Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Long but information everyone should read - alternatives exist

Toxic Brew Video:

http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/cbc-marketplace-report-toxic-brew/966454477/?icid=VIDLRVENT08



The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) analyzed 2983 chemicals used in personal care products. The results were as follows:

of the chemicals were toxic!
caused Biological Mutation!

caused Reproductive Complications!
caused Acute Toxicity!

caused Tumors!
caused skin and eye irritations!

· There are more than 3 million poisonings every year.

· Household cleaners are the #1 cause of poisonings in children.

· Regular shampoos often contain formaldehyde as a preservative.

· Since 1980 asthma has increased by 600%.

· Common household products have been identified as triggers of asthma.

· A 15 year study found that women who worked at home had a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who had jobs outside the home.

· Manufacturers ARE NOT required to list the exact ingredients on a label.

· Chemical names are often disguised by using "trade names", so you may not recognize the chemical for what it truly is!

· A women's fertility has also been negatively affected by the increase use of chemicals.

· In 1934 only 21 cases of endometriosis existed in the entire world. Today over 5 million women have this condition, which causes infertility in the US alone.

Why Should We Worry About Toxic Chemicals?

According to the EPA, most homes have airborne concentrations of hazardous chemicals that are two to five times higher indoors than outdoors.

· According to the EPA, toxic chemicals found in the home are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor airborne pollutants.

· The Consumer product Safety Commission connects 150 chemicals commonly found in our homes to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.

· The National Cancer Institute has a list of twenty known carcinogens and over 2,200 chemicals that are probable carcinogens. Many of these chemicals are in the cleaners and personal care products you buy at your local grocery store.

What can you do?

· There are many safe products on the market. Buy your products at a health food store, or order them from a reliable wellness company.


Here's a list of known Toxins in some of our Everyday Products:

Dove Beauty Bar:

· Quaternium 15 Formaldehyde-Carcinogen. Causes cancer, dermatitis, neurotoxic, sensitizer-poisonous, irritant to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

· Butylated Hydroxytoluene, (BHT): Carcinogen.

Johnson's Baby Shampoo:

· Quaternium 15

· FD&C RED 40: Carcinogens, and causes dermatitis.

Crest Tarter Control Toothpaste:

· Saccharin: Carcinogen, contains Phenol

· Fluoride: Carcinogen


Tide & Cheer Detergent:

· Detergent: Can cause temporary respiratory tract irritation. Symptoms include stinging, swelling, or redness.

Tide powder contains fiberglass. If you use this and your itchy, it's probably the fiberglass in your clothing from the detergent.

· Sodium Silicate: Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed.

· Sodium Sulfate: Corrosive, Severe eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Can cause asthma attacks.

· Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate: Carcinogen


Clorox:

· Sodium Hypochlorite: Corrosive.

· Sensitizer: Can be fatal if swallowed. Eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Especially hazardous to people with heart conditions or asthma.

Cascade:

· Sodium Hypochlorite: Corrosive.

· Sodium Silicate: Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed.


Fantastic, Formula 409:

· Butyl Cellosolve: Neurotoxic. Eye and skin irritant. Damages central nervous system, kidney, and liver. Readily absorbed through the skin. Damages blood and body's ability to make blood and listed as a pesticide.

Windex Aerosol Glass Cleaner:

· Butyl Cellosolve

· Isobutane: Neurotoxic.

Lysol Disinfectant:

· Dioxin: Carcinogen. 500,000 times more deadly than DDT!

· Ethyl Alcohol: Eye, skin, respiratory tract irritant.

Butyl Cellosolve: a.k.a. Butyl oxitol, Butoxyethanol, ethylene glycol, monobutyl ether.
Found in: Spray cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, abrasive cleaners, household cleaners.

· A toxic synthetic solvent and grease cutter that can irritate mucous membranes and cause liver and kidney damage.

· Butyl cellosolve is also a neurotoxin that can depress the nervous system and cause a variety of associated problems.


Neurotoxic. Eye and skin irritant.
Damages central nervous system, kidney, and liver.
Readily absorbed through the skin.
Damages blood and body's ability to make blood and listed as a pesticide!



Saccharin:
Found in: toothpaste, sweeteners.

· Carcinogen.

Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate:
Found In: Detergents

· Carcinogen

Chlorine: (a.k.a. Sodium Hypochlorite, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, hydrogen chloride, hypochlorite and hydrochloric acid)
Found In: Scouring powders, laundry bleach, dishwasher detergent, and basin, tub and tile cleaners.

· Chlorine and chlorinated compounds are also a prime cause of our ozone loss.

· Chlorine use in the laundry also degrades both natural and synthetic fibers.

· The most well known organochlorine is dioxin.

· Chlorine was first manufactured on an industrial scale in the early 1900s.


Chlorine is the household chemical most frequently involved in household poisonings in the U.S.
Was used as a powerful poison in World War I!




· Chlorine also ranks first in causing industrial injuries and deaths resulting from large industrial accidents.

· Chlorine is an acutely toxic chemical created through the energy intensive electrolysis of sea water.

· Sodium hypochlorite (known as household bleach, a 5% solution of sodium hypochlorite) is a chemical precursor of chlorine and should be treated as such because any use will create pure chlorine in the environment.

Chlorine has direct toxic effects on living organisms and reacts with organic materials in our environment birthing numbers of other hazardous and carcinogenic toxins, like trihalomethanes and chloroform (THM's), and organochlorines. The last an extremely dangerous class of compounds that cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders.
Any products with chlorine, or its counterparts, including sodium hypochlorite we should consider unacceptable in any variation. As also chemicals with 'chlor' as part of its name, or any ingredient listed as "bleach," should be considered unacceptable as it indicates the presence of a highly toxic and environmentally damaging chlorinated compound.

Paradichlorobenzene: (a.k.a. p-Dichlorobenzene or PDCB)
Found In: Solid air fresheners, Aerosol air fresheners Mothballs and deodorizers..

· This substance has been found to be a powerful carcinogen in animals.

· It does not readily biodegrade.

· Paradichlorobenzene is an endocrine disrupter.

Methylene Chloride:
Found In: Paint Thinners, Aersol Sprays, Paint Strippers, Decaffinated Coffee and Cosmetics.

· This substance is a suspected carcinogen.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene: (a.k.a. BHT)
Found In: Hand and Face Soap

· Carcinogen

Sodium Silicate:
Found In: Detergents.

· Can be corrosive.

· Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed.

Sodium Sulfate:
Found In: Detergents.

· Corrosive

· Severe eye, skin, and respiratory irritant.

· Can cause asthma attacks.


Isopropyl Alcohol is a flammable liquid and a fire hazard.



Alcohol 'isopropyl': (a.k.a. called propanol, isopropanol and rubbing alcohol)

· Skin exposure can cause itching, redness, and rashes in some people.

· Effects may include reduced memory and concentration, personality changes (withdrawal, irritability), fatigue, sleep disturbances, reduced coordination, and/or effects on nerves supplying internal organs (autonomic nerves) and/or nerves to the arms and legs (weakness, "pins and needles").

· There is an increased risk of cancer associated with the manufacturing of Isopropyl Alcohol.


Ethyl Alcohol:
Found in: Household Cleaners

· Eye, skin, respiratory tract irritant.

· Ethylene glycol: (a.k.a Ethylene Dihydrate, Ethylene Alcohol)
Found in: All-purpose cleaners, automotive antifreeze.

· This synthetic solvent is highly toxic and is both a nasal irritant and a neurotoxin.

· Vapors contribute to the formation of urban ozone pollution.


Fluoride-Phenol Fluoride:
Found in: Toothpaste.

· Fluoride is more toxic than lead, and only slightly less toxic than arsenic.

· It is poorly excreted in the urine and is poisonous to the kidneys.

· Fluoride weakens immune systems.

· Accepted concentration of fluoride in drinking water is 1 ppm. Over 2 ppm starts to be a health risk. Not much of an increase.

· Carcinogen: "Phenol Fluoride"




"30,000 - 50,000 people die from flouride poisoning each year. Fluoride weakens immune systems. The speed of white blood cells to migrate to areas needing repair, decreases. In some studies, research animals drinking fluoridated water exhibit genetic and chromosomal damage. "Before any disease is even noticeable, the acceleration of the aging process by fluoride is already occurring at the biochemical level, by means of enzyme inhibition, collagen breakdown, genetic damage and/or disruption of the immune system."
Dr. John Yiamouyiannis, author of "Fluoride: The Agine Factor"





Children under 6, who have not yet mastered the art of not swallowing dental products, should probably not use them, as there is enough fluoride in them to be fatal. Read the warnings on your toothpaste.




Quaternium 15:
Found In: Face Soaps, Baby Shampoo, Hand Soaps.

· Causes cancer, dermatitis, neurotoxic, sensitizer-poisonious, irritant to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

· Formaldehyde-Carcinogen.

Isobutane:
Found In: Household Cleaners

· Neurotoxic.

Dioxin:
Found In: Household Cleaners

· Carcinogen.

· 500,000 times more deadly than DDT!

Amyl Acetate:
Found in: Furniture polish.

· A synthetic grease cutter, amyl acetate is a neurotoxin implicated in central nervous system depression.

FD&C Red 40:
Found In: Baby Shampoo

· Carcinogen.

· Causes Dermatitis.

Diethanolamines: (a.k.a. Diethanolamine, DEA, Triethanolamine and Monoethanolamine)
Found in: Personal care products and some detergents.

· A synthetic family of surfactants, this group of compounds is used to neutralize acids in products to make them non-irritating.

· Diathanolamines are slow to biodegrade and they react with natural nitrogen oxides and sodium nitrite pollutants in the atmosphere to form nitrosamines.

· A family of very potent carcinogens.

Ammonia:
Found in: Window Cleaners, Floor Cleaners, Stand-Alone Cleaning Product

· Ammonia adds nitrogen to the environment. In areas that cannot handle the added nitrogen, disruptions to the ecosystem will result and include toxic effects to plants, fish and animals.

· An irritant that affects the skin, eyes and respiratory passages.





Formaldehyde:
Found in: Deodorizers, disinfectants, germicides, adhesives, permanent press fabrics, and particleboard.

· Products containing this chemical should be considered unacceptable. Although not common as a primary ingredient, formaldehyde is present as a contaminant in consumer household products.

· It is an extremely potent carcinogen and respiratory irritant and may appear as a preservative.

Hydrochloric acid: see: Chlorine and Muriatic Acid.
Found in: Toilet bowl cleaners.

· A strong mineral or "inorganic" acid.

· In high concentrations, it is extremely corrosive.

Perchloroethylene: "Perc"
Found in: Degreasers, spot removers, dry cleaning fluids.

· A chlorinated solvent used most commonly in the dry cleaning process.

· "Perc" is implicated in 90% of all groundwater contamination.

Sodium hydroxide: (a.k.a. Lye, Caustic Soda, White Caustic, Soda Lye)
Found in: Oven cleaners, drain cleaners.

· It is a strong, caustic substance and causes severe corrosive damage to eyes, skin and mucous membranes, as well as the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach.

· Sodium hydroxide is derived from the electrolysis of brine sea water as a co-product of chlorine.

· Blindness is reported in animals exposed to as little as 2% dilution for just one minute.

· Skin is typically damaged to 0.12% dilutions for a period of one hour.

· Sodium hydroxide is included as a toxic chemical on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list.

· It is also a controlled substance in the workplace, and OSHA has set limitations on concentrations in the air.

Titanium Dioxide:
Found in: Prescription Prenatal Vitamins, Sunscreens, and Processed foods.

· an opaque powder that is approved for use as a colorant in food, in drugs, and in cosmetics.

· Can be absorbed through the skin.

· The U.S. government's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) labels the chemical "a potential occupational carcinogen."

Xylene sulfonate:
Found in: Laundry products, all-purpose cleaners, dish detergent.

· Xylene is a synthetic that, when reacted with sulfuric acid, creates a surfactant.

· Slow to biodegrade in the environment and moderately toxic.

EDTA: Ethylene-Diamino-Tetra-Acetate:
Found in: Laundry detergents.

· Is class of synthetic, phosphate-alternative compounds used to reduce calcium and magnesium hardness in water.

· Used to prevent bleaching agents from becoming active before they're immersed in water and as a foaming stabilizer.


Ethylene-Diamino-Tetra-Acetate does not readily biodegrade and once introduced into the general environment can re-dissolve toxic heavy metals trapped in underwater sediments, allowing them to re-enter and re-circulate in the food


Talc:
Found in: Body Powders

· Mild: Symptoms of exposure to this compound may include eye irritation, scarring of the lungs, shortness of breath and coughing.

· Medium: Massive inhalation can cause dyspnea, tachycardia, tachypnea, cyanosis and fever.

· Max: Chronic exposure can cause heart failure.

· Long-term application of talc to the genital area may increase the risk of ovarian cancer in females.


Aluminum:
Found In: the form of cookware, foil, foods, antacids, drinking water and personal care products like anti-perspirants, in cooking pans, in IV solutions, and in some infant formulas.

· Most healthy adults can excrete aluminum in urine, to acceptable levels, however, infants and children have a tougher time doing so.

· The aluminum levels in all infant formulas are higher than those in human milk.

· Formulas containing the highest levels of aluminum are those with additives, such as calcium salts and soy protein, which contain aluminum as a contaminant.

· Early symptoms of aluminum toxicity include: flatulence, headaches, colic, dryness of skin and mucous membranes, tendency for colds, burning pain in head relieved by food, heartburn and an aversion to meat.

· Later symptoms include paralytic muscular conditions, loss of memory and mental confusion.



Benzene: (a.k.a Benzol, Benzole, Annulene, Benzeen, Phenyl Hydride, Coal Naphtha)
Found in: Oven cleaners, detergents, furniture polish, spot removers.

· Made from petroleum and coal, benzene is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a carcinogen.

· Is listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant.

· Is on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list.

Methanol: a.k.a. Methyl Alcohol
Found in: Glass cleaners.

· A solvent derived from wood or petroleum, methanol is acutely toxic and can cause blindness.

· Lead:
Found in: Paint in older houses, Old plumbing, and Soil near Highways and Busy roads.

· Levels once thought to be acceptable are now known contributors to learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

· Increases in blood lead levels during infancy and childhood are associated with attention deficits, increased impulsiveness, reduced school performance, aggression, and delinquent behavior.

· Effects on learning are seen at blood lead levels below those currently considered "safe."

· It causes neurological and kidney damage, high blood pressure, disrupted blood cell production, and reproductive problems.

· Use of lead in manufacturing increased 77% in Massachusetts between 1990-1997.


Alkyl Benzene Sulfonates-ABS: a.k.a Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonates or LAS, Linear Alkyl Sodium Sulfonates).
Found in: Laundry detergents - commonly identified as "anionic surfactants."

· A class of synthetic surfactants (see Surfactants below for more information). ABS are very slow to biodegrade and seldom used.

· LAS is the most common surfactants in use.

· During the manufacturing process, carcinogens and reproductive toxins such as benzene are released into the environment.

· While LAS do biodegrade, they do so slowly and are of low to moderate toxicity.

· LAS are synthetic.

· The pure compounds may cause skin irritation on prolonged contact, just like soap. Allergic reactions are rare. Because oleo-based alternatives are available, LAS should not be used.

Benzalkonium chloride:
Found in: Spray disinfectants, disinfecting cleaners, disinfecting hand soaps and lotions.

· A synthetic disinfectant and bacteriacide, this chemical is biologically active (meaning it can negatively affect living organisms).

· The widespread indiscriminate use of bacteriacides is also now causing the emergence of new strains of bacteria that are resistant to them.

· Benzalkonium chloride, and other synthetic disinfectants, should be avoided for these reasons.

Dioxane: a.k.a. Diethylene Dioxide, Diethylene Ether, Diethylene Oxide - Do Not Confuse with DIOXIN
Found in: Window cleaners.

· A solvent classified by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen, and some research suggests that it may suppress the immune system.

· Is listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant and is on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list.

Mercury:
Found in: Seafood

· Large fetal exposures to methylmercury cause mental retardation, gait and visual disturbances.

· Smaller fetal exposures, such as those resulting from regular maternal fish consumption, have been implicated in language, attention, and memory impairments that appear to be permanent.

· According to EPA estimates, about 1.16 million women in the U.S. of childbearing years eat sufficient amounts of mercury-contaminated fish to risk damaging brain development of their children.


Mercury contamination of our waterways is so widespread that 40 states have issued one or more health advisories warning pregnant women or women of reproductive age to avoid or limit fish consumption. Ten states have issued advisories for every lake and river within the state's borders.




Alkyl Phenoxy Polyethoxy Ethanols: a.k.a. Nonyl Phenoxy Ethoxylate, Nonyl Phenol
Found in: All-purpose cleaners, Laundry detergents, Hard surface cleaners (eg. Floor).

· This is a general name for a group of synthetic surfactants.

· They are slow to biodegrade in the environment and have been implicated in chronic health problems.

· One member of this family of chemicals is used as a common spermicide, indicating the general level of high biological toxicity associated with these compounds.


Phosphoric Acid: a.k.a. Orthophosphoric acid, Mataphosphoric acid
Found in: Bathroom cleaners.

· Phosphoric acid is included as a toxic chemical on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list.

· It is also controlled under the Clean Air Act as an air pollutant.

· OSHA regulates the maximum allowable levels in the workplace to protect workers.

Quaternium 15:
Found in: Deodorizers, Disinfectants and Detergents.

· An alkyl ammonium chloride used as a surfactant, disinfectant and deodorant that releases formaldehyde, a potent toxin.





Pesticides:

· Chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, though all banned for nearly two decades, continue to show up airborne in older houses.

· Animal tests of pesticides belonging to the commonly-used organophosphate class of chemicals show that small single doses on a critical day of development can cause hyperactivity and permanent changes in neurotransmitter receptor levels in the brain.

· One of the most commonly used organophosphates, chlorpyrifos (Dursban), decreases DNA synthesis in the developing brain, resulting in deficits in cell numbers.

· Some pyrethroids, another commonly used class of pesticides, also cause permanent hyperactivity in animals exposed to small doses on a single critical day of development.

· Children exposed to a variety of pesticides in an agricultural community in Mexico show impaired stamina, coordination, memory, and capacity to represent familiar subjects in drawings.

Dioxin & PCB's:

· Monkeys exposed to dioxin as fetuses show evidence of learning disabilities.

· Humans and animals exposed to low levels of PCBs as fetuses have learning disabilities.

· Children exposed to PCBs during fetal life show IQ deficits, hyperactivity, and attention deficits when tested years later.


Nicotine:

· Children born to women who smoke during pregnancy are at risk for IQ deficits, learning disorders, and attention deficits.

· Children born to women who are passively exposed to cigarette smoke are also at risk for impaired speech, language skills, and intelligence.

Propylene Glycol:

· A synthetic solvent much like ethylene glycol.

· Can penetrate the skin, causing liver abnormalities and kidney damage, according to Material Safety Data Sheets.

· Compared to ethylene glycol, propylene glycol is less toxic.

Manganese:

· Unlike many other metals, some manganese is essential as a catalyst in several critically important enzymatic processes.

· Several studies report a relationship between excessive childhood levels of manganese exposure and hyperactivity or learning disabilities.

Radon:

· Is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., warns the Surgeon General.

· Radon is a natural radioactive gas which can seep into homes through cracks in the basement, the surrounding foundation, and in well water.


Of the top 20 chemicals reported by the Toxics Release Inventory as released in the largest quantities into the environment in 1997, nearly three-quarters are known or suspected neurotoxicants. They include methanol, ammonia, manganese compounds, toluene, phosphoric acid, xylene, n-hexane, chlorine, methyl ethyl ketone, carbon disulfide, dichloromethane, styrene, lead compounds, and glycol ethers. Over a billion pounds of these neurotoxic chemicals were released directly on-site by large, industrial facilities into the air, water, and land.



Phosphates:
Found in: Laundry detergents. All-purpose cleaners, dishwasher detergents (almost all of them!)

· Key nutrient in ecosystems, phosphates are natural minerals important to the maintenance of all life

· In laundry detergents they remove hard water minerals and thus increase the effectiveness of the detergents themselves.

· Deflocculating agent: Preventing dirt from settling back onto clothes during washing.

· Products containing phosphates should be considered unacceptable.


As they're relatively non-irritating and non-toxic in the environment, nonetheless contributing to significant eutrophication of waterways and creating unbalanced ecosystems by fostering explosive marine plant growth. For these reasons they are banned or restricted in many states.



Solvents:

· Exposure to organic solvents during development may cause a spectrum of disorders including structural birth defects, hyperactivity, attention deficits, reduced IQ, learning and memory deficiencies.

· As little as one alcoholic drink a day by a mother during pregnancy may cause her offspring to exhibit impulsive behavior and lasting deficits in memory, IQ, school performance, and social adaptability.

· Animal and limited human studies show that exposures to common chemicals like toluene, trichloroethylene, xylene, and styrene during pregnancy can also cause learning deficiencies and altered behavior in offspring, particularly after fairly large exposures.

· Benzene and methyl ethyl ketone traverse cell walls unchecked by normal cell defenses. Both are known carcinogens.

· Cousins toluene, xylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) and trichloroethylene (TCE) make up the lion's share of the solvent market.

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