Toxic Tuesday: Phosphates

Get to know the ingredients in your household cleaners.

By Stacy Peltier

What is it?
A phosphate is a compound containing the element phosphorous, along with various salts and other minerals. It’s important to note straightaway that they are naturally-occurring and contribute many benefits to life and its various ecosystems. For example, phosphates make up the main minerals in our bones and teeth, play a key role in how the human body metabolizes, and are vital to photosynthesis in plants. In fact, there’s even a phosphorous nutrient cycle! But as with anything, too much can be a bad thing.

Why is it used in household cleaners?
Phosphates perform three critical functions in many household cleaners. First, the presence of phosphates can control the alkalinity of a cleaner by keeping its acidity level stable. Next, their presence softens water by "holding" or removing metal ions, which allows other components in the cleaning solution to work more effectively. Finally, phosphates trap and hold any dirts and oils found on surfaces - once they are suspended in the cleaning solution instead of attached to, say, a tabletop, the particles can be easily rinsed away. They are used most often in laundry and dishwasher detergents, although some states have successfully placed laws restricting the permissible amount.

How can it be toxic?

One word: eutrophication. And that's a pretty big word, so let's break it down. In ancient Greece, 'eu' means "well", 'trope' means "nourish," and '-ication' is roughly "the process of." So how can the instigation of a well-nourished environment be bad? Well, disposed phosphates work their way into the aquatic environment via sewage systems and overstimulate the growth of algae and other aquatic plants. This not only depletes normal oxygen levels but matures the lake ecosystem at an alarming rate... fish eventually die off and are replaced with scavenging critters. Although some may argue this is a natural process, what human pollution has done in tens of years would normally take our planet thousands of years to achieve.

So, what can I do about it?

Phosphate-free detergents (for both clothes and dishes) are finally starting to retain the helpful cleaning characteristics of phosphates without the harmful environmental side-effects. Before you make a purchase, check the label for zeolites, polycarboxylic acid, surfactants, or sodium carbonate  - any of these are greener alternatives to this potentially toxic ingredient. Many new detergents actually advertise the fact that they are "Phosphate-Free!" on the outer packaging of the product. Want to go big? Check out state legislation laws on these cleaners. Although many consumer detergents already have major restrictions in place, there is currently little to no laws addressing the use of phosphates in fertilizers and industrial-use detergents.

References

• Image: Pearson Education (2009).
• Phosphate Forum of the Americas. http://www.phosphatesfacts.org/index.asp
• Consumers Union of the U.S. (2010). http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/search.htm?query=phosphates
• Milacron Marketing LLC (2008). "The Role of Phosphates in Cleaners." Cimcool Technical Reports.
• Rodhe, W. (1969). "Crystallization of eutrophication concepts in North Europe." Eutrophication, Causes, Consequences, Correctives.

Economically Green Cleaning

Saving the world from the impact of harmful products and cleaning agents isn't as difficult as we think. The chemicals that we use everyday to clean our houses, cars, and clothes don't have to hurt our planet or our wallets. I believe consumers are driven buy their spending habits and if "becoming green" is affordable then they will incorporate it into their daily lifestyle. So how can the vast majority of the public make a difference well let's begin buy encouraging how affordable it is to go more "green" when purchasing cleaning products. Let's start with how truly simple and cheap it can be. Basic staples in many households like vinegar,  lemon, and baking soda can be insanely effective. Not only are these ingredients all natural but they each serve many multiple purposes and cleaning tasks. Three natural cleaning products that will clean your entire house right under your nose.

Baking Soda 

Baking soda can be used to scrub hard surfaces much the same way as commercial non-abrasive cleansers to clean bathtubs, sinks and toilets. And it makes a great deodorizer! place a box in the fridge or freezer to absorb odors, garbage cans and super smelly sneakers anywhere you need deodorizing action. Baking soda is actually one of the most versatile cleaners on the planet.

Lemon Juice

Lemon Juice is another all natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon Juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Try mixing lemon juice with vinegar or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Be aware that lemon juice can also act as a natural bleach. Use lemon peels through your garbage disposal to freshen up the drain and kitchen.

Vinegar

Vinegar actually cleans much like an all-purpose cleaner. All you need is to mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean the most areas in your home. Vinegar is a great  natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Like lemon it will eat away at soap scum and hard water stains leaving them shiny and beautiful. Can be used as a fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families with sensitive skin issues.Vinegar also has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. You can also use vinegar to clean your washing machine.

www.treehugger.com

eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

www.thedailygreen.com

Eco-Friendly Cleaning

           

    The intention of this blog is to encourage a more eco-friendly world through the education and encouragement of the people who inhabit it, namely – YOU. Specifically, we intend to encourage you to become eco-friendly through the use of environmentally friendly household cleaners. This is often referred to as Green Cleaning, which Wikipedia.com refers to as “using cleaning methods and products with environmentally friendly ingredients designed to preserve human health and environmental quality.” To illustrate the harmful effects of cleaners and the importance of using environmentally friendly cleaners, treehugger.com offers these staggering statistics:

“Green Cleaning: By the Numbers

•   17,000: the number of petrochemicals available for home use, only 30 percent of which have been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.  

•   63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home, translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.  

•   100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above outdoor air pollution levels, according to US EPA estimates.

•   275: the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides because they are designed to kill microbes.

•   5 billion: the number of pounds of chemicals that the institutional cleaning industry uses each year.

•   23: the average gallons of chemicals (that's 87 liters) that a janitor uses each year, 25 percent of which are hazardous.”

    Luckily, in this day and age, there are thousands and thousands of eco-friendly products available. These products range from the “Greenworks” line of household cleaners to thousands of products used with these cleaners, such as sponges and towels. Choosing eco-friendly cleaning products is just one step to a greener world. Beyond eco-friendly cleaning products, there are eco-friendly beauty products, grocery products, childcare products, and more. For those worried about the cost and effectiveness of the products, in addition to being eco-friendly, a lot of these products are also highly rated for their effectiveness and are sold at reasonable costs. These products are readily available for ordering online on websites such as http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/ecover/ or in supermarkets such as Target and Wal-Mart.

    As I have shown, taking this small step to a greener world is not only easy for everyone to take part in, but it is cost-effective and healthy for the environment as well as the people in it.

-Aimee Engle

Works Cited

"Green Cleaning." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 07 Mar. 2012. Web. 10 July 2012. 

    <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_cleaning>.

"How to Go Green: Cleaning." TreeHugger. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2012.

    <http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-cleaning.html>.

Dishwasher and Laundry Detergent Pods

The new self contained dishwasher detergent pods may be convenient but what are the dangers to children? These new pods are colorful and squishy and look like candy and are just small enough to fit in a child’s mouth. Since the introduction of these new pods calls to local poison control centers is on the rise. The look size and feel of these pods are causing concern among parents and for good reason. The small pods are highly concentrated and if ingested produce rapid symptoms.  Most detergents contain phosphate and cause skin irritation and nausea and throat and mouth irritation if swallowed but not death. To prevent accidents with chemicals in your home follow these tips below.

1.     Make sure to childproof your home with door and cabinet locks. Pay particular attention to the bathroom and kitchen or anywhere else where more dangerous items may be stored.

2.     Ensure all poisons are stored up high and away – ideally in a locked cabinet above eye level of curious toddlers.

3.      Make sure you have the poison control number (1-800-222-1222) near every phone.

If you do come into contact with or have an accident follow these tips below.

1.  If someone splashes a household chemical in the eyes, rinse out the eyes for 15-20 minutes in the shower or under a faucet. Then call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. You can also call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number.

2.     If someone splashes a household chemical on the skin, take off the wet clothing and rinse the skin for 15-20 minutes in the shower or under a faucet. Then call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. You can also call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number.

3. If someone drinks a household chemical, give them half a glass of water to drink. Then call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. You can also call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number.

4. If someone inhaled a poisonous gas, quickly get the person to fresh air. Do not breath the fumes yourself. Open all the doors and windows wide. Call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. You can also call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number.

5. If someone is not breathing or won't wake up, call 911 or your local emergency ambulance number.

http://blog.childrensdayton.org/the-dangers-of-detergent-pods/

http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/products/dliquid.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/05/laundry-detergent-pods-poisoning-children/

A Cleaner Choice

     People want a healthy and happy home, but what is the cost to us and the environment? We clean our homes to prevent disease and infection, and buy all kinds of chemical based cleaners to clean our homes. Are we as consumers aware of the risks that we take when we clean our homes? Is the convenience of a scrub-free cleaner worth our health and safety? The chemicals in everyday house cleaners can be of greater risk than it is reward.

     As the end users of these household cleaners, we need to educate ourselves about the products we use.  One of the most important things to know is that there are three categories that hazardous ingredients in household cleaners fall into. First, there are carcinogens which are known to cause cancer and or promote cancer growth; secondly, are endocrine disrupters which imitate human hormones and create issues with fertility and the immune system; and thirdly, are neurotoxins that directly targets brain activity. Ingredients in household cleaners account for the most common calls to the Poison Control Centers nationwide.

     It’s time to look into alternatives, create a cleaner and healthier environment starting with our homes. Alternatives are available we just need look for environmentally friendly products that are non-toxic and not poisonous.  As end users we need to be conscious of the products we use, and look beyond the results toxic household cleaners provide, because a clean home should be without consequence but peace of mind.


    For more information about the dangers of household cleaners and eco-friendlier cleaners check out this link: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_279.cfm

Sources: http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/PoisoningPrevention/FAQ.aspx

                   http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_279.cfm

Mixing Household Cleaners

Severe Lung Injury after Exposure to Chloramine Gas from Household Cleaners:

            Everyday household cleaners can be extremely dangerous since most of its users are unaware of their chemical composition and how these could react with other seemingly harmless substances and gases.  An article published by the New England Journal of Medicine talks about the dangers of mixing household cleaners.  This article discusses the case in which a healthy 53 year old woman suffered from swelling of the upper airway requiring an emergency tracheostomy after mixing over the counter bleach and ammonia while cleaning a freezer at her place of employment.  She later developed pneumonitis and needed artificial ventilation before recovering. 

Without thinking too much about it, I have seen how family members and friends mix different cleaners to achieve a “stronger cleaning power”, and refill bottles of bleach with some other types of cleaners.  This article explains how pulmonary irritation and pneumonitis are just some of the possible side effects of mixing and inhaling cleaners’ fumes.  The combination of such common cleaners as household ammonia and bleach releases chloramines’ gas which in turn will “react with the moisture of the respiratory tract to release ammonia, hydrochloric acid and oxygen free radicals.” (Graeme, Tanen, and Raschke 848-849) These molecules will typically cause mild respiratory tract irritation when inhaled in small amounts, but in high concentrations these chemical combinations could “cause corrosive effects and cellular injury” (Graeme, Tanen, and Raschke 848-849) that could result in pneumonitis and edema.

Graeme, Kimberlie, David Tanen, and Robert Raschke. "Severe Lung Injury after Exposure to Chloramine Gas from Household Cleaners." New England Journal Of Medicine. 344 (1999): 848-849. Web. 9 Jul. 2012. <http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199909093411115>.

Keeping Your Home Clean and Non-Toxic

          Our topic as a class for this term revolves around the production, use, and impact of chemical cleaners on human and environmental health. The use of chemical cleaners and chemical agents is an integral part of our society, ranging from daily house cleaning to water and air purification (or pollution) to crop fertilization, clothing manufacture, and weapons technology research. For our purposes however, we will focus on the application of common household cleaners whose job is to remove the unwanted waste, dirt and stains that inevitably accumulate on the things we own and use.

          Unfortunately, a growing body of evidence has begun to attribute chemical cleaners (or more specifically, the ingredients used to make them) to harmful human and environmental problems. Common chemical ingredients such as ethylene-based glycol, terpenes, hypochlorite and harmful phosphates have been found to contribute to air and water pollution. They also prompt the natural formation of carcinogenic compounds that irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs; while potentially causing longer-term kidney and liver complications.

          Armed with this knowledge, individuals are better equipped to protect themselves, their families, and make more informed decisions regarding the products they use to clean their homes. By substituting the use of common cleaners (which contain many of the harsh chemicals mentioned above) with greener, natural alternatives; consumers can begin to ensure their homes remain clean and non-toxic – while sending a message to large manufacturers that safety should be their top priority when formulating their products. Even simpler ingredients such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and lemons can be used for every-day chores without compromising the quality or effectiveness of a cleaner. By switching to these earth-friendly alternatives, one can continue to enjoy a clean home, good health, and a happy environment.

See the following article (cited above) for more information:

http://life.gaiam.com/article/whats-so-bad-about-chemical-cleaning-products