Environmental Effects of Traditional Cleaning Products

Not only do many traditional cleaning products affect human health and safety, but many also contain ingredients that are harmful to the environment. A number of environmental impacts-including effects on fish, birds, other wildlife, and ecosystems-can result from these products, depending upon the specific chemical ingredients, manufacturing methods, use, and disposal practices.

Janitorial products can contaminate the environment in many ways, from pouring chemicals and wastewater down the drain and into the local water supply, gas emissions into the air via circulation through the indoor ventilation system, and during the treatment and disposal of chemical wastes. These are known as "downstream" effects, as they happen during or after the use of the products. Many of the same environmental effects are also created "upstream," during the initial development and manufacture of the products in laboratories and factories. Thus, as janitors reduce their use of hazardous products, they can reduce the environmental effects at a number of different stages of the products' life cycle.

The following are some of the environmental impacts associated with cleaning products:

• Bioaccumulation refers to the increase in concentration of toxic substances in living organisms. The toxins accumulate because contaminated air, water, or food, are consumed faster than the toxins can be metabolized and excreted. Similarly, the biological magnification of certain "persistent" substances, such as pesticides that do not readily biodegrade or heavy metals, describes their movement up the food chain, as they work their way into rivers or lakes, and are eaten by aquatic organisms such as fish, which in turn are eaten by large birds, animals, or humans. The substances become concentrated in tissues or internal organs as they move up the chain.
• Ozone depletion refers to the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer, which shields the Earth from harmful amounts of ultraviolet radiation. Ozone depletion is caused by the breakdown of certain chlorine- and/or bromine-containing compounds (chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, and halons) when they reach the stratosphere and quickly destroy ozone molecules.
• Toxicity describes the degree to which a substance or mixture of substances can harm humans or animals.
• Eutrophication is the natural process by which a lake, estuary, or bay gradually ages and becomes more productive (i.e., more nutrients, more biological activity). Human-induced pollutants, such as cleaning products, that make their way into water bodies can aggravate the process by adding an abundance of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, to a water body. The result is over-abundant plant life that steals precious resources, such as oxygen and sunlight, from other aquatic organisms, causing accelerated aging of the water body.
• Endocrine disruption can cause hormonal imbalance in wildlife which may result in a failure to reproduce effectively.
• Water pollution results from the contamination of water through direct sources (e.g., factories) or indirect sources (e.g., pesticide runoff). Chemical factories and improper storage and disposal of cleaning products can contribute to water pollution. Weather patterns and human activities constantly circulate water and any pollution it contains throughout the environment, which creates local, regional, and global effects.
• Air pollution: Some cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can escape during product use. VOCs have been linked to smog formation, which pollutes the air and causes a number of respiratory and other health problems.

Source: Department of the Interior (www.doi.gov)