Eco Alley
Living Green with Connie Pumphrey
Cleaning products aren’t so clean
I found myself searching the AACo Dept of Public Works site recently because my husband found a bottle of something floating in the Severn River and, being a good guy, he picked it up. We are not sure what it is but we are treating it like plutonium until we get it to a facility for proper disposal.
While perusing for hazmat drop-off dates, I came across information that took me by surprise. The County now classifies Household Cleaners, Window Cleaners, Disinfectants, Drain Cleaners, Toilet Cleaners, Mildew Removers, Carpet Cleaners, Furniture Polish and Silver Polish as hazardous materials. They are referring to common brands we have been buying for years. Their comment: “we now know they present an increased threat to the surface and ground water that we drink.” “Special handling is required for proper disposal.”
My epiphany about these products came 3 years ago while using window cleaner in a closed room. It was very strong and immediately affected me. I didn’t toss all cleaning products right then but began replacing them with non-toxic brands as the old ones were used up.
In the 1930s, window cleaning products were 100% solvent (and flammable) and had to be sold in metal cans. Surfacants (detergents, dispersants) came along making it possible to sell them in plastic bottles. My Grandmother used the surfacants and lived to be 92 years old but their farm house “breathed.” Today’s homes are sealed up, heavily insulated, and we don’t or can’t open our windows often enough. There are also more of us buying and dumping products than ever before.
Many companies are introducing brands that are not so harsh. Many are better and some are very good. It’s worth a few minutes to read the labels and find out what we’re spraying, flushing, rubbing around our homes and into our water supply.
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Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/26/10 at 03:39 PM
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