We’re beginning to understand the harm that can come from long-term chronic exposure to these chemicals—day after day, week after week, month after month—which is exactly how we use them.

A recent noteworthy study, done by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Sustainable Production (CSP), examined the vast body of research on the subject of synthetic chemicals and cancer and came to one clear conclusion: The risk posed by exposure to household and workplace chemicals is responsible for far more cases of cancer than previously realized or acknowledged. The report went so far as to attribute tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths and illnesses each year to the chemical industry. Allergies, birth defects, cancer, neurological and psychological abnormalities, and hormonal problems may have their roots in a body burden of synthetic chemicals.

What are these chemicals, exactly? Their names come right out of a Chemistry 101 textbook. Here are a few of the most common:

	Alkyphenols: Found in multisurface cleaners and liquid laundry detergents. May disrupt hormones.
	Aromatic hydrocarbons: (naphthalene, organic solvents, trichloroethane): Used in degreasers, deodorizers, air fresheners, all-purpose cleaners, liquid laundry detergents, pesticides. Possible carcinogens and toxic to the central nervous system.
	Butyl cellosolve: Found in metal polishes and grease removers. A petroleum-based solvent that can irritate nasal passages and cause liver and kidney damage.
	Chlorinated compounds: Found in sanitizing and bleaching agents, dry-cleaning solvents, tub and tile cleaners, pesticides. The number-one cause of childhood poisoning. May cause reproductive, endocrine, and immune disorders.
	Petroleum distillates: Found in floor waxes, furniture polishes, degreasers, all-purpose cleaners. Can damage lungs and dissolve fatty tissues around nerve cells.
	Phthalates: Found in air fresheners and multipurpose cleaners. May cause birth defects and reproductive disorders.

These products evaporate into the air even when they’re stored, especially if the caps aren’t tight. You get a whiff of their unnatural odors just walking down the Cleaning Products aisle of your neighborhood grocery store. You can tell they’re harsh during use because they redden your hands, or make your eyes water or your nose run.

Make the Switch Today
Eliminating synthetic disinfectants and cleaning products will go a long way toward reducing your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals. You’ll greatly reduce the risk of accidentally poisoning children and pets, and limit your household’s negative impact on the local water supply.

The switch to eco-friendly cleaners needn’t be expensive. Chances are you’ll use fewer, more concentrated products. If your local supermarket chain doesn’t carry eco-cleaners, check out natural-food stores, websites such as www.seventhgeneration.com, and independent distributors, like Shaklee, which has an excellent line of earth-friendly cleaners.

Learn how to read labels. It’s trickier to read what’s printed on the packaging of cleaning products than the labels on foods because the law does not require that all cleaning-product ingredients be listed. Trade secrets are exempt, as are inert ingredients, so consumers have little to go on beyond such mandated signal words as danger, warning, and caution, which in any case warn only of acute exposure, not long-term chronic exposure.

When investigating whether a company has green credentials, look for these words and phrases:

	Biodegradable in three to five days
	Plant-based
	Hypoallergenic
	Nonflammable
	Contains no phosphates
	Contains no chlorine
	Contains no petroleum products
	Contains no ammonia, acids, alkalis, solvents, nitrates, or borates
	Formulated without dye or synthetic fragrance

Because the words nontoxic and natural have no legal definitions, they mean nothing when applied to household cleaners. And organic means one thing when applied to food (where it means grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers), another when applied to chemistry (where it means carbon-based, a type of compound that can be very harmful to humans)

When in doubt, obtain a Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which some manufacturers make available on their websites. While not a complete source of information, an MSDS can be a useful tool. A document a manufacturer is required by law to provide, it lists chemical substances, precautions for safe handling and use, and known health effects.