Toxic Products

Toxic ProductsHidden Harms in the

Classroom

P.O. Box 6806 Falls Church, VA | o 703-237-2249 |f 703-237-8389 | www.chej.org

Why Is Examining The Products You Use

Important? Commonly used products have adverse health

effects, particularly for children

These products also have adverse effects for the environment

Worker health matters-both that of your custodians and those who produce the chemicals

There are safer, cost effective alternativesP.O. Box 6806 Falls Church, VA | o 703-237-2249 |f 703-237-8389 | www.chej.org

Why Children are More Vulnerable To Toxins

Hand-to-mouth behavior and playing close to the ground

Heavier exposures to environmental toxins, pound for pound, compared to adults

Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in NYC found Developmental processes can be easily disrupted— “Early windows of great vulnerability”

Many hours spent in school with air that is often 2-5x more contaminated than outdoor air (US EPA)

“Overall evidence strongly suggests that a poor environment in schools, due primarily to effects of indoor pollutants, adversely influences the health, performance, and attendance of students” –US Department of Education report, 2004

If We Can Buy It, It Must Be Safe, Right?

No! Products Have Unlisted Ingredients and Unknown

DangersAccording to US EPA, of the 2,863 most

commonly used chemicals only 7% have complete toxicity data and 43% have NO toxicity information available

1 of every 3 cleaning chemicals used in schools causes environmental or health problems (Center for a New American Dream)


INFORM Found That Of 250 Common Janitorial Products…

7% Should not be used Severe environmental and health threats

56% Require extreme care Blindness, severe skin damage, absorption

through skin to internal organs

37% Require routine care Temporary irritation, harmful ingredients


High Risk Ingredients(Department of Interior)

Acids Hydrochloric AcidPhosphoric Acid

BlindnessDamages Skin

Caustics Sodium HydroxideSodium MetasilicatePotassium Hydroxide

BlindnessDamages SkinSevere irritant

Solvents PerchloroethyleneButoxyethanolEthanolamineTolueneHCFC-141

CancerPoison (absorbs through skin, poisons liver and kidney)

Depletes Ozone Layer

Surfactants

Alkyl phenol ethoxylates Endocrine Disruption

Disinfectants

Sodium hypochloriteParadichlorobenzeneQuaternary Ammonium Chloride

Corrosive and ReactiveCancerCorrosive and CNS Depressant


Volatile Organic Compounds

Acute Problems: Nose and Throat Discomfort, headache, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue

Chronic Problems: Cancer, Damage to Organs and Central Nervous System

Cleaning products are responsible for approximately eight percent of total non-vehicular emissions of VOCs (Green Seal).

A Simple Way to Understand: Off-Gassing


1,4 dichlorobenzene(1,4 DCB)

Likely carcinogen (Dept. of Health and Human Services)

New research links it to reduced lung function (Nat’l Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)

In this study 96% of a group of 953 people had concentrations in their blood

Found in toilet bowel cleaners, air fresheners, paint, and other deodorizers


Cleaning Products as Asthma Triggers

Nationwide 1 in 13 children have asthma, and a study at UMDNJ found that 1 in 8 children in New Jersey have it. Asthma is the primary factor for school absenteeism and hospital admission among chronic conditions.

Janitorial workers experience the highest rates of occupational asthma, twice the rate for other workers (Study in American Journal of Industrial Medicine)

An article in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that in four states—California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey —12 percent of work-related asthma cases were associated with exposure to cleaning products, and 80 percent of those were new onset cases

Even short-term exposure to cleaning agents caused asthmatic attacks (A Study in the European Respiratory Journal)P.O. Box 6806 Falls Church, VA | o 703-237-2249 |f 703-237-8389 |

www.chej.org

The Most Toxic Cleaners

Acid Toilet Bowl CleanerCarpet SpotterAll-purpose CleanerFloor Finish StripperBaseboard StripperGraffiti RemoverDisinfectant


Paint When the EPA tested the indoor air quality after a fresh paint

application, it was found that VOC levels were 1000 times higher than outside

Petroleum-based (oil/alkyl) paints can contain up to 60% VOCs Water-based paints have less VOCs but no law on VOC content!

Contain biocides Both Latex and Oil Based Paint can contain: heavy metals Carcinogenic (Nat’l Toxicology Program)

solvents phthalates Developmental and Reproductive toxin (NIEHS)

formaldehyde Nose and throat cancer, menstrual disorders (Nat’l Toxicology Program)

other carcinogenic compoundsP.O. Box 6806 Falls Church, VA | o 703-237-2249 |f 703-237-8389 | www.chej.org

Environmental Impacts

Aquatic ToxicityEutrophicationBioaccumulative and Persistent ChemicalsSmog precursorsOzone DepletersNon-renewable resources Certain chemicals from

common school products are found in fish bile, surface waters and breast milk


Your Right-to-Know About Toxins

MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheets


Let’s Examine One MSDS Sheet3.2 POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

Eye Contact:Corrosive (Eye Burns): Signs/symptoms may include cloudy appearance of the cornea, chemical burns, severe pain, tearing,ulcerations, significantly impaired vision or complete loss of vision.Skin Contact:Severe Skin Irritation: Signs/symptoms may include localized redness, swelling, itching, dryness, cracking, blistering, and pain.Allergic Skin Reaction (non-photo induced): Signs/symptoms may include redness, swelling, blistering, and itching.Inhalation:Respiratory Tract Irritation: Signs/symptoms may include cough, sneezing, nasal discharge, headache, hoarseness, and nose andthroat pain.May be absorbed following inhalation and cause target organ effects.Ingestion:Gastrointestinal Irritation: Signs/symptoms may include abdominal pain, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.May be absorbed following ingestion and cause target organ effects.


What is It???A well-known brand name!

3M Brand All Purpose Cleaner & Degreaser


In Summary…You need to proactively examine the products

you useMany conventional products used in schools

are linked to cancer, asthma, respiratory problems, various organ problems, and severe irritation of the skin

These products are contaminating the indoor air that every child, teacher and staff person is breathing in nearly 9 hours a day

The environment is also feeling the effects of these toxins in the water, land and air


If We Have a Choice, Why Create A Toxic Legacy?

Photo courtesy of The International POPs Elimination Network


Alternatives Do Exist!Green Seal ProductsGS-37 Standard for Industrial and Institutional

Cleaners. This standard deals with general-purpose, bathroom, and glass cleaners, as well as paint that are used in offices, institutions, warehouses, and industrial facilities.


Green Seal Certifies… No carcinogens Not corrosive Non-Toxic to humans and aquatic life Low VOCs, phosphorus and phthalate content Free of ozone depleters, heavy metals and other harmful

chemicals Recyclable packaging Animal testing is discouraged Provided in a concentrate Biodegradable More environmentally friendly packaging


3M All Purpose Cleaner/Degreaser

EcoPure Neutral Multi-Use Cleaner/Degreaser

Inhalation: Respiratory Tract Irritation: Signs/symptoms may include cough, sneezing, nasal discharge, headache, hoarseness, and nose and throat pain. May be absorbed following inhalation and cause target organ effects.

Inhalation: Hazardous inhalation is not applicable, but may cause slight irritation

Target Organ Effects:Central Nervous System (CNS) Depression

Health Effects: No carcinogens, no targeted organ effects

Skin Contact: Severe Skin Irritation: Signs/symptoms may include localized redness, swelling, itching, dryness, cracking, blistering, and pain.

Skin contact: Incidental skin contact is not expected to cause any significant irritation.

Traditional Green Seal


Aren’t Green Cleaners More Expensive?

NO! Many are competitively priced, and if not, there are easy ways to keep costs down…

Talk with current vendors to see options within your current purchasing system

Creative ideas—collaborative purchasing, competitive bidding


Recognition of Green Cleaning by Governments

Law in New York state making use of green cleaners mandatory in public buildings and schools 1

All of NJ’s state properties and authorities are now required to purchase and utilize green cleaning products (Executive Order #76, Governor Codey, 2006) 2


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.startupbiz.com/Services/Thumbs-up.gif&imgrefurl=http://chrisj1982.blogspot.com/&h=365&w=224&sz=5&hl=en&start=18&tbnid=pEFsEL0WkTzneM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=74&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dthumbs%2Bup%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

Step 1: Understanding the Hazards in Your School

Create an inventory of all products in use and complete walk-through checklist

Retrieve MSDS data sheets on all those products

Identify the hazards according to the data sheets and through company contact


Step 2: Take ActionTalk with your suppliers and test other suppliers

to find cost-effective green cleaningTest products if you wish, then purchase!Create guidelines for green cleaning at your

schoolIncorporate those guidelines into a school policy

or resolution to institute green cleaning for the future


Step 3: Learn Your New Products

Understand benefits of the productWhat is the most effective way to use them?Do you need to clean differently with the less

toxic products?Dialogue with the vendor about product


General Rules of Thumb

Choose and use disinfectants wiselyAntibacterial products do not produce a "cleaner"

clean. Regular soap removes dirt and bacteria, while and a disinfectant renders a surface sterile.

These harsher products can be bad for septic systems, and human health


General Rules of Thumb

Choose products that disclose specific information on ingredients

and environmental claims Ingredients to Avoid:

Corrosives Chlorine Bleach

Ammonia Phosphates

Petroleum Products Fragrances


Success Stories"Our two main concerns, as we explored going

green were: do the products work as well as traditional products and what about the additional cost? [The certified products] proved to us that the chemicals work just as good or better than traditional cleaning products and we are not spending any more money to be 'green'.”

Michael Rinderknecht Business AdministratorGlen Rock Board of Education, Bergen County, NJ


You Did It!Publicize accomplishments in newsletters, local

papers, letters home to parentsEnd of year report


Further Resources

www.chej.org

www.environmentalhealthnews.org

www.informinc.org


Change Follows Understanding

“If the earth were your body, you would be able to feel the many places where it is suffering. Every day, children and adults die because of the pollution of air and water. These things are related.” - Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist Monk


Questions?


Toxic Products

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