Our generation of kids are constantly getting sick. From flus and colds to severe disorders, allergies and ailments. I'm not saying chemicals cause these diseases, but the proof on the negative impact of chemicals in our lives just can't be ignored anymore!! Do chemicals cause these problems? I dont know the answer to that, but I do know that in 20 years - when the facts are common knowledge - I want to be on the side of caution. Company's want to make money, thats their right. But my job as a mom us to be an advocate for my amd my familys health and safety. And a clean smelling house is not worth our health.
My PINterest boards are full of "clean" fresh smelling alternatives. We have already cut out chemicals as cleaning agents, using only vinegar, lemon, and murphys soap for wood. Occasionally for extra tough water stains I use soft scrub - occasionally! When my older son was born I read lots about chemicals due to the rise of autism (in 2005 when he was born rates were a mere 1 in 56 kids) and the possible links. Accordingly I used detergent that was fragrance free and biodegradable. Vinegar goes in the rinse cycle of everything - amd if pooped, peeped and spaghetti sauce stained clothes needed a cleaning boost I use borax and feldspar or coconut based soap. Yes really!! Way pess expensive than oxy and pess toxic. Does it really make a difference? I wont get into my beliefs here, but Id rather err on the side of caution.
We do not use lysol, evah. In that regard, my last sin is coming off the shelves.
Back to fragrance ...
A day after a group of environmental organizations asked the federal government to start assessing the risk of air fresheners, Walgreens has pulled three of its products off store shelves, according to a story by Jane Kay in The San Francisco Chronicle.
An estimated 75 percent of households use air fresheners, a $1.72 billion industry in the U.S. But the scented sprays, gels and plug-ins used to mask odors aren't routinely tested for hazardous chemicals.
When the environmental group the Natural Resources Defense Council analyzed 14 common products, it found 12 contained hormone-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates, which can be dangerous to pregnant women or young children.
"This isn't really just about air fresheners, you know," wrote NRDC senior scientist Gina Solomon on her blog. The real issue here is that hazardous chemicals and endocrine disruptors can be in a wide range of consumer products, and the government has little authority or inclination to do anything about it."
Air fresheners have been linked to breathing difficulties, developmental problems in babies and cancer in laboratory animals, according to the petition to two federal agencies from the NRDC, the Sierra Club, Alliance for Healthy Homes and the National Center for Healthy Housing. The chemicals in the products can also cause problems for asthmatics.
Walgreens told the Chronicle that it plans to have the air fresheners tested independently and that one of its manufacturers was already in the process of reformulating for a non-phthalate air freshener.
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