Support safe cleaning products!
The Safe Cleaning Products Initiative is a national effort intended to reduce women’s exposure to toxic chemicals in cleaning products.
Advertisements tell us of new and improved products which will protect your family’s health by killing germs found on every surface we may touch. Unfortunately, advertisements fail to mention that many cleaning products contain chemicals that may actually be hazardous to our health.
Petition companies to list the ingredients of their cleaning products on the package, and to replace potentially hazardous chemicals with safe alternatives.
Common household cleaning chemicals linked to asthma and reproductive harm.
Monoethanolamine (MEA) is a surfactant found in some laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners and floor cleaners and is a known inducer of occupational asthma.
Ammonium quaternary compounds are disinfectants found in some disinfectant sprays and toilet cleaners that have been identified as inducers of occupational asthma.
Glycol ethers, such as 2-butoxyethanol, are solvents commonly found in glass cleaners and all-purpose spray cleaners that have been linked to reduced fertility and low birth weight in exposed mice.
Alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs) are surfactants found in laundry detergents, stain removers, and all-purpose cleaners, which have been found to reduce embryo survival in fish, and alter tadpole development. APEs are commonly detected as contaminants in rivers and streams, and have also been found in household dust.
Phthalates are carriers for fragrance in glass cleaners, deodorizers, laundry detergents and fabric sof teners, which have been linked to adverse effects on male children, reduced sperm count in adult men, and increased allergic symptoms and asthma in children.
