SLS and other harmful ingredients are allowed because they count as “best in their class”, even though there are many natural alternative surfactants that are non-toxic.Īnd while the manufacturer has to disclose their products’ ingredients to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the mother organization of Safer Choice, they don’t have to put them on the label - meaning that consumers still don’t know which exact, potentially harmful ingredients might be lurking in the product! Ecocert - The superior green certification ![]() And while the idea of having an eco-label is great, the truth is that some of these certifications have serious shortcomings.įor example, Safer Choice’s list of ingredients with little to no concern include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which is known to be contaminated with known carcinogens 1,4-dioxane and ethylene oxide, just as an example. However, every label has its own standard, with different requirements. In North America, Safer Choice, Green Seal, and EcoLogo are the most common eco-certifications for cleaning products. There are many third-party certifications on the market for “green” cleaning products. Green certifications are very useful to verify manufacturers' claims and the true eco-friendliness of the products. So how do we know which “natural” cleaning products are actually all-natural? Common green certifications Very often, manufacturers also use ingredients that have been mixed with artificial preservatives to extend the end product's shelf life - which means that even if you are on the look-out for artificial preservatives like MI or MCI on the list of ingredients, you might still end up with a product that contains those preservatives. So this is not useful if you want to avoid fragrances because of their health risks. In that case, the products can contain for example “fragrances from natural oil blends” - synthetic fragrances as well as some essential oils. Oftentimes, natural substances are also combined with synthetics and toxins within “natural” products. A good rule of thumb is that a company which doesn’t have anything to hide has no reason not to disclose their ingredients.īut even if a cleaning product has a list of ingredients, you still have to be careful: since there are no legal requirements, some manufacturers only feature an incomplete list, or list non-specific ingredients such as “plant-based surfactant” - you neither know which exact ingredient has been used nor if there are any artificial ingredients that have been added to create this surfactant, like mineral oil or petroleum by-products. This means some products don’t list any ingredients. Sneaky lists of ingredientsĪnd that’s usually when you find the first problem: in Canada and the USA, manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients of cleaners. Only looking at the list of ingredients will tell you what might lurk in the product. Claims such as “natural”, “green” or “biodegradable” aren’t regulated, so trusting the manufacturers’ word alone is not wise. Greenwashing, which can be defined as making unwarranted claims of environmental friendliness and sustainability to gain market share, is very common. After all, natural products are free of harmful chemicals which could poison, irritate or harm your child, right? And “biodegradable” means the product will break down and not leave toxic residue in the home. In order to avoid those risks and dangers of conventional cleaning products, it’s best to only use all-natural, non-toxic baby safe cleaning products in the home. All-natural cleaning products for your family Unfortunately, not all "green" cleaners are as natural as they are marketed. The best cleaning products to use around babies are 100% natural because that means that they don't contain any harmful chemicals which could poison, irritate or otherwise harm your baby. ![]() The question is, how can you find cleaning products that are safe for you and your family? ![]() Now that you know the dangers conventional cleaners hold, you are looking for alternatives. In the last article, we've pointed out why it is important to choose baby-safe cleaners for your home.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |