Many of the products we use for housework, gardening, home improvement, or car maintenance contain hazardous materials that endanger our health as well as pollute the environment. The average house has an estimated three to 10 gallons of hazardous products.
Collectively, these materials can contaminate our drinking water if they are not stored carefully and disposed of properly. In addition to poisoning our water, inappropriate use and disposal of hazardous household products can cause injuries, poisoning and air pollution.
1. Household cleaning products
Everyone wants a clean house, but if you’re using conventional household cleaning products, you could be ingesting dangerous chemicals through your skin, mucous membranes, and respiratory system. While many commercial cleaners contain dangerous ingredients, some of the most toxic include:
- Bleach, which can damage your respiratory system.
- Ammonia, which can cause skin burns and respiratory irritation. It can even create a poison gas when combined with bleach.
- Drain cleaners are caustic and can burn skin and harm mucous membranes. They also have a harsh chemical scent that can damage the respiratory tract.
- Laundry detergents contain dyes and other chemical agents that you can inhale or absorb through your skin.
- Dishwashing soap contains chemicals and fragrances. Dishwasher detergents may contain bleach and other chemicals that can end up in trace amounts on your utensils and cooking ware, and therefore then get into your food.
2. Beauty products
Because you put beauty products directly on your skin, your body can absorb toxic chemicals from them. The ingredients in many beauty projects can accelerate free radicals, cause respiratory damage, and have other aging and health affects, as well. Skincare products such as cleansers, lotions, and many others contain petroleum distillates, preservatives, artificial colors, mineral oil and fragrances, more. These chemicals can accelerate aging, discolor your skin, and block beauty from the inside.
3. Sunscreen
It seems ironic. Many experts tell us to apply sunscreen to protect our skin and prevent cancer and aging, yet sunscreen can accelerate aging and increase cancer risk. Fear of skin cancer has led to daily application of dangerous sunscreen products, and many lotions and other beauty products contain sunscreens.
Sunscreen not only blocks your skin’s ability to absorb vitamin D from sunlight, which is essential for good health, but it also contains numerous toxic ingredients that serve as hormone disrupters and carcinogens while accelerating formation of free radicals.