1. Household Chemicals

2. Personal Care/Cosmetics
TVs & Computers
Furniture
An Ordinary House
A Chemical House
Automobile
Carpeting
Cleaning Products
& Pesticides
Furniture
Flooring

3. Levels in Homes
Pollution inside typical home 2–5 times worse than air outdoors
Levels may be 1,000 times background outdoor after activities like stripping paint
Indoor air pollution one of top 5 most-serious environmental risks to public health
50% of all illnesses traced back to the home

4. Sources of Pollutants
Average US household uses 40 lbs of chemicals each year
Average household stores more than 60 hazardous products
Loaded with fragrances and petroleum-distilled chemicals
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

5. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
Paints, paint strippers, and other solvents
Wood preservatives
Aerosol sprays
Cleansers and disinfectants
Moth repellents
Air fresheners
Stored fuels and automotive products
Hobby supplies
Dry-cleaned clothing

6. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
Laundry detergents and fabric softeners
Phthalates
Chemicals harmed hormonal systems
Harmed reproductive organs in animal tests
Make the scent last longer

7. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
Chlorine bleach
Also called sodium hypochlorite
Caustic fumes
Toxic if swallowed
Scented products
Perfumes and deodorants

8. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
Pesticides
Used inside and outside home
Can be tracked into home from outside
Lead into iaq then into water then to owow

9. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
Dry cleaning
CA Air Resources Board designated perchloroethylene (PERC) as a toxic air contaminant
Alternative Choice
Hydrocarbon solvent
Wet cleaning
If you dry clean traditional way
–Air your clothes before wearing or placing in closet

10. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
Pungent, colorless, toxic, water-soluble gas
Disinfectant
Preservative
Ingredient of synthetic resins, dyes, plastics

11. Sources of Formaldehyde
Building materials
Pressed wood products
Particleboard
Hardwood plywood paneling
Medium density fiberboard
Smoking
Household products
Un-vented, fuel-burning appliances
Manufactured products
Permanent press qualities to clothing and drapery
Component of glues and adhesives
Preservative in paints

12. Mercury Sources Lighting Other Fluorescent HID Mercury Vapor
Thermostat
Kids shoes
    

13. Sources of Pollutants (cont.)
How Air Fresheners Work
Interfere with ability to smell by way of nerve-deadening agent
Coat nasal passages with undetectable oil film
Cover up one smell with another
(Rarely) break down offensive odor
Air fresheners do little to freshen the air

14. Health Effects Depend on…
Toxicity of chemical
Level of exposure
Length of time exposed
Pathway of exposure

15. Health Effects Eye, nose, and throat irritation Headaches
Loss of coordination / dizziness
Nausea
Damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system
Suspected or known to cause cancer in humans 
Allergic skin reaction
Fatigue

16. Health Effects (cont.)
Children born into households using toxic cleaning products twice as likely to have wheezing
Over last years, level of toxins stored in body’s adipose tissue (fat cells) have risen

17. Health Concerns of Pesticides
Child in household using home and garden pesticides has 6.5 x higher risk of developing leukemia
Health Effects of Pesticides
Neurotoxins
Irritants
Carcinogens
Mutagens
Endocrine disruptors

18. Formaldehyde Health Concerns
Watery eyes
Burning sensation in the eyes and throat
Nausea
Difficulty breathing
Shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans
Eyes, nose, and throat irritation
Wheezing and coughing
Fatigue
Skin rash
Allergic reactions

19. Steps to Reduce Exposure
Increase ventilation
Meet or exceed any label precautions
Do not store opened containers of unused paints and similar materials
Throw away unused or little-used containers safely; buy in quantities that you will use soon
Never mix household care products unless directed on label
Follow label instructions carefully

20. Steps to Reduce Exposure (cont.)
Use least toxic product that works for your project
Make homemade alternative cleaning products using baking soda, vinegar, soap
Provide adequate ventilation
Keep out of reach of children and pets

21. Reduce Pesticide Exposure
When you apply pesticides you treat symptom, rather than cause of pest problems
Control pests without chemicals by using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques
Physical controls
Cultural controls
Biological controls
Least-toxic pest control

22. Reduce Pesticide Exposure (cont.)
Best products for environment and your health are less toxic and less persistent
Dispose of unwanted pesticides through the Household Hazardous Waste Program

23. Reduce Formaldehyde Exposure
Use “exterior-grade” pressed wood products
Provide adequate ventilation
Maintain moderate temperature and humidity levels
Use materials not containing formaldehyde

24. How do you make your home healthy?
Educate yourself
Investigate and research
Make lifestyle change
Be careful what you buy
Use natural forms of pest control
Use less toxic cleaning products
Buy curtains, carpets, furniture or electronics free of PBDEs
Choose products free of suspect chemicals

25. Resources http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/
Virtual tour of house looking at chemicals
The cleaner can be more dangerous than the things we are trying to clean up

26. Resources http://www.acereport.org/cleaners.html
Overview on cleaning chemicals
Indoor Air Chemistry: Cleaning Agents, Ozone and Toxic Air Contaminants

27. Resources www.vpirg.org/downloads/toxicschools.doc
Toxic Chemical Exposure in Schools: Our Children At Risk
Scented Products as Sources of VOCs: Implications for Susceptible Populations