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NATURE, Vol 450, December 6, 2007 - Sustainable Technology: Green Chemistry Q&A

Frequently Asked Questions about Hazardous Household Products

These FAQs describe types of potentially hazardous household products and how to interpret the labeling on such products. They also provide ways to avoid exposures to these chemicals and list non-toxic alternatives for certain classes of household products.

• What are some types of hazardous household products?
• What makes a household product hazardous?
• How do you know if a product is hazardous?
• What don't the labels tell?
• What are inert ingredients?
• How can I reduce my exposure to hazardous products?
• What are some alternatives to hazardous products?
• References

What are some types of hazardous household products?

Most hazardous household products can be grouped into four major categories:

• Automotive products include motor oil, brake and transmission fluid, antifreeze, car batteries, gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and car wax with solvent.
• Household cleaners include drain cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, spot removers, silver polishes, furniture polishes, cleansers and powdered cleaners, window cleaners, bleach, liquid cleaners, and dyes.
• Paints and solvents include latex, oil-based, auto and model paint, paint stripper, primer, rust remover, turpentine, varnish, wood preservative, mineral spirits, and glues.
• Pesticides and Lawn Care Products are potentially hazardous, especially to children. Pesticide exposure can occur through dermal contact, inhalation, or ingestion. Approximately 4 billion pounds of pesticides are used worldwide in agriculture and in most household gardens.
• Other hazardous products include aerosol products, dry cell and disc or button batteries, hearing aid batteries, moth balls and flakes, shoe polish, photographic chemicals, smoke detectors and air fresheners and deodorizers.

What makes a household product hazardous?

A 1987 EPA study found approximately 12 common organic pollutants in concentrations 2 to 5 times higher from air tested inside homes versus the outdoor air. This increase was due to the use of common household products. Product warning labels are often inadequate and pertain only to acute exposures.

Long-term or repeated use of some household chemicals, such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, can result in cancer. Commonly used compounds that can have serious adverse effects are methylene chloride (found in adhesive removers and paint strippers and thinners), tetrachloroethylene (used in dry cleaning of clothes and considered potentially carcinogenic by the EPA), and paradichlorobenzene (found in room air fresheners, toilet bowl deodorizers, and moth crystals).

How do you know if a product is hazardous?

The Federal Hazardous Substances Act of 1960 established labeling requirements for consumer products containing hazardous substances. If a product has a hazardous substance, the front label must include a warning and a description of the hazard.

Levels of hazards are identified this way:

• DANGER - substances which are extremely flammable, corrosive or highly toxic.
• POISON - substances which are highly toxic.
• WARNING or CAUTION - substances which are moderately or slightly toxic.
• A statement telling you how to avoid the hazard must appear with safe use instructions. Examples might be KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN or USE IN A WELL-VENTILATED AREA.

What don't the labels tell?

Label information is directed at "acute" or immediate effects only. You are not given information about "chronic" or long-term hazards of chemical products, such as cancer or birth defects.

There are other concerns about labels as well. Some products contain ingredients that have not been officially recognized by the federal government as hazardous but still are cause for concern.

What are inert ingredients?

"Inert" ingredients are chemicals added as "carriers" for the active ingredients in cleaners and pesticides. Only the percentage of inert ingredients is required on the label, not their identity. Even the inert ingredients can have biological effects, such as alkylphenolic surfactants and phthalate esters, which are sometimes used in cosmetics.

How can I reduce my exposure to hazardous products?

• Avoid using the product altogether. There are safer alternatives to many commonly-used household cleaning products which you can find in your local grocery store. (See below for examples or view our alternatives to pesticides table (PDF).)
• Always read the label before using a product that may be poisonous.
• Turn on the fan and open windows when using chemical products such as household cleaners.
• Wear protective clothing (gloves, long sleeves, long pants, socks, shoes) if you spray pesticides or other chemicals.
• Never mix household products together. You can make a poisonous gas by mixing chemicals such as ammonia and bleach.
• Keep chemical products in their original bottles or containers. Do not use food containers such as cups, bottles, or jars to store chemical products such as cleaning solutions or beauty products.

What are some alternatives to hazardous products?

Some of the basic ingredients in homemade household cleaners are very effective on their own:

• Baking soda is a good scouring powder that can be used for cleaning, deodorizing, removing stains, softening fabrics and clearing drains.
• Cornstarch deodorizes carpets and removes greasy stains because it is very absorbent. Lemon juice cuts through grease and stains on mirrors, dishes and pots.
• Table salt can be used as a mild disinfectant or a gentle scouring powder.
• Washing soda (a baking soda detergent) cuts through grease, removes stains, disinfects and softens water.
• White vinegar is a mild disinfectant that cuts through grease, prevents mould and cleans glass. Certain plants such as the spider plant are natural air filters.
• Visit the CHEC website to learn about other safer alternatives.

References:

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 1997 September. ToxFAQs™: Tetrachloroethylene (PERC). Accessed 2007 Nov 9.
• Frank AL, Balk S, Carter W, Harkins DK, O'Connor R, Jr, Johnson D, Tucker P. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 2000 June. Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Taking an Exposure History: Toxicants in the Home and Environment. Accessed 2007 Nov 9.
• Lundquist P. Children's Health Environmental Coalition. 2003 Nov 3. Recipes for Safer Cleaners. Accessed 2007 Nov 9.
• National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2006 Dec 5. Tips to Prevent Poisonings. Accessed 2007 Nov 9.

To inquire about Center for Environmental Oncology activities, please send an e-mail to envonc@upmc.edu or call 412-623-3375.