Are You Slowly Poisoning Your Children?
March 3, 2010 Safe environment 2 Comments
Did you know? There are more than 3 million poisonings every year, which equates to every 30 SECONDS a child is poisoned! Household cleaners are the number ONE cause of poisoning in children. (AAPCC – American Association Poison Control Centers)
Did you know? An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. Children are at an even greater risk to exposure to pollution/chemicals because their immune systems are not completely developed and they breathe three times faster than adults.
Just because it’s found on the store shelf…DOES NOT MEAN IT IS SAFE! The more you know about indoor and outdoor chemicals at school, daycare, home and elsewhere, the better chance your child and family will have to remain healthy! The problem is…we don’t know exactly what toxic chemicals manufacturers are using to produce the everyday repeat consumables products we buy, use, run out of and re-purchase again and again! In short term…people suffer from asthma, allergies, nausea, headaches, and rashes from exposure. In the long term…chemicals can build up in the immune system, resulting in cancer or auto-immune diseases!
Check the products you use?
Do yours contain hazardous materials like the ones in the chart below?
|
Product type |
Possible ingredients |
Potential hazards |
|
Air freshener and deodorizer |
Formaldehyde |
Toxic; carcinogen; irritant to eyes, nose, throat, and skin; may cause nausea, headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, memory loss, and shortness of breath. |
|
Bleach |
Sodium hypochlorite |
Corrosive; irritates or burns skin, eyes, respiratory tract; may cause pulmonary edema or vomiting and coma if ingested; contact with other chemicals may cause chlorine fumes. |
|
Disinfectant |
Sodium hypochlorite |
Corrosive; irritates or burns skin, eyes; may cause pulmonary oedema or vomiting and coma if ingested. |
|
Phenols |
Flammable; very toxic; respiratory, circulatory, or cardiac damage. |
|
|
Ammonia |
Vapour irritating to eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; possible chronic irritation. |
|
|
Drain Cleaner |
Sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye) |
Caustic; irritant; inhibits reflexes; burns to skin, eyes; poisonous if swallowed due to severe tissue damage. |
|
Hydrochloric acid |
Corrosive; irritant; damage to kidney, liver, and digestive system. |
|
|
Trichloroethane |
Irritant to nose and eyes; central nervous system depression; liver and kidney damage if ingested. |
|
|
Flea powder |
Carbaryl |
Very toxic; interferes with human nervous system; may cause skin, respiratory system, cardiovascular system damage. |
|
Dichlorophene |
Skin irritation; may damage liver, kidney, spleen, and central nervous system. |
|
|
Chlordane and other chlorinated hydrocarbons |
Very slow biodegradation; accumulates in food chain; may damage eyes, lungs, liver, kidneys, and skin. |
|
|
Floor cleaner wax |
Diethylene glycol |
Toxic; causes central nervous system depression and kidney, liver lesions. |
|
Petroleum solvents |
Highly flammable; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs. |
|
|
Ammonia |
Vapour irritation to eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; possible chronic irritation. |
|
|
Furniture polish |
Petroleum distillates or mineral spirits |
Highly flammable; moderately toxic; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs; entry into lungs may cause pulmonary edema. |
|
Oven cleaner |
Sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye) |
Caustic; irritant; inhibits reflexes; burns to skin, eyes; poisonous if swallowed due to severe tissue damage. |
|
Paint thinner |
Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons |
Slow decomposition; liver and kidney damage. |
|
Esters |
Toxicity varies with specific chemical; causes eye, nose, and throat irritation and anesthesia. |
|
|
Alcohols |
Volatile and flammable; eye, nose, and throat irritation. |
|
|
Chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons |
Flammable; toxic; accumulate in food chain. |
|
|
Ketones |
Flammable; toxicity varies with specific chemical; may cause respiratory ailments. |
|
|
Paint |
Aromatic hydrocarbon thinners |
Flammable; skin irritant; benzene is a carcinogen; possible liver and kidney damage. |
|
Mineral spirits |
Highly flammable; skin, eye, nose, throat, lung irritant; very high air concentrations may cause unconsciousness, death. |
|
|
Spot remover |
Perchlorethylene or trichloroethane |
Slow decomposition; liver and kidney damage; perchlorethylene is suspected carcinogen. |
|
Ammonium hydroxide |
Corrosive; vapour extremely irritable to skin, eyes, and respiratory passages; ingestion causes tissue burns. |
|
|
Sodium hypochlorite |
Corrosive; irritates skin, eyes, respiratory tract; may cause pulmonary edema and skin burns. |
|
|
Toilet bowl cleaner |
Sodium acid sulfate or oxalate or hypochloric acid |
Corrosive; burns from skin contact or inhalation; ingestion may be fatal. |
|
Chlorinated phenols |
Flammable; very toxic; respiratory, circulatory, or cardiac damage. |
|
|
Window cleaner |
Diethylene glycol |
Toxic; causes central nervous system depression and degenerative lesions in liver and kidneys. |
|
Ammonia |
Vapour irritating to eyes, respiratory tract, and skin; possible chronic irritation. |
|
|
Wood stain/varnish |
Mineral spirits, gasoline |
Highly flammable; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs; entry into lungs may cause fatal pulmonary edema. |
|
Methyl and ethyl alcohol |
Flammable; damage to eyes, skin, central nervous system. |
|
|
Benzene |
Flammable; carcinogen; accumulates in fat, bone marrow, liver tissues. |
|
|
Lead |
Damage to digestive, genitourinary, neuro-muscular and central nervous system; anemia and brain damage. |
|
|
Antifreeze |
Ethylene glycol |
Very toxic, 3 ounces can be fatal to adult; damage to cardiovascular system, blood, skin, and kidneys. |
|
Methanol |
Moderately toxic; ingestion may cause coma, respiratory damage. |
|
|
Car wax, polish |
Petroleum distillates |
Associated with and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, lungs; entry into lungs may cause fatal pulmonary oedema. |
|
Motor oil/gasoline |
Petroleum hydrocarbons (benzene) |
Highly flammable; associated with skin and lung cancer; irritant to skin, eyes, nose, throat, lungs; pulmonary oedema; benzene is a carcinogen. |
|
Lead |
Damage to digestive, genitourinary, neuro-muscular, and central nervous system; anaemia and brain damage. |
There are more natural alternatives out there. I for one have changed to ‘Melaleuca’ The Wellness Company www.melaleuca.com products for my family. Let me know if you would like to know more
