean that it’s safe. And this is not just an issue for some; it is an issue for all. When it comes to public health, indoor air pollution remains a top concern. It affects the business owner footing the bill for employee medical coverage, the mother trying to balance a clean home and a healthy family, the college student looking for a heavy-duty solution to week-old spaghetti covered dishes.
We all use products that fail to disclose very important information.
However, as unnerving as the results of this study may be, information is key to making informed decisions. We may not be able to control whether companies fully disclose ingredients (or contaminants or VOCs etc), but we do control how we spend our money and what we bring into our homes. As consumers, we cast our vote with our dollars. And that makes us powerful.
When it comes to making purchases, here are a few things to bear in mind:
- Look for ingredients lists. Request full ingredients lists, MSDS and any information about VOCs. If the product contains fragrance , steer clear.
- Labels are good but not perfect. Where possible, look for trusted certifications like organic (some cosmetics are actually food-grade certified organic), Green Seal (which evaluates cleaning products against 15 criteria including toxicity, packaging and animal testing) and others. However, bear in mind that certifications may be helpful but they are not always perfect (see next recommendation).
- Ask, ask, ask! When in doubt, pick up the phone. It’s ok to call the manufacturer directly and is often times much less time-consuming than looking for answers on the internet.
- Get back to basics. Most household cleaning needs can be met with plain old baking soda, vinegar and castile soap (in addition to a number of other natural cleaning agents).