We Need to Talk: The Overuse and Misuse of Disinfectants
There are many vital conversations around keeping our homes & communities safe — about how-to and when-to reopen safely — and part of this discussion needs to include toxic chemicals, particularly in regards to the overuse and misuse of disinfectants.
Women’s Health Organization Cautions Educators About Harmful Exposures to Toxic Chemicals in Disinfectants
To help prevent the overuse and the misuse of disinfectants in schools, Women’s Voices for the Earth has released a toolkit for parents and guardians on how to talk to educators about safer alternatives. The toolkit includes a comprehensive list of EPA-certified safer disinfectants to combat COVID-19 that use active ingredients like hydrogen peroxide instead of toxic quats. But beyond disinfectants, the toolkit also highlights how to use these products safely, and stresses the importance and effectiveness of hand-washing for keeping kids healthy.
Women’s Health Organization Calls for The Clorox Company to Quit Toxic ‘Quats’ in Disinfecting Products
Environmental health non-profit, Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), is raising concerns about the use of antibacterial chemicals commonly found in disinfecting products like wipes, sprays, and all-purpose cleaners. Registered as pesticides with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ammonium quaternary compounds — or “quats” — are linked to adverse health effects including asthma, dermatitis, reproductive harm, and the spread of antimicrobial resistance bacteria, often referred to as “super-bugs”.
As a major manufacturer of disinfecting products, WVE is calling on The Clorox Company to be a leader in product safety and eliminate quats from their products.
Quats and Back-To-School: What You Need to Know
Parents and teachers concerned with grimy fingers and germ-laden desks often include disinfecting wipes on back-to-school shopping lists. But certain chemicals in many disinfecting wipes are linked to negative health effects. Learn more!
