(ARA) Is danger lurking under your kitchen cabinets? Chances are good the answer is yes. The typical American home contains many toxic, flammable, corrosive or chemically reactive household products that when stored or used incorrectly can cause serious injury or even death.
You wouldnt dream of working with chemicals on the job or in the classroom without first taking some safety precautions; but when it comes to chemicals in the home, people seem to forget they are dangerous, says Perri Ruckart, an epidemiologist with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR the principal federal public health agency involved with hazardous waste issues.
Ruckarts analysis of data collected by the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) System, set up by ATSDR to track incidents involving chemical spills, indicates the unintentional release and misuse of common household products in the home has become a real problem. Between 1997 and 2001, the number of incidents in the home more than quadrupled.
From 1996 to 2001, the HSEES recorded 659 events that resulted in 352 injures and nine deaths in 17 states: New York, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Utah. Dizziness and other central nervous system symptoms were the most frequently experienced adverse health effects.
Ruckart says accidents involving household chemicals are preventable if people “would just take the time to stop, think and put safety first.” She stresses that consumers need to read the directions on the containers before they start working. If you use bleach that has chlorine in it to clean the toilet, make sure you wash it out thoroughly before using another cleaner containing ammonia. If the two chemicals mix, it could cause a toxic cloud that may cause burning of the eyes, breathing problems, or unconsciousness.
Proper ventilation is also important when using household chemicals. Ruckart points out some of them, particularly farm or garden bug sprays, will say right on the can they are not intended for indoor use, but people will ignore the warning and use them inside anyway. This could cause headaches, skin or eye irritation, breathing problems, seizures, and possibly death. As you can see, using common household products incorrectly can have serious consequences, says Ruckart.
Another mistake in the home that Ruckarts work highlights is failing to regularly check appliances that emit carbon monoxide. Even a small leak can emit enough fumes to render someone unconscious or even cause death. Carbon monoxide can enter the home through any fuel-burning appliance, furnace, water heater, fireplace, woodstove or space heater, and from poorly maintained or blocked vent connections in chimneys. Exposure to carbon monoxide can also happen when a person is sitting in a running vehicle in the garage.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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ATSDR is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, created by the Superfund Law in 1980. It was set up to help prevent or reduce the harmful effects of exposure to hazardous substances on human health. Visit ATSDR on the Web at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
SIDEBAR: Preventing Chemical Emergencies in the Home (Tips from the Federal Emergency Management Agency)
* Store household chemicals according to the instructions on the label. Non-food products should be stored tightly closed in their original container so you can always identify the contents of each container and how to properly use the product.
* Avoid mixing common household chemical products. Some combinations of these products, such as ammonia and chlorine bleach, can create toxic gases.
* Always read the directions before using a new product.
To avoid inhaling dangerous vapors, do not use some products in a small, confined space. Other products should not be used without gloves and eye protection to help prevent the chemical from touching your body.
* Read instructions on how to dispose of chemicals properly. Improper disposal can result in harm to yourself or members of your family, accidental contamination of the local water supply, or harm to other people. It is also important to dispose of products properly to preserve the environment and protect wildlife. Plus, some products can be recycled, which helps protect the environment. If you have questions about how to properly dispose of a chemical, call your local environmental or recycling agency.
* If you should spill a chemical, clean it up immediately with rags, being careful to protect your eyes and skin. Allow the fumes in the rags to evaporate outdoors in a safe place, then dispose of them by wrapping them in a newspaper and placing them in a sealed plastic bag. Dispose of these materials with your trash.
*Buy only as much of a chemical as you think you will use. If you have product left over, try to give it to someone who will use it. Storing hazardous chemicals increases risk to chemical emergencies.
* Post the number of the nearest poison control center by all telephones. In an emergency situation you may not have time to look up critical phone numbers.
