Using Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to Evaluate Eco Friendly or Green Cleaning Products
| Posted in eco friendly cleaning products | Posted on 26-05-2009
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During the process of researching green or eco friendly cleaning products I commonly ran into discussions about cleaners made from household items (vinegar, baking soda, etc.) and how they were safer than most commercial green cleaning products from companies like Seventh Generation, Shaklee (Get Clean line) or Better Life.
As I followed the discussion across several different blog comment threads, people would commonly refer to health hazard data compiled on material safety data sheets (MSDS) to identify health and toxicological information when presenting their arguments.
It seemed when proponents of the homemade cleaners made an argument against common commercial green cleaners, they would identify the major compound in the commercial cleaner and refer to data from the MSDS sheet for that pure compound.
I instantly saw a problem with their analysis since they were often comparing vinegar (a 5% (dilute) solution of acetic acid) against the data for the concentrated (100%) form of the compound of concern in the commercial green cleaning product.
As a result, I prepared the following video noting my concern for this type of analysis by showing some examples of MSDS health hazard data for three compounds used in green or eco friendly cleaning products.
Please watch the video making note of the compounds compared and data on each of the MSDS sheets then comment below!
I look forward to your thoughts and comments!
Hi Jim,
Thanks for pointing out this issue. It goes to show how careful we need to be when we are reading information on the internet. People often interpret statistics and data for their own benefit and to support their own argument.
I am still an advocate of using common household items and other natural products, but its good to know the fallacy behind some of the arguments put forward by critics of commercial green products.
Omar
Omar’s last blog post..Raw Food Diet For Dogs Or A Kibble Diet
As Omar pointed out, it seems that people do not always look at the whole picture and may exclude all the facts if it doesn’t benefit their viewpoint.
We need to take a critical look for ourselves at what we are using and if it’s what we want.
Brenda Bunney’s last blog post..Success | Qualities That Spell Success In Your Life
It seems to me I used to see more eco friendly cleansers in the grocery and retails stores a few years back. Now, I seldom see them as an option to purchase or my eyes are just going to the products I am used to purchasing. I do need to be more cautious as to what I am buying.
Hi five folks – very clean cut topic I must say lol – I’m always aware what my wife and I flush down the drains in the way of cleaning fluids – being an ex plumber I understand the sewer systems and even though most sewer systems have been modernized to be directed in to a cleaning process you just have to walk along the beach some days to see the mess we humans are making of the ocean, because in some countries this modernization of drains has not taken place and what goes down the drains ends up in the sea – so can you imagine what these cleaning products are doing to peoples health on a vast scale not only in the home but in the environment as well – so the next time you reach for the domestos or bleach – think about all those poor fish struggling to live in the sea – as well as your own health,,,
All my best to youi and what you take onboard
Phillip Skinner
Hi Jim-
Green cleaning is a passion of mine for both health reasons for people and to help contribute to a safer, cleaner planet. I agree that you can not always trust that facts and figures are presented accurately because we are not always comparing apples to apples. Kudos to you for picking up on these differences, doing your research, and taking the time to inform us.
Vicki Zerbee’s last blog post..Digestion Problems of Aging, Including Reflux, Upset Stomach, Heartburn, Ulcers, Constipation, and Crohn’s Disease
It’s interesting isn’t it finding eco / green friendly cleaning products can be just as dangerous as the so called non-eco/green friendly products when it comes to ‘poison’ factor. It’s always good to be aware of what we use to clean with, as I have a cleaning business I’m always aware of this issue for my clients.
Having done a bit of my own analysis over the years, albeit not as indepth as yours Jim, I have found that commerical products bought as concentrates and watered down appropriately are less toxic and more eco friendly than most of the supermarket brands that we purchase.
I look forward to further posts on this issue.
Julie McClelland’s last blog post..Network Marketing | Sex | Advertising
I use the MSDS constantly, both as a consumer and to post on my blog. It sometimes seems as though the problems of toxic chemicals and despoiling the planet are so overwhelming that no one can have the slightest effect. But that’s not true. At the very least we can reduce our own chemical exposure and the MSDS definitely is a powerful tool for doing so.
Sydney Johnston’s last blog post..Look Younger & Reverse Aging With The Anti Aging Super Duper Secret Weapon
Hey, Jim,
Thanks for this good information.
I had heard about the potentially harmful effects of SLS long ago. As a result I’ve avoided cleaners, especially ones that contact my skin, with that ingredient.
I appreciate the comparison you made with vinegar. I know you were first showing the 100 percent solution instead of the household brand, but it was still very enlightening. As a matter of fact, it’ll probably make me think twice before I put it on my peas next time I eat them.
Thanks.
Steve DeVane
Steve DeVane’s last blog post..Building a business — cooperation beats competition
Interesting. I buy eco-friendly cleaning brands at home, although I know I should probably make my own.
Lately I’ve had a bit of an ant problem. I read somewhere that epsom salt was a good solution. It worked in a certain location, but not in the other. If you’re up for it, maybe you can offer some good suggestions on eco-friendly pesticides in one of your blog posts.
You made a very good point about if anything is misused (like water), it can be a potential danger. Yes, we need to be more aware of what exactly we are using and the possible side effects down the road, but sometimes I think if we just used a little more common sense, there would be fewer accidents. Great post!
Biocutisblog’s last blog post..Male Skin has Needs too
Hi Jim,
You’re so absolutely right about this ill-informed method of analysis. Having been a chemical dependency counseling program student in college I recall one of the most basic concepts first introduced on this topic. That is, mixing two different chemicals never results in those two retaining their mutually exclusive elemental identities. Rather, this mingling of two different chemicals creates, of necessity, at third and altogether different chemical. Unless one knows all the specific variables (amounts, dilutions, etc.) there is no real way of knowing the identity of the end product or it’s effect.
I appreciate you,
Bill Tessore
Bill Tessore’s last blog post..Defeat Fear With Two Words