Have you ever thought of your home as a toxic waste dump? The average home today contains 62 toxic un-safe chemical, more than a chemistry lab at the turn of the century. More than 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since WW II. Less than 2% of synthetic chemicals have been tested for toxicity, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, or birth defects. The majority of chemicals have never been tested for long-term effects.

In the work place, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) must accompany any product used. The work place and the outdoors are considered legal environments, while the air in homes is not. So regulations for outdoor air pollution and toxins in the workplace are much more strict than in the home.

Do you know which products are safe and which may be harmful? Many items you buy every day contain ingredients that can cause allergic reaction, breathing difficulty, dizziness, cancer, birth defects, and other problems. The excerpts below are from The Safe Shopper's Bible, written by David Steinman and Samuel Epstein, M.D.

According to this book, here is a list of common household products that contain known irritants, carcinogens and/or neurotoxins. Carcinogens are chemicals that cause cancer. Neurotoxins are chemicals that adversely affect the nervous system reducing emotional well being, mental alertness, coordination and other functions associated with intelligence.

Chemicals enter our body through inhalation, ingestion and absorption. We breathe 10 to 20 thousand liters of air per day. No matter how the chemicals enter our bodies they present a real danger to our health and well-being. Toxic chemicals found in many of our household cleaners, personal care items and cosmetics are the cause of many health issues.
   * Cancer rates have almost tripled since 1960.
   * Cancer is the Number ONE cause of death for children.
   * There has been a 26% increase in breast cancer since 1982. Breast cancer is the Number ONE killer of women between the ages of 35 and 54. Primary suspects are laundry detergents, household cleaners and pesticides.
Are you ready to make a change to safer products?

• Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%.
• ADD/ADHD are epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have long been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds.
• Chemicals are attracted to, and stored in fatty tissue. The brain is a prime target for these destructive organics because of its high fat content and very rich blood supply.
• Chemical and environmental sensitivities are known to cause all types of headaches.
• Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problems are diseases commonly related to chemical exposure.
• The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found more than 2500 chemicals in cosmetics that are toxic, cause tumors, reproductive complications, biological mutations and skin and eye irritations.

• There are more than 3 million poisonings every year. Household cleaners are the Number ONE cause of poisoning of children.
• Formaldehyde is one of the largest indoor pollutants in our homes. Symptoms caused by formaldehyde are allergies, cancer, immune system failings, asthma and ADD/ADHD.
• Phenols are a major indoor pollutant. Phenols are absorbed by lungs, and skin. Symptoms include caustic burns, kidney and liver damage and hyperactivity.

• An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.
• Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
• National Cancer Association released results of a 15-year study concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home.

Many feel that the "trusted" brands they were raised on are safe and not causing harm, to either them or the planet. But remember the statistics just shared with you. Stop and think why do products have child proof lids? Why do they say "use in a well ventilated area"? Why do they say "contact poison control" in case of accident? Do you feel these are products are to be trusted when it comes to the health of your loved ones? Making products with the cheapest ingredients, which may include harmful chemicals, is the focus of most companies. They are concerned about their profit not health!

Bleach must be safe because people have been using it for years, right? WRONG! When using bleach, antiseptics or chlorine in industrial areas, OSHA requires you to wear impervious protective clothing, hard hats, boots, gloves, apron or coveralls, chemical goggles or full face shield and use only in well ventilated areas. Bleach is being linked to the rising rates of breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and behavioral problems in children. (ADD/ADHD). There has been a call from the U.S./ Canadian Commission to ban bleach in North America.

In the USA the

• #1 cause of accidental poisoning is Dawn Dishwashing Detergent.
• #1 polluter is Tide because it contains lye.