LusciousVixen's blog: "Luscious Vixen On Her Soapbox"

ABC's Of a SAFER Home! Create a Safer and Healthy Home by Dr. Joyce M. Woods Begin by thinking of your home as a toxic waste dump. The average home today contains 62 toxic chemicals - more than a chemistry lab at the turn of the century. More than 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since WW II. Less than 2% of synthetic chemicals have been tested for toxicity, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, or birth defects. The majority of chemicals have never been tested for long-term effects. a. An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. b. Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air. c. CMHC reports that houses today are so energy efficient that "out-gassing" of chemicals has no where to go, so it builds up inside the home. d. We spend 90% of our time indoors, and 65% of that time at home. Moms, infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time in the home. e. National Cancer Association released results of a 15-year study concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home. f. Cancer rates have almost doubled since 1960. g. Cancer is the Number ONE cause of death for children. h. There has been a 26% increase in breast cancer since 1982. Breast cancer is the Number ONE killer of women between the ages of 35 and 54. Primary suspects are laundry detergents, household cleaners and pesticides. i. There has been a call from the U.S./Canadian Commission to ban bleach in North America. Bleach is being linked to the rising rates of breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and behavioral problems in children. j. Chemicals get into our body through inhalation, ingestion and absorption. We breathe 10 to 20 thousand liters of air per day. k. There are more than 3 million poisonings every year. Household cleaners are the Number ONE cause of poisoning of children. l. Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%. The Canadian Lung Association and the Asthma Society of Canada identify common household cleaners and cosmetics as triggers. m. ADD/ADHD are epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have long been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds. n. Chemical and environmental sensitivities are known to cause all types of headaches. o. Labeling laws do not protect the consumer - they protect big business. The New York Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product warning labels were either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a poison, and for first aid instructions. p. Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene, xylene are found in common household cleaners, cosmetics, beverages, fabrics and cigarette smoke. These chemicals are cancer causing and toxic to the immune system. q. Chemicals are attracted to, and stored in fatty tissue. The brain is a prime target for these destructive organics because of its high fat content and very rich blood supply. r. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found more than 2500 chemicals in cosmetics that are toxic, cause tumors, reproductive complications, biological mutations and skin and eye irritations. s. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problems are diseases commonly related to chemical exposure. t. Pesticides only have to include active ingredients on the labels, even though the inert (inactive) ingredients may account for 99%, many of which are toxic and poisons. There are solutions, alternatives and ways that we can make a difference. Get more info today and do research about the above to help you make a difference in your Life, Health and Wealth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm not sure what happened to u-z however the info above does raise a ton of questions. Enough to make me think about what I need to do both for my family, myself and the environment. This info was enough for me to switch to naturally derived products that don't have the toxins mentioned above. What do you think about this? Does the info above raise enough questions to make you think about it too? I'd love to see any info you have/can find on the above info and also any to dispute it as well.

Click Here to access the original article. Leave me a comment to tell me what you think. This just shows one of the many reasons I replaced what I consider TOXIC household cleaners in my home with products using Natural Derivatives instead ~ and Yes I'm on my Soapbox. Women's group warns of hazards in cleaners Industry skeptical chemicals are linked to fertility disorders JANE KAY San Francisco Chronicle Wednesday, July 25, 2007 SAN FRANCISCO — Dozens of common household cleaning products contain hidden toxic chemicals linked to fertility disorders in lab animals, according to data gathered by a women's research group. A type of glycol ether is frequently found in popular cleaning products such as Windex Aerosol, Formula 409, Lemon Fresh Pine-Sol and Simple Green All Purpose Cleaner, says the report released Tuesday by Women's Voices for the Earth, a Montana-based nonprofit organization working to eliminate or reduce toxic chemicals in the home. The chemical is called ethylene glycol butyl ether, or EGBE. It is also known as 2-butoxyethanol. The chemical is on California's list of toxic air contaminants. Some animal studies indicate that it produces reproductive problems, such as testicular damage, reduced fertility, death of embryos and birth defects. People exposed to high levels of EGBE for several hours have reported nose and eye irritation, headaches, vomiting and a metallic taste in their mouths, studies show. "These are products that women are using in their households on a daily basis, and they use them around their children," said Alexandra Gorman, the group's director of science and research and an author of the report. The women's research group pored through federally mandated Material Safety Data Sheets pertaining to household cleaning products. The data sheets, which are prepared by the manufacturers and are widely available online, contain information on chemicals used in products. The group found that EGBE was a common ingredient. It's a colorless, biodegradable chemical with a fruity odor that acts as a degreaser. Brian Sansoni, a spokesman for the Soap and Detergent Association, an industry trade group, responded to criticisms of the use of EGBE in household cleaners. "There is no need to play 'Fear Factor' here. This ingredient usage in cleaning products is not known to be of concern for consumers who use these products as directed," Sansoni said. Members of his group include Clorox Co. and S.C. Johnson, which manufacture Formula 409, Pine-Sol and Windex Aerosol — the only Windex formulation to contain EGBE, according to the data. The federal government removed EGBE from its list of hazardous air pollutants a few years ago, Sansoni noted. William Nazaroff, a professor of environmental engineering and chairman of the Energy and Resources Group at University of California, Berkeley, said the EPA erred when it removed the chemical from the hazardous air pollutants list. Nazaroff conducted a study for the California Air Resources Board in 2006 on the indoor air chemistry of cleaning agents and toxic air contaminants. He found that people using some common products containing EGBE could be exposed to levels 12 times greater than California's one-hour exposure guideline. "None of these are (legally enforceable) standards for ordinary indoor environments. We have a blind spot in our regulatory structure for toxic air pollutants," Nazaroff said. "It defies logic to think that it's unsafe to be exposed outdoors but it would be safe to be exposed at that level indoors."