| Ingredient |
Use |
Impact |
| Alkyl benzene sulfonates (ABS) |
Common surfactant in laundry detergents, cleaners. |
Very slow to biodegrade; the manufacturing process can
release carcinogens and toxins to environment. |
| Alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanols (also nonyl phenols) |
Used as surfactant in laundry detergents, cleaners. |
Slow to biodegrade in the environment; linked with chronic
health problems. |
| Butyl cellosolve (also, butyl oxitol, ethylene glycol
monbutyl, butoxyethanol, ethylene glycol) |
Used as solvent in spray cleaners, all-purpose cleaners. |
A toxic synthetic – can irritate mucous membranes
and cause liver and kidney damage. |
| Chlorine – also as hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite,
sodium dichloroisoctanurate, hydrogen chloride and hydrochloric acid |
Household bleaching agent. |
Most frequently involved in household and industrial
poisonings. Reacts with organics in the environment to form carcinogenic
toxins, the most well known being dioxin. Serious impact on small wastewater
treatment plants. |
| EDTA: ethylene-diamino-tetra-acetate |
A builder used as phosphate substitute in detergents. |
Slow to biodegrade. |
| Formaldehyde |
Not a common ingredient these days but may be found in
deodorisers, disinfectant, germicides, chemical toilet additives, particle
board. |
Extremely potent; carcinogenic and respiratory irritant;
serious impact on small wastewater treatment plants. |
| Methanol |
Used as solvent in glass cleaners. |
Acutely toxic and can cause blindness. |
| Phosphates |
Used in detergents and cleaners as a builder and deflocculating
agent. |
Non-toxic but major cause of eutrophication in receiving
aquatic ecosystem, causing serious ecological imbalance. |
| Polycarboxylates |
Laundry and dishwasher detergents as an anti-redeposition
agent. |
Not much known; non-biodegradable and petroleum based. |
