What are the Law’s Regulating Chemicals Typically Found in Our Homes? Febrauaruy 4, 2014
What Are the Laws Regulating Chemicals Typically Found in Our Homes?
It is hard to believe, but there are very few laws regulating chemicals in our homes. The one main exception is pesticides. The Environmental Working Group is a independent environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy concerning toxic chemicals amongst other causes. According to a review by this group, chemical manufacturers are not required to post health and/or safety studies prior to introducing a product to the market place. What is also infuriating is they are not required to monitor chemicals while is use. If asked the manufacturer can state that the requested information is “proprietary” and therefore confidential. They do not have to tell the public or our government what is in the products!
The Toxic Control Act (TCA) was passed in 1976 and is the main law regulating chemicals. There was a proposal in Congress to update the law in last year but is stalled. TCA was designed to protect he manufacturers and not the public. All existing chemicals up to the point of the TCA were grandfathered in. There are many chemicals which have no data on potential side effects. THE TCA prevents the EPA from gathering information for chemicals. To date the TSCA has only restricted five chemicals including PCBs and chlorofluorocarbons. The only exception is when the EPA can demonstrate that a chemical has a known health or environmental risk. And, risk cannot be assessed without having the information from the manufacturer. The EPA’s hands are tied and they have, in many cases, simply given up. Many other countries and the entire European Union have outlawed many chemicals that are common place in the USA.
The Consumer Protection Safety Commission requires cleaning product labels to warn the consumer of immediate dangerous risks. There are many loopholes in the regulation. Manufacturers so not have to list the type of toxic health or environmental effects the product will have. If the companies own research that the product is not dangerous they do not have to label. There is no third party testing done. Also, if there is no data one way or the other of a particular chemical they a warning does not have to be made.
One of the easiest ways to protect ourselves and families from toxins in our homes is to either purchase “eco-friendly” cleaning products or to make them at home. White vinegar is one of our favorite cleaning products here at Sacramento Green Clean and it is completely non-toxic. It is a disinfectant, great for wood floor and windows. Some people dislike the smell. But rest assured the smell completely dissipates when it dries.
Sacramento Green Clean is proud to provide green cleaning services using products that are non-toxic. We were founded in 2007 as the first green cleaning service in the Sacramento Valley. We specialize in residential cleaning for the greater Sacramento Valley.
