Household Chemicals

Personal Care/Cosmetics TVs & Computers Furniture An Ordinary House A Chemical House Automobile Carpeting Cleaning Products & Pesticides Furniture Flooring

Levels in Homes Pollution inside typical home 2–5 times worse than air outdoors Levels may be 1,000 times background outdoor after activities like stripping paint Indoor air pollution one of top 5 most-serious environmental risks to public health 50% of all illnesses traced back to the home

Sources of Pollutants Average US household uses 40 lbs of chemicals each year Average household stores more than 60 hazardous products Loaded with fragrances and petroleum-distilled chemicals Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) Paints, paint strippers, and other solvents Wood preservatives Aerosol sprays Cleansers and disinfectants Moth repellents Air fresheners Stored fuels and automotive products Hobby supplies Dry-cleaned clothing

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) Laundry detergents and fabric softeners Phthalates Chemicals harmed hormonal systems Harmed reproductive organs in animal tests Make the scent last longer

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) Chlorine bleach Also called sodium hypochlorite Caustic fumes Toxic if swallowed Scented products Perfumes and deodorants

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) Pesticides Used inside and outside home Can be tracked into home from outside Lead into iaq then into water then to owow

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) Dry cleaning CA Air Resources Board designated perchloroethylene (PERC) as a toxic air contaminant Alternative Choice Hydrocarbon solvent Wet cleaning If you dry clean traditional way –Air your clothes before wearing or placing in closet

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) Pungent, colorless, toxic, water-soluble gas Disinfectant Preservative Ingredient of synthetic resins, dyes, plastics

Sources of Formaldehyde Building materials Pressed wood products Particleboard Hardwood plywood paneling Medium density fiberboard Smoking Household products Un-vented, fuel-burning appliances Manufactured products Permanent press qualities to clothing and drapery Component of glues and adhesives Preservative in paints

Mercury Sources Lighting Other Fluorescent HID Mercury Vapor Thermostat Kids shoes     

Sources of Pollutants (cont.) How Air Fresheners Work Interfere with ability to smell by way of nerve-deadening agent Coat nasal passages with undetectable oil film Cover up one smell with another (Rarely) break down offensive odor Air fresheners do little to freshen the air

Health Effects Depend on… Toxicity of chemical Level of exposure Length of time exposed Pathway of exposure

Health Effects Eye, nose, and throat irritation Headaches Loss of coordination / dizziness Nausea Damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system Suspected or known to cause cancer in humans  Allergic skin reaction Fatigue

Health Effects (cont.) Children born into households using toxic cleaning products twice as likely to have wheezing Over last 20-30 years, level of toxins stored in body’s adipose tissue (fat cells) have risen

Health Concerns of Pesticides Child in household using home and garden pesticides has 6.5 x higher risk of developing leukemia Health Effects of Pesticides Neurotoxins Irritants Carcinogens Mutagens Endocrine disruptors

Formaldehyde Health Concerns Watery eyes Burning sensation in the eyes and throat Nausea Difficulty breathing Shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans Eyes, nose, and throat irritation Wheezing and coughing Fatigue Skin rash Allergic reactions

Steps to Reduce Exposure Increase ventilation Meet or exceed any label precautions Do not store opened containers of unused paints and similar materials Throw away unused or little-used containers safely; buy in quantities that you will use soon Never mix household care products unless directed on label Follow label instructions carefully

Steps to Reduce Exposure (cont.) Use least toxic product that works for your project Make homemade alternative cleaning products using baking soda, vinegar, soap Provide adequate ventilation Keep out of reach of children and pets

Reduce Pesticide Exposure When you apply pesticides you treat symptom, rather than cause of pest problems Control pests without chemicals by using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques Physical controls Cultural controls Biological controls Least-toxic pest control

Reduce Pesticide Exposure (cont.) Best products for environment and your health are less toxic and less persistent Dispose of unwanted pesticides through the Household Hazardous Waste Program

Reduce Formaldehyde Exposure Use “exterior-grade” pressed wood products Provide adequate ventilation Maintain moderate temperature and humidity levels Use materials not containing formaldehyde

How do you make your home healthy? Educate yourself Investigate and research Make lifestyle change Be careful what you buy Use natural forms of pest control Use less toxic cleaning products Buy curtains, carpets, furniture or electronics free of PBDEs Choose products free of suspect chemicals

Resources http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/ Virtual tour of house looking at chemicals http://www.healthychild.com/database/guide_to_safer_cleaners_and_disinfectants.htm The cleaner can be more dangerous than the things we are trying to clean up

Resources http://www.acereport.org/cleaners.html Overview on cleaning chemicals http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/abstracts/01-336.htm Indoor Air Chemistry: Cleaning Agents, Ozone and Toxic Air Contaminants

Resources www.vpirg.org/downloads/toxicschools.doc Toxic Chemical Exposure in Schools: Our Children At Risk www.fpinva.org/AWMA2005.htm Scented Products as Sources of VOCs: Implications for Susceptible Populations