Nov 10, 2009 10:50 pm US/Eastern
Can Household Cleaners Be Making You Sick?
Manufacturers Beginning To Reveal 'Secret Ingredients'
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Major manufacturers will begin a voluntary program in January to disclose the ingredients in their products.
WBZ
Are your cleaning products safe? Right now, it's almost impossible to know for sure because many major manufacturers keep their ingredients secret. That is about to change, but some consumers and environmentalists say the effort is too little, too late.
Most of us have a cabinet full of cleaners; there are products for kitchens, bathrooms, furniture and floors. Add them all together and you're dealing with an unknown number of chemicals.
MYSTERY INGREDIENTS
"There's a list here that says 'other ingredients' 99%. It's not listed anywhere on the label what the other ingredients are," complained Winchester mom Chloe Durant.
Right now, the law only requires companies to list active ingredients; the bulk of most products remain a mystery. "You don't know what's in there, what you're exposing yourself to," said Dr. Jason Marshall of the
Toxic Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell. "There are several hazards associated with household cleaning products," he said. "There's cancer causing agents in them. There's asthma triggers."
Asthma is a huge concern for Chloe. Her son has the condition and she wonders if the cleaning products she used to use could be to blame. "It infuriates me," she said. "Asthma is an epidemic in the United States, particularly in young children."
INGREDIENTS REVEALED
In an effort to win back the faith of consumers like Chloe, major manufacturers will begin a voluntary program in January to disclose the ingredients in their products. The chemicals will be listed online, through an 800 number of in some cases, right on the label.
Cheryl Osimo of the
Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition says the fact that the program is voluntary is troubling, but that's not the only problem. Under the agreement, preservatives, dyes and fragrances do not have to be included in the ingredient list. "Fragrances often contain pthalates which are endocrine disruptors which can cause tumor growth," she said.
The manufacturers dispute this claim, insisting when used properly, their products are safe. SC Johnson, the company that makes Windex and Fantastik
is already listing ingredients on its web site.
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE?
For Chloe, it's a little too late to be coming clean now. "I think they should have been telling us from the beginning what they are using, so I don't think that's commendable," she said.
Chloe will never know for sure what cause her son's asthma, but she's not taking any chances. "I don't care what these companies are saying. I know how it smells when it's in my house. I know if it gives me a headache or not." For now, she says she'll stick to her peppermint soap.
The
Toxic Use Reduction Institute and the
Sierra Club have more information on cleaning product safety and some safer alternatives you may already have in your home.
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