Clean Air or Air Fresheners?

By Clifford Woods

Do you buy air fresheners for your home or office? Hard to believe that something so small that smells so nice has ingredients in it that are actually dangerous chemicals. Chemicals that you, your family or your co-workers breath in on a daily basis. And to make it worse, there are no labelling requirements to warn you and even "natural" products can contain toxic chemicals.

It is virtually impossible for the average consumer to know which products may pose a risk or not.

These chemicals in air fresheners have been found to be toxic to humans and these chemicals have been recently investigated for their safety. Investigations concluded that these substances may cause or increase health problems. Air fresheners that are natural and healthy are now being used as alternatives in order to minimize health hazards and environmental pollution. Basic Ingredients in air fresheners are:

1. Phthalates
2. Formaldehyde
3. Petroleum distillates
4. DCBs

1. Phthalates are known as "endocrine disruptors" because they mimic the body's hormones and have, in laboratory animal tests, been shown to cause reproductive and neurological damage. Toxic phthalates found in some air fresheners:

• Diethyl Phthalate (DEP): May cause damage to the liver and central nervous system.
• Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP): May cause damage to the liver and central nervous system.
• Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP): May be harmful if inhaled. May cause respiratory tract irritation.
• Dimethyl Phthalate (DMP): The substance is toxic to the nervous system.
• Diisohexyl Phthalate (DIHP): The available studies demonstrate significant effects on the male reproductive organs and developmental effects.

2. Formaldehyde (CH2O) Nasal cancer, respiratory tract irritation; reproductive disorders, asthma, dermatitis; multiple organ damage. 3. Petroleum distillates (PDs) - can affect the nervous system causing headache, dizziness, nausea, and loss of balance and coordination. If inhaled - can irritate the nose, throat and lungs. Petroleum Distillates are on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List because they are cited by OSHA, DOT, NIOSH and IARC. This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance List. 4. Dichlorobenzene (DCBs) - there are three forms of dichlorobenzene. These chemicals are man-made and do not occur in nature. 1,2-Dichlorobenzene, 1,3-Dichlorobenzene, 1,4-Dichlorobenzene

• 1,2-Dichlorobenzene- This substance is toxic to kidneys, liver, mucous membranes.
• 1,3-Dichlorobenzene- Very little is known about the human health effects of this substance.
• 1,4-Dichlorobenzene- This substance is toxic to kidneys, lungs, liver, mucous membranes. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. Repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust may lead to chronic respiratory irritation.

Some Helpful Tips 1. Read the labels and you may be able to identify phthalates in some products by their chemical names or abbreviations: (DEP)(DBP)(DIBP)(DIHP)

• DBP (dibutyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate) are often found in nail polishes, deodorants, perfumes, cologne, aftershave lotions, shampoos, hair gels and hand lotions.
• DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) is used in PVC plastics, including some medical devices.
• BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) is used in some flooring, car products and personal care products.

The term "fragrance," is used to with a combination of compounds, possibly including phthatates, which are a subject of recent concern because of studies showing they can mimic certain hormones.

Preventative Measures Ventilation: Clean air or air fresheners? Good ventilation systems reduce the need for air fresheners by stopping the need to cover up odors and naturally eliminate unpleasant odors. Air fresheners cannot substitute for adequate ventilation.

Use Natural and Safe Air Freshener: Alternatives: many products are available that offer healthy alternatives to commercial air fresheners.

• Organic Odor Control
• organic soy and beeswax candles
• natural potpourri
• fresh flowers or herbs
• natural essential oils
• baking soda

Businesses that are looking to find non-toxic air fresheners should investigate available products to ensure not only their own health but also the health of their employees.
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References: United States Environmental Protection Agency
Science Lab
Sigma Aldrich
ECHA - European Chemicals Agency
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): Formaldehyde
Refuels Recycling Contaminated Fuels
State of New Jersey

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Author: Clifford Woods is the CEO of Effective Environmental Services and Organic Environmental Technology
We Brew Beneficial Microorganisms that eat toxins and offer Environmentally Safe Products

All Purpose Cleaners

By Clifford Woods

All purpose cleaners are soaps and detergents that are multi-purpose. This means that they can be used for various cleaning duties, such as cleaning surfaces and appliances at the same time. While these all purpose cleaners are convenient, they have also come under massive disapproval due to their high toxic content. Many contain hazardous chemicals and in a bid to keep our homes clean, we are also filling them with lots of harmful toxins.

Though the law requires products to list their ingredients, what they do not indicate is the amount of toxicity you get by using these detergents. It is therefore, up to us to ensure that we know what products to use and avoid.

Some of the ingredients to avoid are:

• Petroleum solvents: Commonly found in oil-based paint, paint thinner, spot remover, gasoline, kerosene, and lubricating oil. This solvent can damage the mucous membranes and exposures to paint and solvents have been suggested as potential risk factors of childhood leukaemia.
• Phenols: Phenols are both naturally occurring chemicals and are manufactured by man. 'Phenol' is the name of the simplest member of the family of chemicals of that generic name. Pure phenol is a colorless or white crystalline solid with a powerful sickly sweet antiseptic odor. Commonly found in disinfectants. Excessive exposure to phenol may cause health effects on the brain, digestive system, eye, heart, kidney, liver, lung, peripheral nerve, skin and the unborn child. Phenol may also cause genetic damage.
• Diethylene glycol: Is a colorless, practically odorless, poisonous liquid with a sweetish taste commonly found in window cleaners, Diethylene glycol is toxic to the nervous system and has resulted in numerous epidemics of poisoning since the early 20th century.
• Perchloroethylene (Perc): This is a colorless, nonflammable liquid and another toxic chemical to avoid. It has been associated with liver and kidney damage as well as cancer. It is most popular in spot removers dry cleaning fluid and shoe polish.
•  Chlorinated phenols: Chlorinated phenols are believed to be almost entirely man-made in origin. These phenols are harmful to the circulatory and nervous system and are more toxic to aquatic life.
• Butoxyethanol also called Butyl cellosolve: This is a colorless liquid with a sweet, ether-like odor. It is a common chemical in the all-purpose cleaners. It’s quite toxic and has been known to damage the liver, kidneys, bone marrow and the nervous system amongst others.

Unfortunately, we cannot list all of the ingredients to steer clear of here as the list is far too long but we can suggest a better way forward, which is using the organic or non-toxic cleaners.

Buying Non Toxic Detergents There are many non-toxic detergents on the market and the good thing about these is that they are made using plant based and organic ingredients. This means that they are not only great for cleaning your home, but also do not harm your family or pets. They also do not become toxic when they interact with your sewage system or septic and you can rest assured knowing that you are not generating toxic fumes while cleaning the home.

Non Toxic Home Substitutes There are also ways you can keep your home safe from toxins without spending much on commercial all purpose detergents. This obviously depends on the cleaning duty you are undertaking. Great cleaning substitutes you can easily source from your pantry include:

1. Baking soda: This is one of the best multi cleaning products you can have in a home. It’s great for scouring and is a great deodorizer as well.
2. White vinegar: Vinegar can help you remove wax build up, grease, mildew, odors and certain stains.
3. Lemon juice: Lemon contains strong acids that are effective in cutting grease and disinfecting as well.
4. Borax: Borax not only cleans, it deodorizes, disinfects and softens water as well.
5. Plain soap: Plain soap consists of water, oil and alkali and has no synthetic additives, making it a great all purpose cleaning agent.
6. Cornstarch: Cornstarch acts as a great shampoo for rugs, carpets, and windows and can be used as a furniture polisher as well.

As you can see, there are simple ways to keep your home clean and toxic free either with manufactured cleaning agents or non toxic all purpose cleaner substitutes.

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Clifford Woods is the CEO of Effective Environmental Services and Organic Environmental Technology
Find out more about our Organic Cleaner
We brew Beneficial Microorganisms that eat toxins and offer Environmentally Friendly products