Are Green Cleaning Products Better Option? Expert Says They Could Damage Indoor Air Quality, Put Health at Risk
Green cleaning products are not necessarily a better choice. In fact, they can put your health at risk.
Green Cleaning Products Can Be Very Harmful
According to a new study, "green" cleaning solutions contain the same amount of dangerous chemicals as regular ones, which could damage one's health. Researchers from York University in the United Kingdom. They examined conventional and green cleaning supplies' volatile organic compound (VOC) content.
According to a recent study, these so-called green cleaners released more monoterpenes than conventional cleaners. Compounds called monoterpenes are often obtained from plants and are present in essential oils. Nevertheless, when applied to the home, these substances can produce toxic pollutants like formaldehyde and peroxyacyl nitrates, also produced by fossil fuels, cars, and cigarette smoke.
Scientists already knew these dangerous compounds were present in specific everyday cleaning solutions. Since green cleaning solutions are thought to be better for the environment and human health, their popularity has grown.
The contaminants produced by these cleaning supplies have the potential to injure household members, particularly the elderly and sick seriously. These secondary pollutants can irritate the skin, nose, eyes, and throat and even cause breathing problems.
If formaldehyde exposure is prolonged, it may potentially raise the risk of cancer.
"Our research found there is no strong evidence to suggest that clean green products are better for indoor air quality compared to regular products," said Ellen Harding-Smith, environmental chemistry researcher from the Department of Environment & Geography at the University of York.
"In fact, there was very little difference. Many consumers are being misled by the marketing of these products, which could be damaging the air quality in their homes -- potentially putting their health at risk. For so many products on the supermarket shelves, green doesn't mean clean."
These dangerous ingredients can be found in various household cleaning products, such as detergent, dish soap, aerosol spray, and bleach. These are but a few instances.
The most recent study highlights the need for additional data regarding the compositional variations between conventional and green products.
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Chemicals That Promote Breast Cancer Present in Daily Consumer Products
Research scientist Jennifer Kay of the Silent Spring Institute and her colleagues searched through multiple foreign and US government databases for compounds associated with breast tumors in animals.
Kay claims that because a variety of chemicals have the potential to alter progesterone and estrogen levels, breast cancer is a hormonal disease that should be taken seriously. She thought that to develop preventative strategies and reduce the burden of illness; we required new tools to identify the precise environmental exposures responsible for this trend.
They then searched for compounds that alter hormone levels in the body and may be linked to breast cancer using data from the US EPA's Toxicity Forecaster program. In particular, the researchers looked for compounds that have been shown to stimulate the body's estrogen receptors and cause cells to overproduce progesterone and estrogen.
The team discovered 921 substances that might be involved in the development of breast cancer. Of these, 829, or 90%, are commonly found in food, drink, consumer items, pesticides, other environments, and workplaces.
"This new study provides a roadmap for regulators and manufacturers to quickly flag chemicals that could contribute to breast cancer in order to prevent their use in consumer products and find safer alternatives," Kay said.
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