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Household Products
- Household Product Information
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Household products can
contain hazardous ingredients such as organic solvents and petroleum
based chemicals which can release volatile organic compounds (VOC's)
into your indoor environment. Some ingredients in household
cleaners are known to cause cancer in animals and are suspected human
carcinogens. EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies
found levels of about 12 common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times
higher inside your home than outside. It was also found by TEAM
that while people are using products with organic chemicals, they may be
exposing themselves to high concentrations of pollutants which may
persist in the indoor environment long after the period the product use
is completed.
Household
hazardous products have a negative impact on our health and the
environment in at least 3 ways:
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Usage
- Their use may release toxic and hazardous vapors into the
indoor air which may be unhealthy for our families.
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Manufacture
- The purchase of potentially hazardous products creates a
demand for toxic chemicals which contributes to environmental
pollution due to the development, manufacture and transportation
of these chemicals.
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Disposal
- When hazardous products are used, they are releasing chemicals
into the ground and wastewater stream which may contaminate our
groundwater and present a problem to wastewater treatment
facilities. Most often hazardous products are not disposed
of properly and are landfilled or incinerated where they release
their toxins to the environment.
Household products include
cleaners, fresheners, laundry products, drain cleaners, dishwashing
detergents, carpet shampoos, polishes and pesticides. Exposure to
toxic household hazardous chemicals from ingestion, inhalation or skin
contact can produce acute (immediate) or chronic (long term) health
effects such as:
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Headaches
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Fatigue
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Allergic Reactions
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Chemical
Sensitivity
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Cardiac Damage
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Nervous System
Damage
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We can not
assume the conventional household products we buy at the local department
store is a healthy and environmentally responsible product because of its
availability. Product label information addresses acute (immediate)
effects only and no warnings or discussion of long term health impacts of
the products, such as cancer, is required. These common
household products are also not required to disclose "inert"
ingredients which can very hazardous and toxic. View a list of common Household
Hazardous Products and their potential health effects.
When considering the
purchase of household products, select products that have less toxic,
renewable and natural ingredients and are packaged responsibly. The
purchase of these products supports companies that help minimize the
impact of using these products on your health and the environment. Read
more about household hazardous products in the
Home
Health Hazards section of our Education Center.
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