Household chemicals can poison your kids

By Christian Chatzoglou

May 8, 2008

Are we poisoning our kids?

According to Environment Canada and the EPA (U.S.), our indoor environment is now two to five times more toxic than our outdoor environment. It is believed that exposure to household chemicals may be at least partially responsible for the recent increase. Many researchers believe regular household chemicals have been contributing to the rapid increase in chronic childhood illness.

Respiratory distress is now the leading cause of admission to hospitals in children, asthma rates have increased 400% in the last 20 years and cancer is now the primary cause of death in children between the ages of five and nine.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the World Health Organization estimate that 80% of these cancers are attributed to environmental, rather than genetic factors, including exposure to carcinogenic chemicals found in household cleaning products.

The problem is, chemicals such as benzene, petroleum surfactants, formaldehyde and thrihalomethane, for example, are known carcinogens contained in many household cleaning products, yet you will never see these ingredients listed on the side of the bottle.

This is because manufacturers of these products are not legally required to label or list their ingredients under trademark laws in Canada. This puts health-conscious parents in the dangerous position of not knowing how many chemicals they may be exposing their child to.

Here are some of the most toxic household items to watch out for:

• Dishwashing detergent – Chlorine and fluoride in tap water, mixed with petrochemicals, benzene and phosphates. When heat is applied, you have created a “toxic soup” that sticks to your dishes.

• Oven cleaner – Ammonia and lye in the cleaner also become dangerous when heat is applied. These chemicals then find their way onto your food.

• Laundry detergent – Contains benzene which has been linked with leukemia.

• All-purpose cleaners – Contain petroleum surfactants, again linked to cancer.

Fortunately, many natural cleaning companies have sprung up over the years, such as Seventh Generation and Ecover, which have begun creating products that are not only less toxic but also better for the environment. There are many resources online that can show you how to create your own cleaning supplies out of basic household products such as vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda.

Parents should consider these as alternative cleaners as a solution.

Dr. Christian Chatzoglou operates Chiropractic Life Centre at 1431 Corydon Ave. To comment on this column, e-mail to drchris@chiropracticlifecentre.com