Toxic chemicals abound in common household products

Toxic chemicals abound in common household products


Take a closer look at the products sitting in your kitchen and bathroom cabinets. There’s a chance some of them contain one or more chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems.

In fact, more than 100 types of common consumer products fit that description. The list includes products that cover most aspects of daily life: Shampoo, soap, lotion, dish soap, nail polish and all-purpose cleaners. And it’s not just products used at home. Degreasers, adhesives and lubricants typically used on job sites also made the list.

To establish their findings, researchers at the Silent Spring Institute near Boston used two databases run by the state of California. One of those is a list of products that release volatile organic compounds when a product is used. The other is a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive and development issues. They include formaldehyde, a preservative and known carcinogen, as well as diethanolamine [di-eth-an-o-lam-ine], or DEA. Also a known carcinogen, DEA was a listed ingredient in 40 household items.

The potential threats come in different forms. Some products contain many chemicals. In other cases, people can be exposed to the same dangerous chemical in many different products.

To counter all that, the researchers identified 11 chemicals and 30 products they believe should be subject to additional regulation or redesigned by their makers.

Until new regulations or reformulated products come along, here’s what you can do: Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation when using household products and look for fragrance-free products to reduce exposure to volatile organic chemicals.

 

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