Analyzing
Household Cleaning Products:
I have always
assumed that the list of ingredients in cleaning products is provided on the
back of the bottle as in food containers.
I was shocked to find that this was not the case when taking a closer
look to my household product containers. I have researched two cleaning
products, their ingredients and the safety of these. I started with a Cascade
Complete dishwasher detergent bottle; it was surprising to find that there was
no such list of ingredients on the back.
Only a short paragraph of how great the product works, how tough it is
on grease, and a warning to keep away from children.
·
Cascade
Complete: “Cascade
Complete is formulated with more tough food cleaning ingredients that fight
through layers of residue leaving nothing behind but shine. As with all our Cascade products, our Pure
Rinse Formula rinse cleanly away.”
Then with bold, large font letters:
“AVOID
ACCIDENTS: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
Do not let young children use bottle or touch product in
dishwasher. Close protective cap tightly
after use. Not for hand dishwashing. Do
not reuse bottle. IN case of skin or eye
contact, rinse with water. If swallowed
or gets in mouth, drink a glassful of water to dilute and call a Poison Control
Center or physician.” “Contains
enzymes, do not mix with bleach containing products due to incompatibility.”
Never thought I could not have skin contact with the product that I use
to clean the cups, silverware, and plates I drink and eat from.
After
calling the 1-800-number on the bottle I found little indication as to how I
was going to obtain the product contents.
Most of the options were tips on the use of the product, and locations
of the stores where I might purchase them, until, at the end of the message I
was told to visit a website or call another number where I could find this secret list.
Cascade
Complete Dishwasher Detergent 75oz. It
states that its phosphate free but does not include list of ingredients:
Ingredient
|
Function
|
Toxicity
|
|
Water
|
Processing Aid
|
Safe
|
|
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
|
Cleaning Agent
|
Unknown
|
|
Sodium Citric Bicarbonate
|
Process Aid
|
Safe but concentrations unknown
|
|
Acid
|
pH adjuster
|
Unknown Acid of Unknown pH or acidity.
|
|
Sodium Silicate
|
Process Aid
|
Can damage Respiratory Tract, Cause Skin Irritation, Severe
Digestive Symptoms, may cause
irreparable damage and even blindness
|
|
Modified Polyacrylate
|
Antiredeposition Agent
|
How is it modified? It is
acidic with pH between 2.5 – 4.0, eye and skin irritant
|
|
Xanthan Gum
|
Thickener
|
Known Allergen, Respiratory Irritation
|
|
Polyethyleneimine, sulfanoted
|
Cleaning Agent
|
Corrosive, Causes burns, “Do not empty into drains, Never add
water to this product”!
|
|
Alcohol alkoxylates
|
Wetting and Antifoam Agent
|
Corrosive, Causes Burns, Eye and Skin Irritant, “ Prevent
seepage into sewage system, workpits and cellars”,
|
|
Zinc Sulfate
|
Etching inhibitor
|
Irritating to Eyes and skin, “ Very toxic to aquatic
organisms, may cause long-term,
adverse effects in the aquatic environment.”
|
|
Calcium Chloride
|
Stabilizer
|
Skin and eye irritant, toxic to lungs, mucous membranes, repeated
exposure can lead to organ damage. “Passes through the placental barrier in
animal. Products of degradation are more toxic.”
|
|
Protease Enzyme
|
Cleaning Agent
|
Allergen, Eye and Skin irritant, Mouth and Throat Irritant.
|
|
Amylase Enzyme
|
Cleaning Agent
|
Allergen, Eye and Skin irritant, Mouth and Throat Irritant.
|
|
Soidum Bonzoate
|
Preservative
|
skin
contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of inhalation. “ The substance
may be toxic to blood, the reproductive system, liver, central nervous system
(CNS).
Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs
damage” “Classified Reproductive system/toxin/female, Reproductive system/
toxin/male [SUSPECTED].”
|
|
Proxel GXL
|
Preservative
|
Corrosive, “Cause Severe
Eye and Skin Damage, harmful or fatal if swallowed, inhaled, or Absorbed
through the skin. Avoid contamination
of Food.”Toxic to Fish, Do Not Contaminate Water or Food.”
|
|
Liquitint Bright Yellow and/or
|
Colorant
|
Skin and Eye Irritant
|
|
Liquitint Bright Brilliant Orange and/or
|
Colorant
|
Skin and Eye irritant
|
|
Direct Blue 086
|
Colorant
|
“There is evidence that
exposure to phthalocyanines can cause serious birth defects in developing
embryos”
|
|
Perfume
|
Fragrance
|
Not Enough Information to Research this Ingredient.
|
·
Artic White Bleach, 96 oz.
Artic White Bleach, 96 oz.
On the Material Safety Data Sheet
it states that it causes “irritation of the mouth, throat, and stomach.
SKIN - severe irritation.
INHALATION - severe irritation. EYE – severe irritation. It has a basic pH of
11-12. It is toxic to fish.
HAZARDOUS
INGREDIENTS
SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE (2.75 - 3.0%)
Inhalation
|
Inhalation
of fumes or mists causes respiratory tract irritation and irritation of
mucous membranes. If sodium hypochlorite is mixed with ammonia or other
chemicals, evolution of chlorine or chlorine based compounds results. These
gases can produce pulmonary edema. Never mix with any other chemicals. Accidental
mixing may cause dangerous conditions that could cause injury to personnel
and/or damage to property or to environment.
|
Eye
Contact
|
Liquid
and mists may severely irritate or damage the eyes.
|
Skin
Contact
|
The
liquid will irritate the skin, causing redness and possibly inflammation, or
chemical burns to broken skin.
|
Ingestion
|
Mists
and liquid are extremely corrosive to the mouth and throat, mucous membranes
and stomach. Swallowing the liquid burns the
tissues,
causes severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, circulatory collapse,
confusion, delirium, coma, and collapse. Swallowing large quantities can
cause death.
|
Toxic and Corrosive. This material may
be harmful to aquatic life in low concentrations
SODIUM HYDROXIDE 0.5%: “Very
hazardous in case of skin contact (corrosive, irritant, permeator), of eye
contact (irritant, corrosive), of ingestion, .Slightly hazardous in case of
inhalation (lung sensitizer). Liquid or spray mist may produce tissue damage
particularly on mucous membranes of eyes, mouth and respiratory tract. Skin
contact may produce burns. Inhalation of the spray mist may produce severe
irritation of respiratory tract, characterized by coughing, choking, or
shortness of breath. Severe over-exposure can result in death. Inflammation of
the eye is characterized by redness, watering, and itching. Skin inflammation
is characterized by itching, scaling, reddening, or, occasionally, blistering.
The substance is toxic to lungs. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance
can produce target organs damage. Repeated or prolonged contact with spray mist
may produce chronic eye irritation
and severe skin irritation. Repeated or prolonged exposure to spray mist may
produce respiratory tract irritation leading to frequent attacks of bronchial
infection. Repeated exposure to a highly toxic material may produce general
deterioration of health by an accumulation in one or many human organs.”
There is an immense lack
of specificity in the data provided by these manufactories, an essential factor
in the assessment of toxicity of these chemicals is their concentrations and
molar concentrations in solution; this data is missing. It is important to note that there has not
been enough research and testing on the safety of these substances, including
their effects on the environment and on carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic,
and developmental effects on humans. It
is important to note how many of these chemicals are toxic to fish and aquatic
environment, and yet they are being used as cleaners that end up in the drain
system, again without knowing the concentrations of these substances it is
impossible to determine how big of an impact they are having on our ecosystem.
http://journals.lww.com/joem/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=1990&issue=07000&article=00014&type=abstract
http://www.pgproductsafety.com/productsafety/ingredients/household_care/dish_washing/cascade/Cascade_Complete_Gel_Ingredient_Disclosure.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment