Toxic Chemicals and Human Health

To help shape an economy that is less dependent on the use of toxic chemicals, INFORM is working to heighten public awareness of the significant role of products that contain toxic chemicals in environmental pollution and threats to public health.

INFORM's Cleaning for Health project aims to protect janitorial workers, building occupants, and the environment from the adverse impacts of cleaning chemicals by identifying toxic substances of concern and promoting the use of safer products and practices.

Cleaning for health (green cleaning) is a practice that addresses toxic substances contained in cleaning products. The chemicals contained in traditional cleaners can cause a range of health effects from numbness in the extremities and lung irritation to severe burns and neurological damage. Some chemicals and fragrances in cleaners can also cause or exacerbate asthma. The chemicals contained in cleaners are particularly worrisome because using cleaners exposes janitorial staff and building occupants to these chemicals. (With other products, exposure to the toxic substances occurs primarily if the product is misused; with cleaners, some level of exposure is nearly unavoidable.)

Green cleaning substitutes traditional cleaners with those that contain fewer or less-toxic substances. (As with EPP, no product is entirely toxic free.) Green cleaning also requires a change in cleaning practices and equipment; for example, floors in low-traffic areas are cleaned less frequently than those in high-traffic areas, or vacuums with high-performance filters are used to prevent dirt from reentering the atmosphere.

When government purchasing agents request bids for cleaning products and services, they can require vendors to use products that contain fewer or less-toxic substances; however, this language must be written into the contract that vendors bid on. When nongovernment purchasing agents buy products and services, they can simply shop for environmentally preferable products. In general, environmentally preferable products cost about the same as traditional products, and they clean as effectively. Long-term costs analyses indicate that using some environmentally preferable products can save purchasers money.

INFORM promotes green cleaning in five ways.

(1) We help government agencies and purchasers draft the contract language needed to request environmentally preferable cleaners. This work involves identifying cleaners that contain fewer or less-toxic chemicals, specifying performance requirements for cleaning products, and specifying the permissible amounts of toxic chemicals that can be contained in cleaners.

(2) We educate purchasers about the risks associated with traditional cleaners, and we identify environmentally preferable products and practices. This work targets facilities managers at government buildings, offices, businesses, and schools. This information can be disseminated through conference presentations, teleconferences, or our website.

(3) We help legislative bodies draft green cleaning laws. This work involves explaining why the use of traditional cleaners should be reduced, describing good green cleaning practices, identifying which toxics to reduce, identifying which products and services to include in purchasing requirements, specifying performance requirements for cleaning products and services, and specifying the permissible amounts of toxic chemicals that can be contained in cleaners.

(4) We testify before these legislative bodies or their committees to support proposed green cleaning laws. Testimony typically involves highlighting the positive aspects of the legislation and explaining how it could be made stronger. Testimony can be in-person or written. In-person testimony can be given to legislative bodies, their committees, or government agencies. We can be invited to testify by the legislative body proposing the law, by an advocacy group that has helped draft the law, or by an advocacy group with an interest in the issue.

(5) We help facilities implement green cleaning programs. This work involves visiting the facility, providing information about green cleaning products and practices, describing the steps that lead to a successful program, educating stakeholders about the need for green cleaning to build support for the program, helping the facility set up a pilot project, and helping it establish a full-fledged green cleaning program.

Our work with government agencies, public institutions, and businesses aims to reduce the purchase and use of products that contain persistent and bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBTs) and encourage the purchase and use of safer alternatives.

Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) is a policy that reduces exposure to toxic substances contained in products. Various consumer, construction, and maintenance products contain toxic substances such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), lead, mercury, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), tributyl tin, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and zinc. When used as intended, these products are safe and pose minimal risk of exposure. However, when the products are used improperly or sent to landfills or incinerators, the toxic substances can escape into the environment. Also, some chemicals such as VOCs and DEHP can escape from the product during use. Typically, any chemical is toxic if the dose is large enough, but EPP focuses on highly toxic substances that can cause a range of health effects from nausea and dizziness to neurological damage and cancer. EPP works by requiring purchasing agents to buy products that contain fewer or less-toxic substances. (No product is nontoxic or toxic free because, as noted above, all chemicals are toxic at some dose.)

In its broadest definition, EPP includes the purchase of products that contain recycled content, that reduce energy use, and that conserve water. When government purchasing agents request bids for products and services, they can require vendors to use products that contain fewer or less-toxic substances; however, this language must be written into the contract that vendors bid on. When nongovernment purchasing agents buy products and services, they can simply shop for environmentally preferable products. In general, environmentally preferable products cost about the same as traditional products, and they work as effectively. Long-term cost analyses indicate that using some environmentally preferable products can save purchasers money.

INFORM promotes EPP in four ways.

(1) We help government agencies and purchasers draft the contract language needed to request environmentally preferable products and services. This work involves identifying products that contain toxic substances and those that contain fewer or less-toxic substances, specifying performance requirements for environmentally preferable products, and specifying the permissible amounts of toxic substances that can be contained in purchased products.

(2) We educate purchasers about the possible risks associated with toxic substances in certain products, and we identify alternative or substitute products. This work concentrates on building materials, including interior finishes, heating and cooling systems, and lighting fixtures. This information can be disseminated through conference presentations, teleconferences, or our website.

(3) We help legislative bodies draft EPP laws. This work involves explaining why the use of toxic substances should be reduced, describing EPP laws in other jurisdictions, identifying which toxics to reduce and which products to include in purchasing requirements, and specifying the permissible amounts of toxic substances that can be contained in purchased products.

(4) We testify before legislative bodies or their committees in support of proposed EPP laws. Testimony typically involves highlighting the positive aspects of the legislation and explaining how it could be made stronger. Testimony can be in-person or written. In-person testimony can be given to legislative bodies, their committees, or government agencies. We can be invited to testify by the legislative body proposing the law, by an advocacy group that has helped draft the law, or by an advocacy group with an interest in the issue.

To encourage manufacturers to reduce their use of toxic chemicals, especially PBTs, INFORM is working to provide the public with comprehensive information on potential exposures from chemicals used at local plants.