Just catching up and making some updated posts. Hanging in there like always.
Apparently LYSOL has donated FREE = products for ALL our children at Canadian schools.
I also heard on my ONE lying TV channel that CHARMIN wants to put febreeze on their TP ?
I don’t use them very often anyway thank-GOD but these also can poison your PETS guys, o.k.
PLEASE = PROTECT OUR CHILDREN and STOP THE POISONING of OUR CHILDREN and OUR PETS etc. Please STOP this from happening !
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Companies fight to keep consumers in the dark about chemicals in cleaners
During the cold winter months you may spend more time inside than out. And you may do more cleaning, especially because it’s also the flu and Covid season.
But before you reach for that spray cleaner, you should know that ingredients in many household cleaning products don’t just kill germs, they may also harm your health.
And a new bill in Congress may mean that simply checking product labels and company websites soon won’t be enough to avoid toxic ingredients.
Disinfectant sprays
Disinfectant sprays are appealing types of cleaners, because they can be used on a variety of surfaces and promise to kill germs, including bacteria and viruses.
But many of these spray disinfectants – including name-brand products like Lysol – contain chemicals that can jeopardize your health.
Ingredients of concern
MIPA-borate
MIPA-borate has been linked to hormone disruption. MIPA-borate can be found in many Lysol brand disinfectant sprays, including LYSOL Disinfectant Max Cover Mist, Brighter Horizon, LYSOL Disinfectant Max Cover Mist, Fresh Beginnings, LYSOL Disinfectant Max Cover Mist, White Sales & Ocean Breeze, LYSOL Disinfectant Spray Lightly Scented, Adirondack Cool Air Scent and LYSOL Disinfectant Spray Lightly Scented, Crystal Waters Scent.
Ethanolamine
Ethanolamine is a buffering agent added to cleaning products. It has been linked to a variety of health harms, including asthma, respiratory issues, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and skin allergies and irritation. Contact with this ingredient has been known to cause severe skin burns and eye damage. It can also be found in many Lysol disinfectant spray cleaners.
Ammonium hydroxide
Ammonium hydroxide is a caustic inorganic base, also used in many Lysol disinfectant products. It has been linked to asthma and respiratory issues, severe skin allergies and irritation, and has been shown to be very toxic to aquatic life.
Children’s health concerns
The harmful ingredients in products like Lysol disinfectant sprays are especially concerning for children. Asthma and many childhood cancers are on the rise, and the products we use daily in our homes may be a contributing factor.
Even when using cleaning products as directed, they can release hundreds of chemicals into the air.
Pending legislation
In October 2023, a bill was introduced in Congress on behalf of leading household cleaning product manufacturers – including Reckitt, the manufacturer of Lysol – that would deny Americans the right to know what the toxic chemicals are in their cleaning products.
The industry bill was introduced by Rep. Larry Buschon (R-Ind.). Dubbed the Deny Americans the Right to Know Act – or DARK Act – by consumer advocates, if passed, the law would create an endless regulatory process that would produce a far weaker chemical disclosure system.
It would preempt a state law approved by California legislators in 2017 that requires the disclosure of toxic chemicals in popular household cleaning products like Lysol, Pledge and Windex.
This state law has been in effect since 2020. EWG sponsored the legislation and backed efforts to make it law.
EWG was joined in this effort by other environmental groups and leading household cleaning companies. We worked together to pass the state law, which requires the disclosure of certain toxic chemicals on the package of products, or through a website.
When the state law was passed, household cleaning product manufacturers, including S.C. Johnson, Clorox, Henkel, Procter & Gamble and Reckitt, agreed that they would not seek preemption of Californian’s new law and NGOs agreed not to seek a stronger law in other states.
So far, only Clorox and Henkel have opposed the new bill and pledged to honor their agreement with organizations like EWG.
While MIPA-borate, ethanolamine and ammonium hydroxide are ingredients used in many other cleaners, not just Lysol, Reckitt is one of the only companies trying to keep consumers in the dark about the chemicals in their products.
And an EWG analysis of chemicals that must be disclosed, under California’s Cleaning Product Right to Know Act, found that Reckitt has more chemicals to disclose in their cleaning products than any other company.
Protecting yourself
Consumers looking to reduce exposure to products containing harmful ingredients like mipa-borate, ammonium hydroxide and ethanolamine can use resources like EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning to find top-rated products. When you’re on the go, use the Healthy Living app.
Look for the EWG VERIFIED® mark on cleaners, which shows the product meets EWG’s strictest standards for transparency and health, and is made without chemicals of concern.
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Toxins – Lysol & Other products containing Benzalkonium Chloride
- posted: Mar. 20, 2020
During this COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has been taking extra precautions to do their part. One thing that many people have been doing is frequently cleaning their homes and common surfaces to help prevent the spread of this virus.
Please keep their pets in mind when cleaning their homes, as many common household cleaners and disinfectants are toxic to our pets, especially to cats.
Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC) is the active ingredient in many disinfectants like Lysol, Scrubbing Bubbles, Purell Products etc.
Benzalkonium Chlroide is a cationic detergent.
Cationic detergents are irritants that can cause adverse effects in cats. Toxicities typically are due to cats licking or walking over areas that have been cleaned or disinfected with products containing BAC. They also tend to groom themselves a lot, and can ingest the chemical by licking their paws or fur after walking over treated surfaces.
Symptoms are often delayed by several hours and can include:
- Lethargy
- Drooling/Hyper-salivation
- Red or inflamed tongue/Ulcers in the mouth
- Increased body temperature
- Reduced appetite/Not willing to eat
- Skin irritation and redness
- Breathing difficulties/Coughing
- Vomiting
In order to prevent toxicities from Benzalkonium Chloride containing products, we recommend:
- Handling BAC containing products carefully – clean up any spills immediately and keep products out of reach of pets and children.
- Always read and follow the manufacturers instructions
- Do not allow your cat to walk over a recently cleaned or disinfected surfaces, especially when they are still wet
- Prevent access to these surfaces until the product is completely dry
- If your cat regularly walks on kitchen or bathroom surfaces, it may be safer to use an alternative disinfection method such as: steam, anionic and non-anionic detergents, or diluted bleach.
If you suspect your cat has been exposed to any product containing Benzalkonium Chloride, we recommend you consider the following:
- Immediately bathe your cat to wash any of the disinfectant/chemical from their skin and fur.
- Contact your veterinarian immediately.
- Consider rinsing out their mouth with water
- DO NOT make your cat vomit.
Treatment for Benzalkonium Chloride poisoning may include: IV fluids, medications to reduce pain or drooling, antibiotics, gastroprotectants (medications used to protect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract) and oxygen therapy if there are breathing difficulties.
Please understand that as with any form of toxin ingestion, time is of the essence. Contact us here at Eglinton Mavis Veterinary Hospital for further information or assistance! We are always here to help.
Written by: Taylor Medeiros, Hospital Manager/RVT
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Toxic household cleaners and better environmental options — Cleaning and killing the coronavirus
March 22, 2021
Written by: Dr. Nic DePaula– Assistant Professor at the School of Information Sciences. Dr. DePaula is a social scientist studying how information and communication technologies are used to address and mititage environmental and public health risks.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater use of disinfectants and cleaning products. However, it seems that many people do not understand the efficacy of certain products and chemicals, how much to use, and the dangers associated with various toxic chemicals inside “cleaning products”. These convenient and easily available products may contain toxic substances for humans, animals and the environment. Moreover, greater use of disposable masks and gloves may lead to an increase in waste going to the landfills. Therefore, during this pandemic and beyond, it is important to be conscious about the cleaning products and personal protective equipment (PPE) we use, and how we dispose of them, for best long-term individual, environmental, and public health.
Our consumer products, including cleaning products, sometimes contain chemicals that are toxic to humans and animals, and can accumulate in the environment [1]. Although this was already a crisis in the making, we have a more immediate issue to address with this pandemic. For example, the Lysol disinfectant spray approved by the EPA to kill coronavirus also contains Ammonium hydroxide, a known environmental hazard [2] [3]. A form of the chemical benzalkonium chloride (also known as Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride) is found in various cleaning products, including Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and industrial products such as BNC-15 [4] [5]. This chemical has been considered by the CDC and WHO to be “very toxic to aquatic organisms. It is strongly advised that this substance does not enter the environment” [6]. Given the range of toxic effects observed on plants and animals, the use of it has been strongly discouraged.[1] [7]
So, how do you balance the need to keep yourself and your family safe from coronavirus with the desire to think long-term about your health and the environment? The EPA has prepared “List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)”. However, these products have not been individually tested for efficacy; they are generally assumed to work since they kill similar or harder-to-kill viruses [8]. Moreover, these are not all products that meet EPA’s “Safer Choice” as well as “Design for the Environment” (DfE) labels. These designations are not perfect, and even eco-friendly websites [9] have suggested the use of products such as Lysol Hydrogen Peroxide cleaners—although these also contain suspicious chemical formulations [10]. Aerosol products are particularly problematic since they are suspended in air and may be directly inhaled by people.
Ultimately, chemical solutions that kill coronavirus and are recognized as better for the environment include:
isopropyl alcohol (>=70%) and hydrogen peroxide (3%) [11] (pdf) [13].
“Solutions of 70% alcohol should be left on surfaces for 30 seconds … to ensure they will kill viruses”, Rutgers professors indicate. These generic products are also often cheaper than their branded counterparts. The chemicals:
L-lactic acid, Citric acid, and Thymol,
present in products such as Seventh Generation Multisurface Cleaners (0.05% thymol), have also been regarded as safer and effective in killing coronavirus [13]. Simply: soap and water have been recognized as killing the coronavirus and effective cleaning surfaces [14]. No need to go crazy. Many organizations and web sites have been providing information on hazardous substances in our consumer products, such as Workgroup for Safe Markets and EcoWatch. Coming Clean recently published an informative blog on safer disinfecting at home in the times of Coronavirus [9]
Although sometimes a product may seem safe because its active ingredient is generally safe, many toxic chemicals are present under the label of “fragrance”. A recent report by Breast Cancer Partners suggests that “Fragrance chemicals make up the vast majority of chemicals linked to adverse chronic health effects in the beauty, personal care, and cleaning products” they tested [15]. Although these studies are not conclusive they suggest a problematic role for so-called “fragrances”. In this BCPP report various chemicals in these household and beauty products were considered as carcinogens, hormone disruptors, respiratory toxicants and developmental toxicants.
Further information about cleaning products and cleaning for the coronavirus may be found in this bog at Coming Clean [11] (pdf) or this list or safer products prepared by Beyond Pesticide [16] (pdf). As a note, products identified here are done so based only on their market availability and their inclusion of certain chemicals. The information of this article is intended to help people understand the chemicals they interact with, and their impacts to themselves or their environment.
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Acknowledgments: Thanks to Elena Past for providing a review of this article prior to publication.
Disclaimer: I am not involved with, nor have I any financial stake in, the products mentioned here.
This article has also been posted on the Lab for Health and Environment Information (LHEI) website, found here.
REFERENCES
[1] Gerster, F. et al. (2014). Hazardous substances in frequently used professional cleaning products. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 20(1), 46–60.
[2] Crespo, G. and Lee., A. (July 7, 2020). EPA approves two Lysol products as the first to effectively kill novel coronavirus on surfaces. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/07/health/epa-lysol-disinfectant-covid-19-trnd/index.html
[3] National Center for Biotechnology Information (2020). PubChem Database. Ammonium hydroxide, CID=14923, https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ammonium-hydroxide (accessed on July 16, 2020).
[4] Clorox Disinfecting Wipes – Ingredients and Contents (2020). https://smartlabel.labelinsight.com/product/6075824/ingredients
[5] BNC-15 Spartan Chemical (2019). https://www.spartanchemical.com/products/loadpdf/?resourceFilename=1056
[6] CDC (2015). Benzalkonium Chloride. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). https://web.archive.org/web/20171116074822/https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng1584.html
[7] Sreevidya, V., Lenz, K., Svoboda, K. And Ma, H. (2018). Benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and chloroxylenol – Three replacement antimicrobials are more toxic than triclosan and triclocarban in two model organisms, Environmental Pollution, 235, 814-824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.108 ; Ferk et al (2007). Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and dimethyldioctadecyl-ammonium bromide (DDAB), two common quaternary ammonium compounds, cause genotoxic effects in mammalian and plant cells at environmentally relevant concentrations, Mutagenesis, 22(6), 363–370. https://doi.org/10.1093/mutage/gem027. Further information on this chemical’s toxicity: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh-rtecs/bo3010b0.html
[8] Scranton, A. (2020). Blog: Safer Disinfecting at home in the times of Coronavirus. Coming Clean. https://comingcleaninc.org/latest-news/in-the-news/safer-disinfecting
[10] http://rbnainfo.com/product.php?productLineId=1911
[11] Wolf, D. (April 17, 2020). Use of hydrogen peroxide for coronavirus disinfection. (pdf) Municipal Technical Services – Institute for Public Service, University of Tennessee.
[12] Buccino, N. (March 13, 2020). The best ways to kill coronavirus in your home. Rutgers Today. https://www.rutgers.edu/news/best-ways-kill-coronavirus-your-home
[13] https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-labels/design-environment-logo-antimicrobial-pesticide-products ; https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2-covid-19
[15] BCPP (2018). Right to know: exposing toxic fragrance chemicals report. Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. https://www.bcpp.org/resource/right-to-know-exposing-toxic-fragrance-chemicals-report/
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