| The cleaning supply business is a multi-billion dollar | | | | effect of these toxins on our environment will offend |
| business. Society is convinced that they must use | | | | our surface and ground water. Additionally, if every |
| these toxic and environmentally destructive products | | | | household in the United States replaced one 28 oz |
| for their home to be considered clean. However, are | | | | bottle of petroleum based cleaner with a bio-based |
| you aware of just how harmful common cleaning | | | | product, we would save 118,700 barrels of oil per |
| supplies are to your health, the health of your | | | | year. |
| children and the environment? Many household | | | | In order to protect the health of our families and the |
| cleaning supplies including laundry detergents, | | | | environment, there are safer alternatives for cleaning. |
| toothpaste and shampoo contain formaldehyde | | | | Bio-based, degradable, and environmentally products |
| Most common household cleaners stored in you | | | | are available. When purchasing green cleaning supplies |
| home are considered hazardous waste by the | | | | be wary. Products claiming to be eco-safe, |
| Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Furthermore, | | | | environmentally friendly and natural does not |
| the EPA has determined that indoor air quality is at | | | | necessarily mean it is non-toxic. There is no regulation |
| least 100 times more polluted than outdoors due to | | | | on the above terms and thus manufacturers add |
| the use of toxic cleaning products which leaves | | | | these terms to their product label and deceive the |
| residue in the air and on the surface. Most common | | | | public into thinking they are purchasing safe cleaning |
| household cleaners are petrochemically derived or a | | | | supplies. This type of deceptive marketing is called |
| synthetic thereof. These petrochemical products are | | | | greenwashing. If a product label indicates that it |
| literally produced from crude petroleum oil. When | | | | needs special handling or ventilation be forewarned |
| using these types of products the residue left in the | | | | that it is detrimental to your health and the |
| air or on the surface is absorbed through the skin | | | | environment. There is no need to expose yourself or |
| and thus enters the blood stream which is then | | | | your environment to these toxins. |
| absorbed into the fatty tissues. Studies have shown | | | | When purchasing cleaning supplies it is imperative that |
| that these toxins can lead to a multitude of diseases | | | | you read the label. The product label should identify |
| such as asthma, allergies, and auto-immune diseases | | | | true eco-friendly ingredients such as grain alcohol |
| and even ADD. Ironically, over the past few decades, | | | | versus the toxin 2-butoxyethanol, a solvent. |
| cases of cancer and asthma have grown significantly. | | | | Disinfectant type products should contain plant oils |
| Researchers have concluded that there is a direct | | | | derived from eucalyptus, rosemary or sage rather |
| correlation between petrochemical cleaning products | | | | than a registered pesticide such as triclosan which is |
| and disease. | | | | found in anti-bacterial soaps. |
| Not only are common household cleaners detrimental | | | | Additionally there are simple cleaning products you |
| to your health they are just as detrimental to the | | | | can make that are just as effective as store bought |
| environment. In the U.S. we pour down 22 million | | | | products. Cleaning products made from common |
| pounds of household toxins down the drain. Most of | | | | kitchen items such as baking soda, hydrogen |
| the products are not adequately processed by | | | | peroxide and white vinegar are a few examples. |
| sewage treatments or septic tanks. The long term | | | | |