The ‘Green’ revolution that has taken over modern advertising in recent years has brought to light a number of products that boast their environmental benefits to both the consumer and the world, but how many of these products are merely an advertising slogan and which actually live up to their boasts?
The question isn’t an easy one to answer and while this article certainly can’t comment on every single one, we’ll give you a general idea on what to look for and what to avoid when it comes to the cleaning products in your home. After all, if you re concerned for the environment, the planet, and your own family s protection, you want to be absolutely sure your green products really are safer, right?
In 1960, the federal government passed the Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act that basically freed companies from having to disclose any dangerous ingredients in household products unless certain reaction or side effects would immediately be noticed after use. If you think about it, this is a rather sobering fact. Actually, it s an amazingly scary fact when you realize companies are legally protected from warning you about hazards to your family s health.
For starters, cleaning products don’t fall under the same government regulations that food products, for example, do. If you purchase a product that is labeled ‘bio degradable’ or ‘eco friendly’ or ‘natural,’ these words are, in effect, meaningless. There is no oversight with regard to these labels as there are in foods that claim to be ‘organic,’ for example.
So, that eco friendly, biodegradable dish soap you bought and paid extra money for over traditional brands might be exactly the same as that traditional brand that costs less.
How many products are in your home right now that claim to be natural or biodegradable? What is ‘natural?’ Lead is natural but we’ve learned in recent years that it’s not something we would really want to be around everyday. We certainly wouldn’t want our children to be exposed to lead on a regular basis, would we? But it’s natural. Then there’s the biodegradable label. If you wait long enough, just about every product ever created with degrade.
In recent years, however, there have been new programs develop to combat the misleading and sometimes malicious labeling that occurs within the cleaning product business. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has created the DfE label that it affixes to products that use the safest available ingredients from each category in its products. This doesn’t classify a product as ‘safe,’ however.
The Green Seal, created by the company with the same name, is attached to products that are non toxic, non corrosive, free of carcinogens, mutagens, and are truly biodegradable. So when you’re looking for the best cleaning products, look for these labels. Don’t forget to take a closer look at that vacuum cleaner you’re using, either. Many of these new bagless systems boast environmentally safe claims as well.
The best advice is to look closely at the fine print and do your homework.
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