Understanding Toxics in Your Home

An Introduction To The Health Effects of Toxic Products In The Home : An Introduction To The Health Effects of Toxic Products In The Home

Home, Sweet Home! : Home, Sweet Home! Be it ever so humble, there ’s no place like home. Home, Sweet Home! John Howard Payne

Toxics in the Home : Toxics in the Home Household products Mold & mildew Radon Indoor air Second hand smoke Lead Paint solvents

Household Hazardous Waste : Household Hazardous Waste How many pounds of household hazardous waste in your home? (i.e. paints, varnishes, motor oil, pesticides, antifreeze, fluorescent lights)

Product Hazards : Product Hazards Flammability Reactivity (Things that change violently into other things) Corrosive (strong acid or base) Toxicity: human Toxicity: environmental (kills plants, wildlife)

Hazard & Risk : Hazard & Risk Risk = Hazard x Exposure Dose ≈ Response Individual Sensitivity

Exposure Routes : Exposure Routes Ingestion Direct ingestion of product Hand to mouth contact Inhalation Acute inhalation of product during use Chronic inhalation of indoor air Skin/eye contact Splashing/spilling during use Violent chemical reactions Contact with treated surfaces

Poisoning Facts : Poisoning Facts Poisoning events in United States - 2000 2.2 million reported exposures 53% involved children under age 6 90% occurred in the home 475,079 treated in a health care facility 920 deaths reported in 2000 Source: National Poison Centers, 2000 data (Litovitz, 2001)

More Poisoning Facts : More Poisoning Facts

Even More Poisoning Facts : Even More Poisoning Facts

Common Toxicity Measures : Common Toxicity Measures LD50: acute ingestion (mg/kg) LC50: acute inhalation (ppm) Draize score: skin irritation TLV: chronic inhalation (ppm) Reference dose: chronic exposure (mg/kg/day)

Oral Toxicity of Common Substances : Oral Toxicity of Common Substances Practically non-toxic (> 15,000 mg/kg or .5oz/lb) Probable oral lethal dose for 150 lb adult > 1 quart modeling clay paraffin wax baby lotion blemish cover (e.g. Clearasil) bone meal cat litter 1 kg = 2.2 lbs 1mg=0.000035 ounce

Slightly toxic : Slightly toxic Slightly toxic (5,000 to 15,000 mg/kg) Probable oral lethal dose for 150 lb adult: between 1 pt & 1 qt hand dishwashing liquid window cleaner latex house paint soap deodorant (roll-on) white glue (e.g. Elmers)

Moderately toxic : Moderately toxic Moderately toxic (500 to 5,000 mg/kg) Probable oral lethal dose for 150 lb adult: between 1 oz & 1 pt antifreeze motor fuels* (gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel) shoe polish oil-based house paint holly berries *NOTE: breathing fumes probably more important than toxicity because it will displace oxygen.

Very toxic : Very toxic Very toxic (50 to 500 mg/kg) Probable oral lethal dose for 150 lb adult: between 1 tsp & 1 oz aspirin and other analgesics lacquer thinners toluene, xylene (aromatic hydrocarbons) mothballs (camphor, naphthalene) tobacco leaves foxglove (digitalis) caffeine diazinon insecticide

Extremely toxic : Extremely toxic Extremely toxic (5 to 50 mg/kg) Probable oral lethal dose for 150 lb adult: 7 drops to 1 tsp opium codeine oil of sassafras

Super toxic : Super toxic Super toxic (< 5 mg/kg) Probable oral lethal dose for 150 lb adult: less than 7 drops nicotine botulinum toxins

TLVs of Common Ingredients : TLVs of Common Ingredients COMPOUND TLV FOUND IN at % ethanol 1000 vodka, gin, rum, etc. 40 acetone 750 nail polish remover >50 isopropanol 400 rubbing alcohol 70 gasoline 300 motor fuel 100 Methanol 200 Bix Stripper paint stripper 24-50 turpentine 100 paint thinner 100 xylene 100 spray paint bulk hexane 50 Carter’s rubber cement 90 methylene chloride 50 Bix Tuff Job paint stripper 85 paradichlorobenzene 10 mothballs 100 carbon monoxide 10 malathion 0.74 Ortho Malathion 50+ Insect Spray 50 formaldehyde 0.30 chlorpyrifos 0.014 Dursban Spray 5.3 diazinon 0.008 Diazinon Granules 5.0 TLV – Threshold Limit Value of a chemical substance defines the reasonable level to which a person can be exposed without adverse health effects.

Carcinogens : Carcinogens Ingredient Product(s) % in Product Lead Old paints(1978) 0.5% benzene gasoline >1% formaldehyde probably many unknown methylene chloride paint strippers (many) up to 85% p-dichlorobenzene mothballs (many) 100% vermiculite potting soils ? arsenic CCA-treated lumber 34% As2O5

Deducing Toxicity from Label Information : Deducing Toxicity from Label Information Stick with federally regulated information Signal words only semi-consistent Ignore marketing information Be alert for inconsistencies

Example : SIGNAL WORD ADVERTISING Example

Signal Words : Signal Words Signal Word EPA FDA DANGER Cat. I not used WARNING Cat. II not used CAUTION Cat. III/IV “pay attention” No sig. word not used Not Hazardous

Shortcomings of Label Information : Shortcomings of Label Information All ingredients not listed (except food, drug, cosmetic, personal care) Only pesticides have disposal and environmental information (and the disposal information is mostly incorrect!) Signal words linked to acute hazards only Some labels contain marketing information that minimizes or contradicts safety warnings People don’t read labels anyway

Favorite Labels : Favorite Labels “Confine pets during application to prevent them from believing they are being fed.” - slug bait “Avoid use while smoking.” - hair spray “This product must not be used for dyeing eyelashes or eyebrows. To do so may cause blindness.” - hair color

Label Contradictions : Label Contradictions The Sales… Stops Squeaks Cleans & Protects Loosens Rusted Parts Drives Out Moisture But just below… DANGER Flammable Harmful or Fatal if Swallowed

And That’s Not All! : And That’s Not All! KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN BREATHING HAZARD – May be Harmful or Fatal If swallowed do not induce vomiting, call the Doctor Immediately! Eye Contact: flush for 15 minutes with large amounts water

Less-Toxic Alternatives : Less-Toxic Alternatives Water-based products Mechanical devices Enzymes instead of solvents Biological pesticides

Less-Toxic Alternatives : Less-Toxic Alternatives Alternative Instead of Using Toxic Ingredient Avoided Latex paint Oil-based paint Solvents Snake, plunger Caustic drain opener Corrosive lye Scouring powder Acid toilet cleaner Corrosive hydrochloric acid Beneficial Insecticide for Diazinon, carbaryl or other nematodes soil grubs insecticide Weed puller, Herbicide 2,4-D, dichlobenil, etc. mulch