Activist urges caution on cleaners

Activist urges caution when using cleaners
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published April 23, 2003

Danger lurks underneath your kitchen sink and in the laundry room, the storage closets and the garage, too.
While most people are aware that toxic chemicals can be found in many household cleaners and laundry soaps, Burnaby resident Mae Burrows wants the public to know that many of these common cleaners can also cause cancer.
But there are alternatives that can keep your house clean and still reduce your risk, says Burrows, executive director of the Labour Environmental Alliance Society and winner of the 2002 Eugene Rogers Award for her work protecting the environment.
"Canada is facing a cancer epidemic," she says. "But, just like with tobacco, the best strategy for avoiding these cancers is to simply not allow yourself to be exposed to them. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don't know what to watch out for."
Burrows and Sean Griffin, a staff member with LEAS, have spent several years researching exactly which chemicals are used in which cleaners, and they've compiled lists of the most dangerous ones.
And because of the growing cancer rates, Burrows believes the need for this type of information is vital. For instance, one in every 2.4 Canadian men will contract some form of cancer during his lifetime, while one in 2.7 Canadian women will develop cancer.
Even more alarming, says Burrows, is the increase in cancer rates among children, according to recent statistics released by the Canadian Cancer Society.
"Cancer is now the second leading cause of death among children, after accidents," Burrows said. "There has been a 28 per cent increase in the incidence of all childhood cancers since the 1970s."
While Workers' Compensation Board rules allow employees to refuse to handle toxic chemicals unless they are given the appropriate equipment, people often use the identical chemicals without any protection because they just don't know any better, Burrows said.
A large part of the problem lies in the fact that the manufacturers of cleaning products are not compelled to list the real name of the chemical on their packaging.
Some of the most alarming stories revolve around chemicals known as ethoxylated nonyl phenols, which have recently been declared toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Also known as endocrine disrupters, these chemicals are called "gender benders" by environmentalists because they are believed to cause reproductive problems for some animals. For instance, a group of Columbia River otters, with large doses of ethoxylated nonylphenols in their bodies, can no longer reproduce because their penises are too small.
More than 56 per cent of all nonylphenols used in Canada are found in cleaning products, notably in toilet cleaners and certain liquid laundry soaps, Burrows says.
Another highly toxic product is 2-butoxyethanol, used in many of the most popular spray cleaners, which has been linked to low sperm counts in men, and learning disorders in children.
Burrows wants the public to know that it is possible to reduce exposure to cancer-causing agents, but it does take some work.
The first step towards a safer cleaning regimen is to read the labels on your cleaning products - even on those old standby products that have been around for generations.
"We encourage people to ask at the store," said Burrows.
Often, manufacturers will publish a toll-free 1-800 phone number on their packages so customers can call to find out exactly what is in their products. Concerned consumers should ask for the product's material safety data sheet, a formal document that spells out all of the known risks for anything sold in Canada.
While those documents are the best source of information on chemical products sold in Canada, they are often difficult to decipher and may contain contradictory statements, Burrows said.
"Often, companies will come up with their own names for a chemical, so then you will also need the formal chemical abstract service number," Burrows says.
Thankfully, there are non-profit groups such as LEAS that do all the hard work for you.
Over the past two years, LEAS has worked with the Burnaby school district to help remove from local schools five different types of cleaners that contain cancer-causing compounds. One of the most significant finds was a carpet cleaning compound that contained a substance previously banned in many U.S. jurisdictions.
With the help of CUPE local 379, Burnaby school district employees, LEAS and the school board found alternative cleaners that did not contain known carcinogens, and the end result was a net removal of 7,440 litres of the different toxic products.
"Groups like us are actually forcing the manufacturers to use other products," says Burrows. "This is something that is totally doable, and we're documenting all the products we're eliminating."