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Consumer Products:  Putting Safety into Your Shopping Basket

Some products we use every day contain chemicals that could be a health concern especially for sensitive individuals. The chemicals may enter the air or dust in our homes and get into our bodies. Most people don't realize that chemicals present in cleaning products, glues, carpeting, furniture and many other items can be released from the product.

This can contaminate your homes air and house dust. In many cases, the chemicals used in products have not been thoroughly tested for safety and do not need to appear on product labels. Various governmental bodies have identified chemicals of high concern to children which appear in consumer products.

Chemicals of Concern are chemicals that are linked to adverse health effects but have not been studied enough to definitively conclude harm and so remain in products. Concerns have been raised by consumer groups, state governments and some researchers that the federal government does not have enough authority under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to properly regulate chemicals in consumer products. Examples of such chemicals of concern are: triclosan, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde and certain flame retardants


References:

What the EPA's "Chemicals of Concern" Plans Really Mean

 

Be a smart consumer. Learn about these products and the chemicals they contain. This web page will help consumers identify where toxic chemicals may exist in consumer products and how to find alternatives to the higher concern products and chemicals.

 


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 What's in the Product?

When buying a product check to see if it has a list of ingredients and warnings. You may be able to identify ingredients of concern if there is a list. Warning labels on items give important information about how to protect you and your family from the chemicals contained in the product. There are also useful resources online which list ingredients of products.

Web Sources of Product Ingredients:

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Household Data Base has information on the following product categories:

 

Auto products

Inside the Home

Landscape & Yard

Personal Care

Home Maintenance

Arts & Crafts

 Pet Care

 

Home Office

 

The database can be searched by product name, product type, manufacturer, ingredients and health effects: USDHHS Household Products Database

 

Good Guide Provides scientific ratings of many types of consumer products and indicate harmful chemicals if they exist in a product (University of California at Berkeley).

Health Effects

Some of the chemicals contained in consumer products can cause burning or itchy eyes, headaches, dizziness, or respiratory illnesses. Some are allergens that can trigger asthma attacks, are endocrine disruptors, or carcinogens. Others may contribute to learning problems. The degree to which this occurs depends upon the strength of the chemical, the amount in the product and the rate at which the product is used.

General Tips for Reducing Toxics

Products that may contain chemicals of concern:

Personal Care Products
  • Cosmetics
  • Hair dyes, Soaps, Shampoo, Hairsprays, Hair straighteners, Lotions, Deodorants
  • Sunscreen
Home Goods
  • Plastics
  • Cookware
  • Upholstered furniture, Carpets, Draperies, Fabric care 
Household Products
  • Polishes & waxes
  • Carpet Cleaners
  • Household cleaners
  • Air fresheners and other fragrance products
  • Household pesticides
    • Mothballs
    • Pet Care
Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement Products(paints, varnishes, stains, glues, etc.)
 
Arts & Crafts Supplies
 
 
Other Resources
 
Guide to Less Toxic Products   How to reduce toxic chemicals in your home