Indoor Air Pollution and Cleaning Products       
         Air pollution can be up to 100 times greater than the outdoor air.
         Poor indoor air quality can cause headaches, dry eyes, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue.
        The combined effect of multiple toxic/hazardous chemicals used in a building magnifies the   
       negative effects of individual ingredients.
         Traditional cleaning products have been linked with “sick building” syndrome.

Janitorial Staff Concerns

              Each year about 6 out of every 100 janitors are injured by the chemicals that they use
         Average cost per injury claimed by janitorial workers:  $725  ($350 for lost time;  $375 for medical) 
         Short-term health problems caused by exposure range from eye irritation and coughing to chest pain, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea.
         Long term effects may include liver and kidney failure, birth defects, emphysema, brain damage, and cancer.

Sample Product Hazards

Dust Mop Spray   contains:   petroleum distillates- light naphtha; 

     affects:   central nervous system 

Toilet Cleaner     contains:    hydrochloric or phosphoric acid
                           causes:    burns and/or blindness
Floor Finish        contains:    glycol ether-ethylene glycol methyl ether
                           affects:     reproductive system

 Glass Cleaner   contains:     Glycol Ether-Ethylene Glycol Butyl Ether
                           affects:     absorbs through skin to poisons blood, liver, and kidneys

 Metal Polish      contains:     perchloroethylene, toluene, or hexane
                           affects:      carcinogenic and affects central nervous system
Disinfectants      contains:     quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), bleach, ethyl  isopropyl alcohol,
                                           formaldehyde, and phenolic compounds 
                           affects:     some of the most toxic chemicals used in cleaning,
                                           pose health and/or environmental risks.  

Health Effects of Cleaning Product Ingredients

Many traditional cleaning products are known to contain: 
-          Carcinogens
-          Asthmagens
-          Skin and eye  irritants
-          Toxic chemicals
-          Endocrine disrupters
-          High VOC content
-          Other hazardous materials 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) 

         US EPA has found that over 900 different VOC’s can be found in indoor air. 
         Exposure to high levels of VOC’s can cause headaches and eye and respiratory irritation, nausea,
      vomiting, and impaired memory.
         VOC’s in cleaners include:
Benzene- a suspected carcinogen
Toluene- a factor in central nervous system dysfunction   
Formaldehyde- a known carcinogen, can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and respiratory system, as well as impaired respiratory function and cancer.   

Toxic chemical
Exposure may cause damage to organs, tissues and cells, and inhibit proper systemic functions of
aquatic plants and animals as well as humans. 
         Short-term effects can include skin irritation and respiratory problems
         Long term exposure may result in permanent damage such as bone marrow loss or lung cancer. 

Cationic surfactants

Used in germicidal cleaners, they are generally the most toxic as their main purpose is to kill.

Very acidic or alkaline compounds

May cause skin irritations, stains or major burns, and can erode certain surfaces due to its corrosivity.

Biological contaminants

Can cause respiratory irritation, infectious diseases, fever, flu, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. 
Cleaner Additives --  Problems

EDTA or NTA

              Chelates - bond with metal particles to prevent decomposition of aqueous cleaning products; undesirable for their potential to mobilize heavy metals from wastewater treatment sludges or sediments in surface waters.  
         EDTA biodegrades very slowly
        NTA - possible carcinogen; its production requires the use of reactants such as formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, a highly toxic substance. 

Petroleum or Petrochemical Compounds

Petrochemical solvents such as petroleum distillates are central nervous system depressants, and can also affect the liver and kidneys.   

Chlorine Bleach 

         The active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, may react with other elements and create toxic
      compounds; it is NOT biodegradable and can kill microorganisms in waste water treatment plants and
      water bodies.
         Janitorial workers at risk for eye and skin damage caused by splashes from mixing or using bleach.
 

Phenolic Compounds and Glycol Ethers

                 Used as a germicide - extremely hazardous, toxic, volatile, corrosive, and suspected carcinogen.
         Harmful to humans via inhalation and dermal absorption.
         Glycol ethers such as ethylene glycol and butoxy ethanol can cause headaches, blurred vision,
      respiratory irritation, and bone marrow and reproductive health damage  (used in cleaners and
      degeasers for dissolving oil, wax, and resin).   

Alkyl Phenol Ethoxylates (APE)

                 Used in detergents, includes the surfacant nonylphenol ethoxylate
         Neither readily nor completely biodegradable; breaks down into chemicals more harmful and
      persistent than the original compound.
         Endocrine disrupters - affect hormonal activity of humans and animals.    

Phosphates

 Causes “algae blooms”, leading to eutrophication in surface water.

Heavy Metals

                 In cleaners due to the presence of dyes or from the impurities of other ingredients
         Contaminate aquatic plants and animals and eventually those further up the food chain (i.e.
      humans)

All information obtained from:  Green Seal Choose Green Report-Industrial and Institutional Cleaners; IINFORM, Inc.'s Cleaning for Health: Products and Practices for a Safer Indoor Environment; and the Center for a New American Dream.