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