What are these chemicals and what do they do?

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By Alma Gaul | Friday, April 4, 2008 4:04 PM CDT | () comments

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, the air we breathe inside our homes could be up to five times as polluted as the air outside.

One major reason: Common cleaning products contain chemicals that can be more dangerous than the germs themselves, according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle.

A key rule of thumb is to always work in a well-ventilated area. If your bathroom is small, open a window or turn on the vents and an extra fan.

Also, never mix bleach with other household cleaners because that could result in the formation of toxic gas.

But beyond the potential harm to humans — especially children and those with asthma/allergy problems — what about the larger environment when these cleaners are washed down the drain?

The Soap & Detergent Association, a trade group representing manufacturers, says modern treatment plants virtually eliminate environmental concerns.

Others do not agree with that assessment.

“Water treatment gets only so much of it,” said Linda Chipperfield, vice president of marketing and research for Green Seal, a nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C. “It’s so much harder to track, more harmful to fish at smaller levels.”

Harmful chemicals

Q: What are some of the chemicals found in common cleansers and how do they potentially harm the environment?

A: Sodium hypochlorite, an ingredient found in Tilex, may react with other elements to create toxic compounds, Chipperfield said. Also, it does not biodegrade, which means it can accumulate, becoming more concentrated, and it can kill microorganisms, she said.

Also:

n An ingredient in many laundry detergents and cleaners called NPEs, or nonylphenol ethoxylates, is released by sewage treatment plants, often at a concentration that has been shown to cause harmful effects to aquatic life in laboratory studies, according to the Sierra Club.

Extensive research indicates that NPEs metabolites mimic natural hormones, disrupting the endocrine and developmental systems of fish, shellfish and other aquatic species, the club says.

n Calcium carbonate, an ingredient of Soft Scrub, is a “base” ingredient, which means high amounts can change the pH of a system, Chipperfield said.

n Phosphates, found in many automatic dishwashing liquids, contribute to the overgrowth of algae that threatens aquatic wildlife. Phosphates were eliminated from most (if not all) laundry detergents decades ago, and the same trend is beginning with automatic dishwashing liquids, too, according to SmartShop, a magazine published by Consumer Reports.

As a general guideline, SmartShop recommends that you “watch out for ingredient lists that include chlorine bleach, ammonia, NPEs, phosphates and antibacterials.”

What to look for

Q: So if those are chemicals to avoid, what are some things consumers should seek out?

A: Here are guidelines from the healthyhouseinstititue.com, a company based in Boise, Idaho, that provides environmental information:

n Look for citrus- or hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants rather than chlorine-based ones. Generally, the citrus/hydrogen peroxide-based products have “less potential to harm the environment because chlorine can form organic compounds that are toxic, even at low doses.”

n Look for biodegradable products, which are those that decompose in the environment into minerals and carbon dioxide and water. Products that do not biodegrade linger in the environment and may get taken up by other organisms or cause harm in their active form.

Alma Gaul can be contacted at (563) 383-2324 or agaul@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.