Hazardous Chemicals In The Household Being a mother myself, I have to be careful about what I bring around my children. These chemicals were created for a reason. However they can’t come without consequence. There is much debate on the use, storage and purpose of these products. However it’s important to do your research and make sure you aren’t harming yourself or others. Ultimately, with proper use and care they are still the essentials to keeping a healthy, happy, clean home. “Various household cleaning products have been developed to facilitate the removal of dust and dirt, maintenance and disinfection” (http://www.thisland.illinois.edu/57ways/57ways_22.html) Water alone can’t remove dirt. Soap allows oil and to mix so the dirt can be effectively removed. Surfactants lower the tension in water and help break down the oil and grease. Detergents have hydrophobic chemical chains which are repelled by water, whereas hydrophilic chains are attracted to water. In general, hydrophobic and hydrophilic chains work together to attack oil and water and break them down faster and easier. For example, Febreeze is made of molecules called cyclodextrin. When the product is sprayed, the water typically diffuses the odor on contact. This allows the “donut” shaped molecules to soak up the toxins and bacteria that cause the odor. Household chemicals were created for a reason, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be harmful to your health. For instance, pesticides used on household lawns are now proven to cause neurological disorders. These include depression, mania, learning disorders, A.D.H.D, immune system defects and memory problems. Not proven yet, but the same chemicals play a big part in leading research for the c... ... middle of paper ... ...ts. Laundry Detergents - Unscented products, biodegradable These are just some of the substitutes for harmful chemicals in the house. At least when you clean you house you don’t have to worry about hurting your child or yourself if you use the alternatives. Works Cited www.atstar.com agency for toxic substances and disease www.thisland.illinois.edu/57ways/47ways_22.html Emerging infectious diseases- antibacterial household products: cause for concern. Stuart B. Levy, 2000 http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deena_Caruso Wattigney, Wendy A., Wendy E. Kaye, and Maureen F. Orr. "Acute Hazardous Substance Releases Resulting in Adverse Health Consequences in Children: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance System, 1996-2003." Journal of Environmental Health 70.4 (2007): 17-24. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 May 2011.
DeArmond, Stephen J., M.D., Ph.D., Safar, Jiri, M.D., Groth, Darlene, A.B., Prusiner, Stanley B., M.D. “Prions” Office of Health and Safety. 28 July 2006 < www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/biosfty/bmbl4/bmbl4s7d.htm>.
Cleaning/washing agents in the bath rooms and kitchen should be locked away to prevent the child from drinking such.10.
They are also used in a variety of common products and processes. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a strong detergent used for removing oils and grease and is found in many household cleaning products, face and body washes and shampoos.
EPA. (2009, December 29). Retrieved January 15, 2011, from Toxicity and Exposure Assessment for Children's Health: http://www.epa.gov/teach/
One of the most controversial and commonly used pesticides at the moment is chlorpyrifos. The insecticide chlorpyrifos is used to repel mosquitoes, cockroaches, and fire ants from crops. However, studies show that chlorpyrifos can cause delays in infant brain development and decrease in birth weight, impair neonatal reflexes and motor skills, and increase risk of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Chlorpyrifos has also been linked as one of the strongest environmental exposures that leads to autism. Although chlorpyrifos has been banned for residential use, it is still used for agricultural purposes. There is an ongoing debate about whether chlorpyrifos should no longer be used on food crops at all. Even though there is a justifiable
Hundreds of household products are being misused as inhalants. Some of these products include nail polish remover, hair spray, cleaning fluids, spray paint, and the propellant in aerosol whipped cream (“Inhalants“, 2010). Inhalants are breathable chemical vapors that users intentionally inhale because of the chemical’s mind-altering effects (National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA], 2010). The trend in inhalant abuse is growing among the young community throughout the country. Surveys have shown in 2008 2 million Americans of 12 or over reported using inhalants (NIDA, 2010). Young children from the age of 12 to 17 are the primary age group of abusers (National Drug Intelligence Center [NDIC], 2001). The numbers reflect that it is becoming more popular for young America to abuse the various inhalants available to them without realizing the short term and long term effects of the drug.
The use of inhalants is a growing problem among teenagers. Inhaling, also called “huffing,” can severely damage someone. Teenagers aren’t the only ones subject to its influence. Adult use is on the rise and younger kids are getting into it. These deadly substances are not something that you have to buy off the street. These are everyday products found in your home. The ease of accessibility is scary since things like paint, markers, and glue are used to get high.
Inhalants are very dangerous and teenagers don’t know how much damage it causes to their body. Inhalants are so easy to get a hold of. homes are full of products that could be
Spring brings many things. A host of these are very desirable, especially for those of us who have been cooped up in our homes for the past several months. How many of us have feverishly wished for a favorable weather forecast so that we can plant flowers, ride bikes, walk dogs, orchestrate lawns, and listen to chirping birds? Yet, spring also brings us a medley of a different sort-a toxic soup of chemicals. Much of this soup isn't thrust upon us from the outside; disturbingly, we choose to expose ourselves, our children, our neighbors, and our pets to these harmful chemicals. In 2013, Americans spent over $700,000,000 on pesticides (cumulatively weighing over sixty-five million pounds) for use on their lawns alone (1). One would think that properly informed humans wouldn't make such unhealthy and selfish decisions.
To help keep crops from being destroyed, conventional farmers use many methods such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Nearly 1 billion pounds of these chemicals are used every year (“pesticides”). Because of this excessive use, some scientists express concern that using artificial chemicals in the farming process could produce unhealthy crops. People who ate it over a long period of time could suffer from degraded health and stunted growth (“Organic Foods”). For example, in 1989, the EPA banned the use of Alar which was a chemical used to ripen apples (“Farming, Organics”). This chemical proved to be carcinogenic after causing tumors in mice after several laboratory tests (“Organic Food”). As a result of these findings there was a dramatic increase of the sales for organic food (“Organic Food”). Another study found that Atrazine (one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States) has the potential of being carcinogenic and reducing sperm counts in males (“Organic Food”). This was further proven when evidence was found that chemicals u...
This is an example of a soap molecule. The hydrocarbon end is non polar and hydrophilic (water hating) and the carboxylate end is polar and hydrophilic (water loving). This the property which allows it to clean, it acts as an emulsifying agent. The soap disperses in water to form miscelles where a negatively charged surface is formed and hydrocarbon chains are in the centre. These miscelles surround droplets of dirt or grease suspending them in the water so they can be washed away.
In a study conducted by the University of London’s Centre for Toxicology, 30 out of 37 commonly used pesticides have been tested to block or mimic male hormones (Cone). This blockage can affect testosterone levels negatively as well as other androgens produced within a male’s body causing serious health concerns with fertilization, hair loss, and low sex drive. The study also discovered that certain pesticides that are used within today’s agriculture can, “…activate or inhibit hormone receptors in cells that turn genes on and off” (Cone). Therefore, fetuses and infants can be at high risk when exposed in the womb or through breast milk since the hormones being turned on or off control masculinization of the reproductive tract. Overall, pesticides seem like they are doing more harm to human’s health then they are at keeping crops healthy and should be eliminated from modern agriculture
Hazardous materials are in almost every community placing everyone at some level of contact with various chemicals almost daily as they exist throughout the community and in our households. Chemicals are used for a variety of purposes such as in the water purification process, by farmers to produce a higher crop yield and are used in households and almost every business. Not all chemicals are hazardous but most pose some level of risk to people...
It is time, at last, to speak the truth about toxic chemicals behind personal care and beauty products. The daily products of an average person consists of face wash, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, floss, toothpaste, and deodorant. Surprisingly, all of these products listed contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to our body. If we use these products to maintain our hygiene, does that mean we are not clean without these products? For example, a common shampoo many people use is Head and Shoulders. However, do we know if the shampoo is cleaning our hair from beginning to end or is it damaging our hair? How often do you read the ingredients labeled on your personal care products and wonder if they are safe to use? More importantly, if you
Long ago, washing clothes was done through the process of rubbing sand on clothes, or by smashing the article of clothing with hard rocks. Also, by dipping clothing in water which removed excess dirt. Another way to get clothes clean long ago was, boats used to carry clothes in bags and dragged the bags in the water to clean the clothes or whatever else was in the bag. Many tried to think of simpler ways to wash clothes, but there was no troubled principle to get clothes clean. For using water to remove dirt was the base principle. Some of the first washing machines were hand operated and were wash boards. Then, in 1858 was when mechanical washing machines became introduced. This was a big step, for soon people around the world would try to keep improving this marvelous invention. Shortly after, Alva Fisher was said to have made the worlds first electric washing machine around 1907. “It was not until the modern washing machine was invented that women were freed from this hard work” ( Field Enterprises Educational Corporation 45 ). However, many ...