Not only can conventional detergents be detrimental to the environment, but they can also be bad for your health. However, when choosing an eco-friendly alternative consumers should take heed of a few important guidelines.

According to the Natural Wise website many consumers are growing increasingly wary of the presence and effect of the toxic chemicals in common household cleaning materials: “The Environmental Protection Agency has discovered that the air in our homes is two to five times more toxic than the air outside. One of the reasons is that poisonous fumes released by the chemicals in our detergents linger in the air. This toxic air affects our central nervous systems and can lead to a host of autoimmune diseases and even cancer. Furthermore, these detergents are not biodegradable and pollute our water and our soil and cause harm to other life forms.”

It goes on to note that the average home hosts around 63 hazardous products containing hundreds of chemicals. What’s even more alarming is that in South Africa, cleaning products do not by law have to list their ingredients on the labels; posing danger when children accidentally ingest them and leaving consumers unwittingly exposed to the potentially harmful effects of unknown substances. It is a fact that hazardous cleaning materials pose a serious threat to the environment at large, as well as our own personal health – but they don’t have to. Today there are a growing number of eco- and health-friendly alternatives that offer consumers a gentle and effective "green" clean.

Conventional detergents

Around the 1940s, petrochemical-based synthetic detergents replaced flaked soap as the standard household detergent. These detergents are exceptionally effective – removing dirt and oils by rinsing them off so they don't settle back into the fabric. They also leave no mineral residue, there are various brands available with a wide selection of synthetic fragrances to choose from, and they boast a practically limitless shelf-life due to the powerful chemical preservative contained in all of them.

However, the truth is, conventional detergents have a very dark side. They are manufactured from non-renewable resources, one of which is the petroleum-based optical brighteners found in many detergent products. They work by attaching to the fabric and converting UV rays into visible blue-violet light – thereby “brightening” the fabric. There are other chemicals inherent in conventional detergents that are often not even listed on the labels, including dyes, perfumes, softeners, enzymes and bleaching agents for example.

Another aspect of conventional detergents is that they can be detrimental to our health. As a rule of thumb, they are chemically designed to attach to fabric, rather than rinse out. This in turn, places these harsh chemicals in prolonged contact with our skin, which is a highly absorbent mechanism of the body. So not only are these chemicals being absorbed into the body via our skin, but they can also strip our skin of moisture.

Some detergents contain what is termed as synthetic surfactants, which are cleaning agents, that biodegrade slowly and have been associated with various chronic health problems. Petrochemical-based surfactants called alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) are capable of breaking down to form compounds that the Environmental Protection Agency considers highly toxic to aquatic organisms and the human endocrine system, which is responsible for a healthy metabolism, reproduction, and growth.

Phthalates (indicated by non-specific "fragrance" on many labels) is another chemical found in detergents that are swiftly absorbed by skin, fingernails, and lungs, which has been linked to causing birth defects. And lastly, the majority of conventional detergents include parabens, or chemical preservatives, that can accumulate in the body over time and have been detected in breast cancer tumours.

Vegetable-based detergents

Eco-friendly vegetable-based detergents have made great strides in recent years to achieve the strengths of conventional cleaners, without sacrificing responsibility to the environment and good health. They minimise pollution and residues by using renewable plant resources. Instead of using crude oil, vegetable-based detergents host surfactants made from vegetable oils, often from coconut. They don’t attach to fabric, and so will not be in constant contact with your skin, and they're paraben-free. Keep in mind however, that vegetable-based detergents also have their fare share of problems – some contain strong fragrances that may aggravate allergies, and others may contain unlisted additives like their conventional counterparts. When choosing “green” alternatives, try to look for labels that list the origins of their scents and surfactants. For example "coconut-oil-based surfactant" instead of "cleaning agents," and "fragrance derived from lavender oil" rather than "fragrance".

Here are some specific chemicals to be aware of:
- Aerosol propellants
- Ammonia
- Chlorine/Sodium hypochlorite
- Formaldehyde
- Fragrance
- Organic solvents
- Phosphates
- Phthalates
- Sodium
- Synthetic surfactants

Some sobering statistics (Courtesy of www.urbansprout.co.za.):
- Of the 17 000 petrochemicals available for home use, only 30% have been tested for their affects on human health and the environment.
- Of chemicals commonly found in homes, 150 have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities.
- Only 1% of toxins are required to be listed on labels, because companies classify formulas as "trade secrets".
- In the past 50 years more than 75 000 chemicals have been introduced into the environment. Today 300 synthetic chemicals are found in the bodies of humans.
- Bleach, paint stripper and carpet cleaners used in the home can cause wheezing and asthma in children.

- Antonella Dési

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