Eco-Friendly Products

Many conventional household cleaners contain toxic chemicals that jeopardize human health and the environment. Antibacterial agents such as triclosan, phosphates, petroleum-based surfactants and solvents such as alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), chlorine, ammonia, and sudsing agents are a few common classes of chemicals that harm soil, water and our bodies. Some associated health risks are cancers, hormone disruption, reproductive harm, skin and respiratory damage, neurological damage, asthma attacks, allergic reactions and damage to internal organs. These chemicals also harm aquatic life and can bio-accumulate in the food chain, eventually coming back to us in the food we eat. We can greatly reduce these risks by replacing toxic cleaning supplies with non-toxic alternatives. Reducing packaging waste by using reusable shopping bags and other durable containers can also help cut down on industrial pollution from these chemicals.

Anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners have come under fire from environmental and health organizations such as the US Center for Disease Control (USCDC) and the Environmental Working Group for several reasons. The common anti-bacterial triclosan interacts with chlorine and sunlight to create dioxin, a fat-soluble toxin that accumulates in the food chain. Dioxin can cause cancers and reproductive problems in animals. Tap water sources are often treated with chlorine, so when we wash anti-bacterial cleaners down the drain, dioxin can form. Dioxin contaminates water sources and persists in soil when sludge from wastewater treatment plants is used as fertilizer. It is detrimental to aquatic ecosystems because it is highly toxic to algae, which are indispensable to these ecosystems. According to the USCDC, anti-bacterial detergents protect us no more than those without anti-bacterials. The USCDC and other experts also claim that excessive use allows resistant strains of bacteria to thrive, rendering anti-bacterials ultimately useless when we really need them.

Another group of chemicals present in many household soaps and cleaners is phosphates. Used as a builder in detergents, phosphates harm fresh water sources by allowing excessive amounts of algae to bloom, leading to eutrophication of lakes, rivers and streams. Eutrophication deprives these water sources of oxygen and can threaten the survival of certain aquatic organisms, as well as make the water unfit for swimming, fishing or drinking. Using phosphate-free cleaners and detergents can help reduce human-caused eutrophication.

The best way for consumers to reduce these environmental and health risks is to only use cleaners that are free of certain chemicals, particularly anti-bacterials, phosphates, and petroleum-based surfactants and solvents. Though manufacturers are not required to list all of the ingredients on their labels, some cleaners specify that they are “phosphate free” or “vegetable-based,” which can help consumers make more environmentally sound choices. The US Department of Health and Human Services provides an online household products database listing the ingredients and health effects of a number of cleaners and household products. There are also many recipes for effective homemade cleaners that use gentler ingredients such as castile soap, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax.