Our Health and the Environment by Roberto G

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Toxic Chemicals Our Health and the Environment

Every day, synthetic toxic chemicals in our home, workplace and environment are contributing to the degradation of air, water and soil, as well as our wildlife and our health. Provokare Presentations will offer alternative solutions with benefits to the environment, the world and ourselves.

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Toxic Chemicals Our Health and the Environment

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Contents Please consider the environment before printing this booklet.

Title

Page Number

Our Body Burden

4-5

Pollutants in our Environment and Animals

Pesticides on our Lawns : Facts and figures

Pesticides on our Lawns : Alternative Solutions

Pollutants at Home

Household Products - Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NOT on the label Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean your House

10 11-12

Cleaning Solutions - Essential Ingredients

Cleaning Solutions - Homemade Methods

Cleaning Products - Green Commercial Solutions

15-16

Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

Solutions in your Community

Conclusion

Hazardous Waste Disposal - San Francisco Bay Area

Booksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Recommended reading

Useful Web Links

References

Booklet Copyrights: Provokare Presentations 3

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Most people look to the sky for billowing smokestacks when they are concerned about air pollution, but we should also look in our backyards, down on our floors, and inside our homes for the chemicals imbedded in our household items from the manufacturers or our own cleaning solutions. Americans spend nearly 90 percent of their time indoors, according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study, and EPA researchers estimate the air inside our homes and office buildings is two to five times more polluted than the outside air. We are exposed to chemicals through the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink and bathe in. Chemicals coat the surface of dust particles, which we handle or inhale. We are also exposed to hundreds of chemicals in everyday products we use: paints, varnishes, gasoline, glues, cosmetics, drycleaned clothes, plastic food containers, home and garden pesticides and cleaning solutions. Pollution caused by all the chemicals is the main threat to our aquatic and marine environments; air and soil. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in our atmosphere contribute to smog formation, and inhibit plant growth.

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Our Body Burden Both naturally occurring and man-made toxic chemicals may be inhaled, swallow from contaminated food or water, or absorbed through the skin. A pregnant woman may pass them to her developing fetus through the placenta. The total amount of these chemicals present in our body at a given point is called “Body Burden”. Examples are lead, mercury or dioxin. Some of these chemicals lodge in our bodies for a short period of time, but continuous exposure can create a “persistent” body burden. Arsenic , for example, is mostly eliminated within 72 hours of exposure. Other chemicals however, can remain for years in our blood, fat, semen, muscle, bone, brain, tissue or other organs. Fat can particularly retain chemicals. Chlorinated pesticides such as DDT can remain in the body for 50 years. Who carries these chemicals? Scientists estimate that everyone alive today carries within her or his body at least 700 contaminants, most of which have not been well studied.* Because many chemicals have the ability to attach to dust particles and/or catch air and water currents and travel far from where they are produced or used, the globe is bathed in a chemical soup. What chemicals? Some of the chemicals residing in our bodies are pesticides, and some are used in or produced by other forms of industrial production. Many are found in a wide variety of consumer products. Some chemicals like dioxins and furans are created unintentionally by industrial processes using chlorine and from the manufacture and incineration of certain plastics. Scientists estimate that there are many other unintentionally created by-products which have not yet been "discovered" since no tests have yet been developed that would fully identify or describe these by-products.

How did this happen? How have I been exposed? Humans are exposed to chemicals through the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink and bathe in. Chemicals often coat the surface of dust particles, which we handle or inhale. Children who commonly put their hands into their mouths are more likely exposed to contaminated dust. We are also exposed to hundreds of chemicals in everyday products we use. Paints and varnishes, gasoline, glues, cosmetics, clothes dry-cleaned with solvents, plastic food containers, and home and garden pesticides are just a few examples. It is difficult to identify where these chemicals come from: For example almost all of the dioxin found inside your body got there from eating contaminated food. However, it may have originated in a local medical waste incinerator or it may have been created by a distant, chlorine-based, paper manufacturing plant located thousands of miles from your home. Whatever its source, somewhere it entered the food chain and made its way into the food you ate. Similarly, a pesticide found inside your body may have come from pesticide spraying done at a local school, in your garden or kitchen, or it may have arrived on food grown with pesticides in the U.S. or abroad. Its origin will be difficult to identify. Another source of exposure is the chemical body burden of our mothers. During pregnancy, the chemicals stored in a woman's body have the ability to cross the placenta. Some chemicals from a mother's body are also mobilized and transferred to the breasts as she produces breast milk. These chemicals are then transferred to the baby during breastfeeding. Breast milk remains the best food for babies, as recent studies show, because of its immunological, nutritional and psychological benefits. 5

Our Body Burden

What is a "body burden"?

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Can the links between body burden and illness be proven? What are the health effects of this body burden?

Chemicals can have different effects in people or in wildlife, depending on the amount, timing, duration, and pattern of exposure as well as the properties of the specific chemical. Chemicals can have toxic effects through a variety of mechanisms. Some are carcinogens, causing cancer. Teratogens, cause birth defects. Developmental/reproductive toxicants damage the normal development of the fetus, infant or child. Endocrine disrupters chemicals can cause damage by interfering with normal hormone functions. There are hundreds of adverse health effects that can arise from exposures to chemicals or metals: These potential effects include cancer; high blood pressure; asthma; deficits in attention, memory, learning, and IQ; Parkinson's-like diseases; infertility; shortened lactation; endometriosis; genital malformation; peripheral nerve damage; and dysfunctional immune systems. • •

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Autism, once an affliction of 1 in 10,000 children, today is the scourge of 1 in 166. Childhood asthma rates have similarly exploded. Breast cancer incidence rates have climbed 90 percent since 1950 Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer tied to a weakened immune system, has seen a 250 percent jump in incidence rates. Sperm counts appear down — by some indications a man born in the 1970s has three-quarters the sperm as a man born in the 1950s Eight percent of all couples of reproductive age in the U.S. are infertile, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Developing fetus, infant, or child may suffer harmful impacts from relatively small exposures that have no measurable impacts on adults. So, for example, fetal exposures to chemicals in amounts that are safe for adults may result in birth defects or abnormal brain development. For this reason, it is not only the amount of the exposure that is important, but the timing of the exposure.

Of the more than 80,000 chemicals in commerce, only a small percentage of them have ever been screened for even one potential health effect, such as cancer, reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity, or impacts on the immune system. Among the approximately 15,000 tested, few have been studied enough to correctly estimate potential risks from exposure. Even when testing is done, each chemical is tested individually rather than in the combinations that one is exposed to in the real world. In reality, no one is ever exposed to a single chemical, but to a chemical soup, the ingredients of which may interact to cause unpredictable health effects. Concerning the chemicals that have been measured, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that in several cases, public interventions have resulted in primary prevention, the lowering of the public's exposure, and the lowering of body burdens. For example, the removal of lead from gasoline and the elimination of lead from most kinds of paints. The bad news is that many urban environments are still exposed to lead from numerous sources. What dose is harmful? Toxicologists insist the dose makes the poison. And for the average American, these exist in minute amounts, a few dozen parts per billion or less — a chocolate bar split among the 750,000 residents of San Francisco. But that does not mean they do no harm. In a ventilated chamber — akin to a room with an open window — a bit of mixed vaporized cleaner with a modest bit of ozone — what blows through a typical urban house on a summer day, through a bit of reactive chemistry, will result in particles. An invisible cloud of hundreds upon thousands of microscopic particles still being generated four hours after the release. Mixing those benign cleaners with highly reactive ozone — from car pollution, from an ozone -generating air cleaner, from just living in a city — and pine-fresh scent becomes far more malevolent: formaldehyde, carbonyls and other reactive and unstable compounds. That in itself is alarming. Tiny particles lodge in the lungs and are considered a key contributor to asthma. But these aren’t just any particles, they are carcinogens. 6

Our Body Burden

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Pollutants in our Environment and Animals Water pollution occurs for many reasons. Often it comes from large industrial plants, for example, when water from the washing of fabrics and paper during their production phase enters the water supply. Water pollution is also caused by pesticide runoff from farming, chemicals leaking from waste into landfills, dumping of chemicals from industrial factories and from nuclear power plants. Most of the products made in factories, pesticides and the chemicals in landfills are petrochemicals and as such are poisonous if not disposed of properly and safely. Even our own use of detergents and household cleaners as clothes are washed and cleaning cloths are rinsed out causes pollution.

Mercury contamination of our waterways has led to fish consumption warnings. Children are especially at risk, yet mercury continues to be a pervasive health and environmental threat. Ecology scientists found unacceptable levels of toxic substances in 93 samples of freshwater fish collected from 45 sites. The toxic substances included PCBs, dioxins, chlorinated pesticides (DDE and dieldrin) and brominated (PBDE) flame retardants.

Birds: Hundreds of bird deaths have been reported from toxic fumes produced from normal household use of Teflon pans and products.140 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the key compounds used in Teflon, is very persistent in the environment and can be found in the blood of the general U.S. population. Studies indicated that PFOA causes developmental and other adverse effects in laboratory animals. Frogs: Researchers have found evidence that atrazine—the most commonly used herbicide in the United States and probably in the world—can cause hermaphrodism (having both male and female reproductive organs) in frogs in the laboratory and may be responsible for the same impacts seen in frogs in the wild. Atrazine is widely used on corn and soybean fields in the United States and contaminates drinking water supplies.

Alligators: Studies of alligators in a Florida lake contaminated with DDT and other organochlorine pesticides in the 1980s found the males’ penises were on average 25 percent smaller than normal. These alligators, at the top of the lake’s food chain, ate fish that store the breakdown products of DDT. These byproducts accumulated in the alligators’ bodies and caused changes in the hormonal system. Polar Bears: Studies indicate that polar bears are threatened by chemicals accumulating in the environment. Initial studies indicate that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other chlorinebased chemicals may be causing polar bears’ ovaries and testicles to shrink,142 which may interfere with their ability to reproduce.

Our Pets: Pesticides used to control weeds, insects (especially fleas and ticks), termites, rodents and fungi are sold as sprays, liquids, sticks, powder, crystals, balls and foggers. Insecticides, as well as plastics' ingredients and particulates from household detergents, can disrupt an animal's biological processes. Cats and dogs are not immune to insect sprays. They can be affected either from direct contact with the pesticide or through ingestion of contaminated food.The chemicals in pesticides are fat soluble and are stored in the fatty tissues, primarily the liver, and in the nervous systems. As they accumulate over time, they cause problems with the nerves, hormones and immune system.

Pollutants in our Environment and Animals

It now seems that no part of the planet is free from chemical contamination. Research shows that fish and whales caught hundreds of miles offshore, and in remote areas such as Alpine lakes and the polar regions, despite being far from any industry, are no longer pristine. Rainwater has been shown to be polluted with the hazardous chemicals that are added to consumer products. A recent study has found that eels in freshwater ecosystems across Europe are contaminated, raising concern for the impact on this once abundant species whose numbers now are in rapid decline.

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Pesticides on our Lawns : Facts and figures •

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Children and Pesticides

Herbicides account for the highest usage of pesticides in the home and garden sector with over 90 million pounds applied on lawns and gardens per year. Suburban lawns and gardens receive more pesticide applications per acre (3.2-9.8 lbs) than agriculture (2.7 lbs per acre on average). Included in the most commonly used pesticides per pounds per year are: 2,4-D (8-11 million), Glyphosate (58 million), MCPP (Mecoprop) (4-6 million), Pendimethalin (3 -6 million), Dicamba (2-4 million). A 2004 national survey reveals that 5 million homeowners use only organic lawn practices and products and 35 million people use both toxic and non-toxic materials.

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Health & Exposure •

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Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides 19 have studies pointing toward carcinogens, 13 are linked with birth defects, 21 with reproductive effects, 15 with neurotoxicity, 26 with liver or kidney damage, 27 are sensitizers and/or irritants, and 11 have the potential to disrupt the endocrine (hormonal) system. Pregnant women, infants and children, the aged and the chronically ill are at greatest risk from pesticide exposure and chemically induced immune-suppression, which can increase susceptibility to cancer. Scientific studies find pesticide residues such as the weedkiller 2,4-D and the insecticide carbaryl inside homes, due to drift and track-in, where they contaminate air, dust, surfaces and carpets and expose children at levels ten times higher than preapplication levels.

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Wildlife and Pets •

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Pesticides in the water • •

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Children take in more pesticides relative to body weight than adults and have developing organ systems that make them more vulnerable and less able to detoxify toxins. The National Academy of Sciences estimates 50% of lifetime pesticide exposure occurs during the first 5 years of life. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds home and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia by almost seven times. • Studies show low levels of exposure to actual lawn pesticide products are linked to increased rates of miscarriage, and suppression of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. • Exposure to home and garden pesticides can increase a child’s likelihood of developing asthma. • Studies link pesticides with hyperactivity, developmental delays, behavioral disorders, and motor dysfunction. Children ages 6-11 have higher levels of lawn chemicals in their blood than all other age categories. Biomonitoring studies find that pesticides pass from mother to child through umbilical cord blood and breast milk.

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Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides, 17 are detected in groundwater, and 23 have the potential to leach. Runoff has resulted in a widespread presence of pesticides in streams and groundwater. 2,4-D, found in weed and feed and other lawn products, is the herbicide most frequently detected in streams and shallow ground water from urban lawns. Of the 50 chemicals on EPA’s list of unregulated drinking water contaminants, several are lawn chemicals including herbicides diazinon, diuron, naphthalene, and various triazines such as atrazine. Runoff from synthetic chemical fertilizers pollutes streams and lakes and causes algae blooms, depleted oxygen and damage to aquatic life.

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Studies find that dogs exposed to herbicide-treated lawns and gardens can double their chance of developing canine lymphoma and may increase the risk of bladder cancer in certain breeds by four to seven times. Of 30 commonly used lawn pesticides: 16 are toxic to birds, 24 are toxic to fish and aquatic organisms, and 11 are deadly to bees. Pesticides can be toxic to wildlife and cause food source contamination, behavioral abnormalities that interfere with survival, and death. Lawn and garden pesticides are deadly to nontarget species and can harm beneficial insects and soil microorganisms essential to a naturally healthy lawn.

Pesticides in our Lawns—Facts and figures

Pesticide Usage

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Pesticides on our Lawns : Alternative solutions Insecticides

Pest Control Companies

Baits and traps, boric acid (borates), insecticidal soaps, diatomaceous earth (NOT swimming pool type), B.T., beneficial nematodes, neem, vacuuming, new bait methods for subterranean termites.

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Find a company that uses natural or organic methods and avoids toxic pesticides. Do not be fooled by some companies that say they use “IPM” (Integrated Pest Management), but also use toxic pesticides. Make sure you know exactly what they plan to do.

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Do not sign a contract to have pesticides applied on a schedule, or on a regular basis to your home or lawn. This results in unnecessary applications and expense, and keeps your home toxic.

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Make sure you have a written contract before any work begins on your property. The contract should have complete information on exactly what pests are being treated, the methods of application, and the names and ingredients in ALL products that will be used.

Corn gluten, hot water, vinegar, hand pulling, weed wackers, proper watering and mowing, and organic lawn care.

Fungicides sulfur, baking soda, some copper compounds, cultural controls, organic lawn/garden care

Pet products Enzyme shampoos such as “LiceBGone” control fleas on dogs and cats. A 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water sprayed daily on the pet (avoid eyes) keeps fleas in check, along with thorough and frequent vacuuming and weekly washing of pet bedding in hot soapy water.

How to Have a Healthy Non-Toxic Lawn Many people are under the false impression that glyphosate (Roundup) and other herbicides are not pesticides. Do not give your lawn “junk food“ by using chemical fertilizers, which greens it up but stresses the lawn and makes it more vulnerable to pests. Use compost and natural organic material instead. While you transition from a chemical to a natural lawn be patient. It takes time to create a natural, non-chemical dependent system. Do not over water or water on a schedule. Wait until your lawn is really thirsty and then give it a long slow deep drink of water. This will help control pests by enabling roots to grow deeper and downward. Do not be mislead by lawn care companies who tell you that they only use pesticides registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). All legal pesticides are registered by the EPA. It is against the law to advertise or market pesticides as “safe”. Do not be misled by companies who tell you that herbicides and chemical fertilizers are compatible with a natural lawn. They are not. Or by companies that tell you they use IPM ( Integrated Pest Management). IPM can include the use of toxic pesticides.

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If you do not know what the product is, or what the potential risks are – don’t allow its use on your property.

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Most pest control operators know little or nothing about delayed health effects of the products they use. Many do not know the effects on children and adults with asthma, allergies, chemical sensitivity, and underlying health problems.

Top Ten Benefits of organic lawn care. 1. Safety, for humans, animals, insects and the planet. 2. Better Health, for humans, animals, the lawns and the planet. 3. Water Conservation & Preservation, since water does not often become contaminated in organic systems, which also require less water than synthetic programs. 4. Soil Health & Sustainability, since organics builds organic matter and life within the soil. 5. Pest Reduction, since insects tend to be more attracted to out-of-balance synthetic systems. 6. Resource Conservation, since synthetic fertilizers are derived from fossil fuels and organic systems encourage recycling, and because organic systems emphasize less mowing. 7. Financial Savings through time, since organic systems become more independent as the soil is improved. 8. Environmental Preservation, including a reduction in greenhouse gases and global warming. 9. Noise Reduction from decreased reliance on power equipment. 10. Environmental Awareness from the organic practioners, who don’t rely on “four-step plans” and instead tend to become stewards of the land.

Pesticides in our Lawns—Alternative solutions

Herbicides

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Pollutants at Home There’s nothing like a cleanser that actually works as advertised, bulldozing through dirt and leaving a surface sparkling clean. But conventional cleaning products can actually leave indoor air polluted with a toxic smog of petrochemical volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the synthetic fragrances used to mask them. Scientists have discovered that there is a connection between our health and the use of common, everyday household chemicals. The average home in the United States uses over sixty-three hazardous products that together contain hundreds of toxic chemicals. These cleaning and personal products, purchased at the local grocery store, contain chemical ingredients that can be harmful to your health and the health of your loved ones. Think, then, what damage cleaning products used on a regular basis year-round can do in the enclosed space of a home, where VOCs can build up for months. When they evaporate, they are transported directly to the brain, where they can be as intoxicating as ether or chloroform. They are palpably dangerous to health. Cleaning product VOCs, many of which are neurotoxins and known or suspected carcinogens and/or hormone disruptors, have been implicated in headaches, dizziness, watery eyes, skin rashes and respiratory problems. The National Cancer Prevention Coalition The top 12 cancer-causing products (called the “Dirty Dozen”) in the average home include the following: • Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder w/Talc • Crest Tartar Control Toothpaste • VO5 Hair Conditioner • Clairol Nice-n-Easy Hair Color • Ajax Cleanser • Lysol Disinfectant

Water Pollution Control Federation The following products are just a few that are so toxic that they should be disposed of in a toxic waste dump: • floor care products • furniture polish • window cleaners • bug spray • nail polish remover

The President's Toxic Substances Strategy Committee (GOV) warns 90% of all cancers are triggered by toxic chemicals in our home environment. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (GOV) connects 150 toxic chemicals in our homes to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities. The American Cancer Society In 1901, cancer was rare: 1 out of 8,000. Since the Industrial Revolution, the cancer rate today has risen to 1 in 3.

State of California Study Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home.

Pollutants at Home

The EPA • reports toxic chemicals in our home cleaning and personal care products are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outside pollutants. • warns toxic chemicals in household cleaners cause women working at home to have a 55% HIGHER cancer risk than women working outside the home • warns the nation's worst pollution is inside our homes. A number of homes tested have toxic chemical levels 70 times higher inside the home than outside. • 3 groups of people are primarily affected by indoor chemical concentrations because they spend more time indoors and their immune systems are weaker. The 3 groups are: Infants and toddlers, Chronically ill, Elderly.

United States House of Representatives Report Of 2,983 chemicals found in personal care products: • • •

884 are toxic 146 cause tumors 218 cause reproductive complications 10

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778 cause acute toxicity 314 cause biological mutations 376 cause skin and eye irritations

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Toxic Chemicals Our Health and the Environment

Household Products—What’s NOT on the label What's under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room? What is in your cosmetic products, soaps, detergents and personal care products? The Federal Code of Regulations section 1500.82, EXEMPTS manufacturers from full labeling, allowing them to exclude "Hazardous" chemicals from their labels.

Some commonly used products descriptions • Johnson's Baby Shampoo & Baby Lotion:, Dove Beauty Bar: Quaternium 15: Carcinogen • Crest Tarter Control Toothpaste: Carcinogen • Tide & Cheer Detergent: eye irritant, can cause corneal damage, chronic lung irritation, contact with skin can • • • •

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cause dermatitis Clorox: Corrosive, Eye, skin, and respiratory irritant, aggravate heart conditions and asthma, Suspected to affect the reproductive system Cascade (powder )& other Automatic Dishwasher Detergent: Burning pain in the mouth, throat, and stomach, and the lining membranes become swollen and detached, intense pain and shock. Stricture of the esophagus can develop. circulatory failure, esophageal perforation and peritonitis, or pneumonia may occur Automatic Dishwasher Detergent (Liquid): skin irritant. Can burn throat, bleach which can cause swelling and tearing of eye tissue. Vapors can cause central nervous system depression, nausea, lung irritation and in severe cases, coma and death. Fantastik, Formula 409: Neurotoxic, eye and skin irritant. . Damages central nervous system, kidney, and liver. Readily absorbed through the skin. Damages blood and body's ability to make blood. Warning! Strong lung irritant. Can cause mild to moderate damage to eyes. Fumes can cause weakness and dizziness. Central nervous system depression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, abdominal pain, lesions may occur in brain, lung, liver and heart. Possible bone marrow depression. Irritant of eyes, nose and throat. Linked to cancer, reproductive disorders, kidney and liver damage. Can cause chronic lung irritation. Windex & other Glass Cleaner Can cause moderate irritation and damage to eyes. Fumes can be moderately to highly irritating to the lungs. Can irritate the skin. Contains: Glycol ethers – causes reproductive disorders, listed by EPA as a possible human carcinogen Central nervous system depression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, abdominal pain, lesions may occur in brain, lung, liver and meniges and heart. Possible bone marrow depression Lysol Disinfectant: . 500,000 times more deadly than DDT. Ethyl Alcohol: Registered Pesticide. Denatured Ethanol - If inhaled or ingested causes Central Nervous System Depression, Irritant to eyes and mucus membranes. Carciongenic, moderate skin irritant, immunosuppression, headache, nervousness, blurred vision, weakness, nausea, cramps, diarrhea, discomfort in the chest including sweating, tearing, salivation and other excessive respiratory tract secretion, vomiting convulsion, coma, loss of reflexes, cardiac carrhythmias, heart block and cardiac arrest. Dishwashing Liquid: Possible skin irritant. Can cause swelling and tearing of the eye tissue. Vapors can cause labored coughing, labored breathing and in severe cases, death. Contains: Ethanol, Glycol ethers, Formaldehyde, Ammonia. Mixing product with bleach can produce toxic fumes. Repeated exposure can cause asthma-like symptoms and harm the central nervous system. 11

Household Products—What’s NOT on the label

State and federal government have failed to prevent the use of harmful chemicals in consumer products, manufacturing processes, and food production. Most chemicals are virtually unregulated, because federal law does not require testing for harmful effects before chemicals are allowed for use in products or manufacturing. Once chemicals are in use, it is extremely difficult for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to restrict them. The law does require pesticide testing, but at the same time it permits the ongoing use of pesticides that can cause cancer, nervous system harm, and other health problems.

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Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean your House HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PICKUPS Take toxic products

WHY: Almost everyone in the world has a cupboard full of poisons under their kitchen sink. Wasp spray, oven cleaner, waxes and polishes -- the place is full of chemicals that display the words poison, danger, warning, or caution. Small amounts of the poisons drift from, and leak out of bottles and spray bottles, which then waft around the kitchen. Household poisonings are one of the highest threats to the health of children. HOW: Place products with signal words in a locked cupboard in storage for your community's next Household Hazardous Pickup Day (see next tip); replace all hazardous products with safer versions in the future. HIGHLIGHTS: No chemicals wafting into your household; safer environment for kids.

WHY: Hazardous materials shouldn't be poured down the drain or thrown away in the trash as they can cause serious pollution problems in the waste stream. HOW: Call your local recycling center, town or city hall. Most communities have at least one Household Hazardous Waste Pickup Day a year. (see list of hazardous waste disposal in your area at the end of this booklet) HIGHLIGHTS: There will be fewer toxic materials leaching out of landfills, burning in incinerators, and being washed into the waste water stream.

Key words on the labels REPLACE TOXIC PRODUCTS Choose nontoxic, biodegradable substitutes WHY: Help reduce the toxic burden of manufacturing, your home, and the waste stream. HOW: Read "Signal Words" on labels. The signal words poison, danger, warning, or caution, found on the label of products such as pesticides and cleaning products, are placed there by order of the federal government and are primarily for your production. In some cases these signal words are on the label because of the potential impact the product can have on the environment. HIGHLIGHTS: Labels provide information by which you can protect yourself, your family, and the environment.

Caution: Least toxic. Lethal dose is one once to one pint Warning: Toxic. Lethal dose is one teaspoon to one tablespoon Danger or Poison: Most toxic. Lethal dose is one taste to one teaspoon Toxic: Toxic materials (such as pesticides, weed killers, and many household cleaners) can poison people and pets. Toxic substances can cause illness and even death if swallowed or absorbed through the skin. Corrosive: Corrosive products (such as drain, oven, and acid based toilet cleaners) can severely burn skin and eyes, or internal organs if swallowed. Ignitable: Ignitable products (such as paint, furniture polish solvents, and spot removers) will catch fire if heated or placed near a flame. Reactive: Reactive materials can explode or create poisonous gas when combined with other chemicals (Chlorine bleach and ammonia create a poisonous gas when mixed)

Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean you House

LOOK UNDER YOUR KITCHEN SINK Remove toxic products

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Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean your House

WHY: Save money, protect your health, reduce your use of valuable resources of the earth, and avoid petroleum products and other nonrenewable resources. HOW: Learning to clean from scratch—making home-made recipes—can truly work if you take time to understand a bit about the chemistry behind how the materials work. See below the four main ingredients for home-made cleaning solutions. Caution Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of children. HIGHLIGHTS: Establish a safe, cheap and simple lifestyle.

DISINFECTANTS? CHLORINE BLEACH? Look for alternatives WHY: Just as antibiotics are causing drug resistance, so too are disinfectants. Chlorine bleach can cause cancer causing chemicals to form in the waste water stream. HOW: Make safe antibacterial spray by using: • 1 cup water • 20 drops pure essential oil of lavender Pour the water into a spray bottle. Add the lavender essential oil and shake to blend. Spray on the surface and let set for at least 15 minutes, or don’t rinse at all. Visit your natural food store and ask for their recommended chlorine beach alternative. Seventh Generation and other brands offer alternatives that work. HIGHLIGHTS: A healthier home and healthier environment.

WHY: Reduce your use of nonrenewable resources; avoid products with potentially harmful ingredients such as sponges with antibacterial ingredients; reuse old shirts as rags and more. Use cloth rags instead of paper towels to save trees. Save money! HOW: Look at your purchase of mops, paper towels, sponges, buckets, vacuums, and more with an eye towards their durability, health and environmental impact. If you must use paper towels buy recycled, unbleached paper. HIGHLIGHTS: Reusable mops, rags instead of paper, safe sponges, HEPA vacuums all work towards providing your home and environment with fresh, clean air, and reduce your consumption of nonrenewable resources.

CONSERVE WATER WHY: Clean water is one of our most precious and diminishing resources and we don't want to waste it. HOW: Don't run the water unless you are using it or catching it in a bucket for use; sweep instead of wet mop when possible; put a tracking matt at the door to collect mud and dust so you will need to wash the floor less; etc. Use common sense. HIGHLIGHTS: Do your part to preserve the earth's precious resources.

Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean you House

LEARN NONTOXIC CLEANING BASICS MOPS, SPONGES, RAGS, AND OTHER How to use kitchen cupboard ingredients ACCESSORIES Natural, reusable

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CLEANING SOLUTIONS — Essential Ingredients White vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemons, and olive oil, are all you need to keep your wood floors sleek, stainless steel germ-free and shiny, and bathroom tiles squeaky clean. And the added bonus is there’s not a harmful chemical in sight.

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• White vinegar: A natural disinfectant, stain remover and reduces mineral and lime deposits. It’s a diluted ascetic acid and a substitute for ammonia-based cleaners. You can use white wine vinegar, but white distilled vinegar is cheaper. Don’t use malt vinegar - your home will end up smelling like a chippie. • Bicarbonate of Soda (aka baking soda/sodium bicarbonate): A miracle cleaner. When mixed with water it forms a slightly alkaline liquid, which cuts through grease and dirt on almost any surface. Used neat it’s slightly abrasive and can be used to scrub problem stains. Often vinegar and soda are mixed together for maximum cleaning strength. Baking powder works just as well - it’s a mix of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. Lemons: The citric acid in lemon juice makes it perfect for bleaching, disinfecting, deodorizing and cutting grease. Olive Oil/Tea Tree oil: Great alternative furniture polish. Don’t worry about using the extra-virgin type, the most basic will do. Spray bottles and jars

Damp dusting is great for general cleaning and ensures dust is not scattered around. For best results, soak your duster in two parts water, two parts vinegar and two drops of lemon oil. Then wring out and store in a covered glass jar until you need it.

Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean you House

Scientists have found house dust contains a ready mix of toxins from a variety of sources. Traffic pollution blown through open windows, shoes treading in soil, lead and pesticides, and insect sprays with other synthetic products all build up the chemicals in our home. Even TV’s and computers contribute when they heat up. So with the following tips you can detoxify your home and get it super clean too.

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CLEANING SOLUTIONS - Homemade Methods •

•

Wood

Wash windows with 2 to 3tbsps of vinegar to three litres of warm water. Dry with crumpled newspaper for sparkling results. Scummy vases? Put in 1tbsp of vinegar and fill with warm water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Rub with a soft cloth then rinse.

Mix one part olive oil with one part lemon juice. Rub on furniture or apply with a spray bottle, then polish with a dry cloth. Use this mix to make wood floors gleam.

Stainless Steel

Microwaves/Ovens

Clean and shine any stainless steel surface with a paste of soda and water. Apply liberally with a damp cloth. Leave for about 5 minutes, then wipe.

Clean with a cloth dampened in equal parts of vinegar and water. Remove microwave odors, place some lemon slices in a bowl of water. Put on high for a few minutes.

Air Freshener •

•

Floors • •

Mop vinyl, laminate or ceramic tiled floors with 8tbsp of vinegar diluted in 1 gallon of hot water. For pet odours and stains in carpets, mix equal parts of vinegar and water. Apply to affected areas. Blot with kitchen roll (recycled is preferable), until moisture is absorbed. You may need to repeat the process.

Baths, shower doors, tiles and grout Tackle body oils and soap scum with two parts soda to one part vinegar or lemon juice. The thick paste should be applied with a damp cloth. Leave for 10 minutes then rub with a brush or sponge. As you rinse it off, drains will be kept fresh too. Use this mix on shower doors, sinks, tiles and grout. If cleaning grout, rub with a toothbrush.

Mildew and mold

Toilet

Banish black spots with one part vinegar or lemon juice to one part baking powder. Apply and leave for one or two hours. Rinse off. It may need to be reapplied or left longer, depending on how severe your mold or mildew is.

•

Keep loose clean and fresh - put 8tbsp of soda in the bowl. Leave overnight. Sprinkle soda onto a damp cloth to clean toilet seat and cistern, then wipe with a wet cloth.

•

Baking soda eliminates odors. Mix 8tbsp with three drops of your favorite essential oil. Place in a decorative bowl or vase. Soda in the bottom of ashtrays absorbs smoke smells. It’s also like sand for stubbing out cigarettes. Dab some essential oil on a light bulb. When on, the heat will diffuse the fragrance.

Drain cleaner •

Put down one part soda, followed by four parts hot vinegar. Leave overnight if possible.

Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean you House

Glass

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CLEANING PRODUCTS - Green Commercial Solutions Product

Green solution

Product

Green solution

Aerosol Products

Home-made Solution: — Use hand-pump sprays — Apply by hand

Bleach

Green Products (for laundry): — Bi-O-Kleen Oxygen Bleach — Ecover Oxygen Bleach (liquid and powder) — Oxiclean (OrangeGlo) — Oxyboost (Natural Choices)

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner

Green Products: — Bac-Out Stain and Odor Remover (Earth Friendly) — Carpet-Free Cleaner (Natural Choices) — Earth Friendly Rug Shampoo — Mrs. Meyer’s Carpet Cleaner — Oxy-boost

Automatic Dishwashers Detergents

Green Products: — 7th Generation — Citrisolve — Ecover — Mrs. Murphy’s Automatic Dishwashing Liquid — Wave (Earth Friendly)

Dishwashing Hand Liquid

Green Products: — 7th Generation — Bi-O-Kleen (Earth Friendly) — Dishmate (Earth Friendly) — Earth Rite Dishwashing Liquid — Ecover — Mrs. Meyer’s

Disinfectants Drain Cleaner

Prevention! — Drain baskets and screens. — Metal snake or Plunger

Air Green Products: Freshener — Air Scents (Shadow Lake) — Ecos Air Freshener — Pure Ayre Odor Eliminator — Simple Pure Clean Essential Oil Air Fresheners Home-made Solution:

— Make your own with distilled water and essential oils

— Potpourri — Zeolites (in bags)

AllPurpose Cleaner/ Degreaser

Green Products:

— 7th Generation Multi-Purpose/Heavy-Duty Cleaner & Degreaser

— Bi-O-Kleen All Purpose Cleaner & Degreaser — Citri-Glow All Purpose Cleaner — Citrisolve — Ecover Citrus Cleaner & Degreaser — Mrs. Meyer’s All-Purpose Cleaner

Antibacterial Cleaner

Automatic Dishwasher Detergent

Essential Oils with Anti-bacterial Properties: — Tea Tree Oil — Eucalyptus Oil — Lavender Oil — Lemon and Orange Oil — Oregano Oil — Thyme Oil

Green Products (Enzyme Cleaners): — Bio Guard Plus — Earth Enzymes Drain Opener (Earth Friendly)

Floor Cleaner

Green Products: — 7th Generation — Citrisolve — Ecover

Green Products: — Citrisolve concentrate (diluted) — Floor Kleener (Earth Friendly) — Simple Green

Cleaning Products - Green Commercial Solutions

and put in a spritzer bottle!

— PLANTS are the most effective air-fresheners.

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CLEANING PRODUCTS - Green Commercial Solutions Product

Green solution

Product

Green solution

Furniture & Floor Polish/ Wax

Green Products:

Mold & Mildew Cleaner

Green Products: — 7th Generation Shower Cleaner/Santitizer — Bi-O-Kleen Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator — Bi-O-Kleen Spray & Wipe Cleaner

— Earth Friendly Furniture Polish — Mrs. Meyer’s Wood Furniture Cream

Home-made Solution: — Distilled White Vinegar — Hydrogen Peroxide — Tea Tree Oil — Grapefruit Seed Extract

— Murphy’s Oil Soap — Vegetable Oil soaps (such as castile soap, like Dr. Bronner’s): if you have hard water you may need Vegetable Oil Detergent to prevent residue Laundry Detergent

Green Products:

Oven Cleaner

Home-made Solutions: Paste of baking soda + water, steel wool and elbow grease

Scouring Scrubs

Green Products: — Bon Ami — Mrs. Meyer’s Surface Scrub

Spot/ Stain Remover

Green Products: — Bio-Tech Stain Remover — Ecover Natural Stain Remover — Oxy-boost

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Green Products: — Bi-O-Kleen Soy Cream Cleaner (Earth Friendly) — Ecos Cream Cleanser (Earth Friendly) — Mrs. Meyer’s Stainless Steel Cleaner

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Green Products:

— 7th Generation Laundry Detergent (liquid- many yummy smells, powdered, and Ultra-Concentrated)

— Bi-O-Kleen Natural Laundry Detergent — Citri-Suds — Country Save (powdered) — ECOS Laundry Detergent (Earth Friendly) — Ecover Laundry Detergent (powdered and liquid) — Oxy-Prime Powder Detergent Metal Polish

Tub & Tile Cleaner

Home-made Solutions: Aluminum: lemon Brass:

paste of salt+flour+vinegar

Chrome:

rubbing alcohol

Copper:

lemon juice+salt

— Bi-O-Kleen Soy Toilet Scrub

Silver:

paste of baking soda+water; or white toothpaste (yes!)

— Ecover Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

— Seventh Generation Natural Mint Toilet Bowl Cleaner

— Mr. Meyer’s Toilet Bowl Cleaner — Oxy-flush Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Green Products:

— 7th Generation All-Purpose Cleaner — Bi-O-Kleen Bac Out Foaming Stain & Odor Eliminator (Earth Friendly)

— Bi-O-Kleen Cleaner & Degreaser (Earth Friendly) — Earth Friendly Shower Cleaner — Earth Scrub Tub & Tile Cleaner

Cleaning Products - Green Commercial Solutions

— Bio Shield Floor Soap

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Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

•

• •

Fish

Eat organic food, which is the best choice if you can find and afford it. In some grocery stores, organic food is more expensive, but a local farmers market may have organic or less pesticide-intensive food that is more affordable. Buy organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables that are typically more contaminated, and save money by choosing conventional varieties of produce that are typically less contaminated (see sidebar for options). Avoid the most contaminated produce as much as possible. Become a member of community-supported agriculture a program in which local farms will deliver a box of produce (often organic) to your door or a drop-off place in your neighborhood. Rinse and scrub your produce with a vegetable brush to reduce pesticide residues Grow your own organic herbs or vegetables. Start with a few feet of garden space or containers on the window sill.

Thermometers Use a digital thermometer instead of a mercury one. If you have a mercury thermometer, check with your local government or the EPA or www.StopWaste.org to see where you can dispose of it safely.

Pick the right fish to eat. The best bet is to use one of the pocket -sized fish guides (see below) whenever you go food shopping or to a restaurant. They make deciding on the right fish easier. As much as possible, choose fish that are both low in mercury and other contaminants and have not been over fished. Some of these guides provide information on both issues. Environmental Defense’s Pocket Seafood Selector: www.environmentaldefense.org The Green Guide’s Fish Shoppers’ Guide: www.thegreenguide.com

Plastic Products Avoid certain types of plastics for food. Plastics used for food storage usually have a number code on the bottom, which will tell you what type of plastic it is. According to The Green Guide, it is best to avoid: • Plastic #3: Polyvinyl chloride (also known as PVC or vinyl), which is found in a wide range of products, including some plastic wraps and food containers. • Plastic #6: Styrene, which is found in Styrofoam products, such as take out containers, Styrofoam cups and egg cartons. • Plastic #7: Polycarbonate, which is found in Nalgene and other sport water bottles, some baby bottles, toddler drinking cups, and 5-gallon water bottles. • Store food in containers made of glass, ceramic or food-safe metal, it’s good for you health and the environment.

Furniture & Electronic Equipment

Please do not throw it in the garbage can. Similarly, if you are changing your heating and cooling system, change to a digital thermostat, which is mercury-free. If a mercury thermometer breaks, take precautions in cleaning it up, as the mercury forms a vapor that is easily inhaled.

Limit your exposure to flame retardants: Chose products made by companies that are eliminating BFRs in electronics, computers, furniture, mattresses and other products. The Safer Products Project website lists some companies to choose from: www.safer– products.org. Also, keep your house free of dust, which may harbor flame retardants and other contaminants.

Cosmetics

Reduce contamination from manufacturing and disposal of electronic equipment: Buy only the necessary electronic equipment. If electronic equipment is no longer needed but still functions, consider donating it to a local organization. Some towns have electronic recycling businesses or government programs which will recycle or re-sell computers and electronics.

Major loopholes in federal law allow the cosmetics industry to put unlimited amounts of chemicals into personal care products without testing for health effects or adequate labeling requirements. Go to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website www.safecosmetics.org a database of over 14,000 personal care products, their ingredients and potential health concerns.

Some companies will take back electronic equipment and re-use parts of the product. Keep discarded electronics out of the regular trash because the chemicals in them make all electronic equipment hazardous waste. 18

Steps to a Healthier Lifestyle

Fruits and Vegetables

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Solutions in your Community Require Safer Substitutes and Solutions Seek to eliminate the use and emissions of hazardous chemicals by altering production processes, substituting safer chemicals, redesigning products and systems, rewarding innovation and re-examining product function. Safer substitution includes an obligation on the part of the public and private sectors to invest in research and development of sustainable chemicals, products, materials and processes. Phase Out Persistent, Bioaccumulative, or Highly Toxic Chemicals Prioritize for elimination of chemicals that are slow to degrade, accumulate in our bodies or living organisms or are highly hazardous to humans or the environment. Ensure that chemicals eliminated in the United States are not exported to other countries. Give the Public and Workers the Full Right-to-Know and Participate Provide meaningful involvement for the public and workers in decisions on chemicals. Disclose chemicals and materials, list quantities of chemicals produced, used, released and exported and provide public/worker access to chemical hazard, use and exposure information.

Require Comprehensive Safety Data for All Chemicals For a chemical to remain on or be placed on the market, manufacturers must provide publicly available safety information about that chemical. The information must be sufficient to permit a reasonable evaluation of the safety of the chemical for human health and the environment, including hazard, use and exposure information. This is the principle of “No Data, No Market.” Take Immediate Action to Protect Communities and Workers When communities and workers are exposed to levels of chemicals that pose a health hazard, immediate action is necessary to eliminate these exposures. We must ensure that no population is disproportionately burdened by chemicals.

Find out what is going on in your community

Make schools a healthy place for kids

Spending a few hours identifying some of the sources of environmental contamination in your community—and the organizing efforts to address them—can provide very useful information about how to work for a healthy environment.

Schools should be a safe and healthy place for kids to grow and learn. Unfortunately, many schools lag in making sure that children are not exposed to pesticides, contaminated drinking water, lead paint or indoor air pollution. There are lots of opportunities to work for healthy schools—either by organizing parents in your local school or by advocating for local or state policies that ban

Get involved in community efforts to reduce industrial pollution

Do your part to clean up transportation

Most forms of transportation contribute to air pollution. Driving Many manufacturing facilities emit harmful pollution through smoke- less, taking the bus or riding a bicycle are good habits to reduce stacks or water discharges. Incinerators can also emit harmful fumes your own emissions. And you can help with bigger changes, such when wastes are burned. Once you find out what is going on in your as supporting improved fuel efficiency in cars, reduced idling of community (see action item to the left) you can get involved in local diesel school buses, transitioning bus fleets to clean energy and promoting public transportation. community groups working for a healthy environment. And if none exist, you can start your own.

Talk to your friends and family about our health and the environment You can share this toolkit with friends, family and co-workers 19

Solutions in your Community

Act on Early Warnings Act with foresight. Prevent harm from new or existing chemicals when credible evidence of harm exists, even when some uncertainty remains regarding the exact nature and magnitude of the harm.

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Maybe it is slightly alarmist, but I'd rather be aware than in denial. We must become aware of the potential health hazards present in our own homes and eliminate the toxic waste. Now is the time; our families, animals, our world and nature are too precious to ignore the danger. Happily, there is a simple solution to the problem. There is really no reason to risk your world or the health of your loved ones any longer. We live in a rich culture, with pans that don't stick, jackets that shed water, sprays that disinfect toilets, traps that kill ants. We have lotions to moisturize chapped skin and colognes to make us smell good. But we also carry a legacy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a tiny bit of the chemicals that make it all possible. It's in our parents, us and our children. And no one yet knows what it means. But we can change this, and the changes we need to carry in our lifestyle, the changes that will make this world a better place for the generations to come, cannot happen only based on fear. They need to start from a vision of a better, safer cleaner world. They need to happen from a place of reverence, respect and responsibility for our world, people and life.

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