If you are buying scented
air fresheners and household cleaning products, chances are you are exposing
yourself to chemicals that are bad for you. For example, The NRDC (Natural
Resources Defense Council) recently found that 12 out of 14 popular air
freshener brands contained phthalates, chemicals that can cause hormonal
abnormalities, birth defects and reproductive problems. The National Academy of
Sciences (NAS) reports that "95 percent of the ingredients used to create
fragrances today are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, including
benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and many other known toxins and sensitizers."
Most of us, unwittingly,
buy such products containing ingredients that are either poorly studied, not
studied at all, or are known to pose potentially serious health risks. Of the
roughly 17,000 chemicals found in common household products, only 3 in 10 have
been tested for their effects on human health. Why? Because the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission does not require manufacturers to test household
cleaning products before they appear on store shelves.
While it shouldn’t be
assumed that because an item is on the shelf it has been tested for safety, you
also shouldn’t assume that if it says “natural” it’s safe. The word “natural” is
undefined and unregulated by the government and can be applied to just about
anything. So, if you're standing in the grocery isle holding what appears to be
a natural, nice-smelling cleaner for example, know that its label provides only
limited information at best. According to the Children’s Health Environmental
Coalition, a national nonprofit that educates the public on environmental toxins
that affect children’s health, labels often omit inactive or inert ingredients
that can make up as much as 90 percent of a product’s volume. These include
solvents, dispersal agents, dyes and fragrances, some of which can pollute the
air and water. Other ingredients that are not mentioned can be carcinogens or
worsen existing health problems like allergies and asthma. And because no
standards exist, claims like “eco-safe” and “environmentally friendly” are also
meaningless, says the Consumers Union.
Here are some ways to keep
you and your family safe from dangerous, artificially scented household
products:
- Use products with
scents from natural or botanical sources or labeled as essential oils. These
are different from fragrance oils which are created with synthetic
chemicals. Examine the list of ingredients to check that the word
"fragrance" does not appear.
- Scented candles may
release mercury and other toxins into the air you breathe. Candles that have
shiny metal wicks are made of lead which can be released into the air and
turn into dust that settles on you and your furniture. Try unscented soy or
beeswax alternatives, or those scented with essential oils.
- Avoid scented aerosol
sprays, liquids that emit a continuous scent, and solid air fresheners.
Instead, use: a non-aerosol citrus spray containing only citrus peel
extracts, an open box of baking soda, essential oil on a piece of cotton or
in a diffuser, or try opening a window.
- Fabric dryer sheets
and potpourri that list “fragrance” on the label mean that synthetic
chemicals were used, and they should be avoided. A non-toxic alternative to
dryer sheets: put one or two drops of an essential oil on a washcloth and
put it in the dryer with your laundry.
- Since only food and
herbs can be certified organic, the word “organic” on the label of a scented
dish or laundry soap, for example, doesn’t mean much.
- Most conventional dish
and laundry detergents are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable synthetic
resource, so look for naturally derived or plant-based formulas that are
biodegradable and contain no phosphates.
- Choose “non-chlorine
bleach” cleaning solutions and scouring powders. Fumes of cleansers
containing a high concentration of chlorine can irritate the lungs, which is
dangerous for those with asthma, emphysema or a heart condition. The risks
are compounded when the cleansers are used in small, poorly ventilated
rooms, such as the bathroom. Fragranced chlorine bleaches are even worse
because the odor is disguised, which can lead to dangerous overexposure.
- White vinegar, borax,
salt, herbs, olive oil, cornstarch and lemon juice have been used as
cleansers for decades and have proved to be effective and safer for humans,
pets and the environment.
- Recipes to make
environmentally safe cleansers from oven cleaners to mildew removers can be
found online at: www.care2.com, www.almanac.com (hit the Food button, then
scroll down to “Kitchen Tips and Tricks” and click on the “helpful advice
and handy kitchen hints link”) and www.organizedhome.com.
- Information about safe
cleaning products can be found at: www.greenhome.com, www.checnet.org
(Children’s Health Environmental Coalition),
www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov and
www.kidsorganics.com/Chemicals%20to%20Avoid.htm.
- You can find
environmentally safe products from Bon Ami, Ecover, Seventh Generation,
BioShield, Earth Friendly and Greenwood Naturals, a lavender-based essential
oil product produced by EO Products.
If all this seems
overwhelming, think about just one “healthy” scented cleaning product you can
purchase today and commit to buying it. This small, simple act could have a
major effect on you and your family’s health.
About the Author:
Beth Greer,
Super Natural Mom,
has helped thousands of people see possibilities and feel empowered to make
changes in their lives through her role as former President of The Learning
Annex, a nationally renowned alternative adult education school. She has
conquered a tumor, without drugs or surgery, using alternative methods of
healing. She lives in Northern California with her husband and 10-year-old
daughter. Contact her at beth@supernaturalmom.com
