Ingredients we never use

Ammonia

Form

Ammonia, a colorless gas with a distinct pungent smell.

Where is it used?

Personal Care - Ammonia is present in various skin care products and is used in shampoos, liquid hand wash, body wash. It creates a thick lather and helps in making the products viscous and thick. Ammonia is also used in hair care to help the colour. Ammonia and ammonium hydroxide are used as pH regulators as well. It is used in hair colours to help the colour penetrate into the hair shaft. It's also used in anti ageing treatments, makeup items, sun screens etc.

Home Care: Dishwash liquids, Surface Cleaners, Oven Cleaners, Window and Glass Cleaners

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: In humans ammonia can irritare your eyes, nose and mucous membrane. It is caustic in nature and can cause damage to cells if dosages are not properly regulated. Ammonia can make your hair porous, dry and brittle. When ammonia is present in water at high enough levels, it is difficult for aquatic organisms to sufficiently excrete the toxicant, leading to toxic buildup in internal tissues and blood, and potentially death. Environmental factors, such as pH and temperature, can affect ammonia toxicity to aquatic animals.

References for further understanding

https://www.epa.gov/wqc/aquatic-life-criteria-ammonia

Triclosan

Form

White to off white crystalline powder, slightly aromatic odor

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Ammonia is present in various skin care products and is used in shampoos, liquid hand wash, body wash. It creates a thick lather and helps in making the products viscous and thick. Ammonia is also used in hair care to help the colour. Ammonia and ammonium hydroxide are used as pH regulators as well. It is used in hair colours to help the colour penetrate into the hair shaft. It's also used in anti ageing treatments, makeup items, sun screens etc.

Home Care: Dishwash liquids, Surface Cleaners, Oven Cleaners, Window and Glass Cleaners

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: Studies have shown that Triclosan can interfere with the functioning of thyroid harmone. Long term exposure can cause skin cancer and other skin issues due to the potential breakdown of triclosan to other chemicals on human skin after exposure to triclosan and to to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Environmental Concerns: The extensive use of Troclosan in daily care products coincides with a ample evidence of its bioaccumulation and persistence in the environment. Up to 96% of Triclosan in consumer products is rinsed down the drain, leading to the high concentration of Triclosan in water bodies. During the wastewater treatment process, triclosan can break down and convert to other derivatives which can lead to resistance to biodegradation. Researchers have detected Triclosan contamination in both aquatic and terrestrial environments and have observed its bioaccumulation in aquatic animals such as snails, algae, fish and other marine mammals.

References for further understanding

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-triclosan

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4774862/

Sulphate

What is it?

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is a widely used surfactant in cleaning products.

Used In

• Hand wash
• Shampoo
• Face wash
• Washing liquid

Harm to body

• Skin irritation is the key issue with sulphates.
• They can strip away natural oils from skin and hair.

Phthalates

Form

Colorless, odorless, oily liquids that do not evaporate easily and do not chemically bind to the material they are added to.

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Phthalates can be found in lotions, soaps, makeup, nail polish, Hair sprays, perfumes, after shave lotions.

Home Care: Phthalates can be found in scented cleaning products, laundry detergents, synthetic cleaning products.

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: Phthalates are found everywhere in the
environment and have been found in food, drinking water, household dust and indoor air. Phthalate exposure can occur through ingestion, inhalation, and direct contact.
Phthalate exposure is suspected to cause endocrine disruption, changes in sex harmone levels, low sperm count and quality, early sexual maturation among other side effects.

Environmental Converns: Phthalates can seep into water bodies and affect marine life. They may interfere with normal endocrine
system function, reproduction, and development. Phthalates can cause infertility and reproductive problems in female fish as well as the feminization of male fish, frogs, and other animals.

References for further understanding

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-triclosan

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4774862/

Trisodium Phosphate

Form

White, granular or crystalline solid, highly soluble in water, producing an alkaline solution.

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Trisodium Phosphate is used in personal care as a buffering agent in products such as Toothpaste, Body wash, scrubs

Home Care: Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) is used as a cleaning agent, builder, lubricant, food additive, stain remover, and degreaser.

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Environmental concerns: TSP cleaner can also be bad news for the environment as a whole. If it ends up in lakes and streams, the phosphates trigger an overgrowth of algae that results in a depletion of oxygen levels in the water, which endangers fish and aquatic plant life.

References for further understanding

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Trisodium-phosphate

Phosphates

Form

The term phosphate refers to any one of a wide variety of chemical compounds that contain phosphorus, a naturally occurring mineral, bonded together with oxygen.

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Phosphates are used in hair conditioners, hair dyes, shampoos, colognes and skin care products

Home Care: Phosphates are used in automatic dishwasher detergents,

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human Concerns: Phosphates are not considered to be very harmful to humans. However, they are considered highly harmful to water bodies.

Environmental Concerns: The use of phosphate in home care is banned in many countries. Phosphate based products we use at home end up in the water system through our city wastewater systems. When the level of phosphates is too high it causes havoc on the water bodies. Algae grows faster than it should and it chokes out the healthy part of our water ecosystem depletes it of oxygen and affects our marine life

References for further understanding

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/worlds-freshwater-bodies-choked-with-phosphorus/article22716024.ece

https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/eu-comes-clean-on-phosphates-ban-in-detergents/

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/issue

https://sciencing.com/phosphates-affect-water-quality-4565075.html

Hydrochloric acid

Form

Hydrochloric acid, classified as a strong acid, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungent smell.

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: Hydrochloric acid is corrosive to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Acute inhalation exposure may cause coughing, hoarseness, inflammation and ulceration of the respiratory tract, chest pain, and pulmonary edema in humans.

Acute oral exposure may cause corrosion of the mucous membranes, esophagus, and stomach, with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea reported in humans. Dermal contact may produce severe burns, ulceration,
and scarring.

Environmental Concerns: Hydrochloric acid is not considered to be bio degradable and is likely be
neutralized to chloride by alkalinity present in natural environment..

References for further understanding

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/hydrochloric-acid.pdf

Chlorine Bleach

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: Causes irritation, drying, and potentially burns. Inhalation of bleach fumes can damage the lungs.

Bleach should be used with caution and in safe dosages.

Sulfuric acid

Form

Sulfuric acid is a clear, colourless, oily liquid.

Where is it used?

Home Care: This strong acid is used in drain decloggers and toilet bowl cleaners

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: This highly corrosive acid can cause severe skin burns, can irritate the nose and throat and cause difficulties breathing if inhaled, can burn the eyes.

Environmental Concerns: It has moderate acute (short-term) toxicity on aquatic life. Sulfuric acid is very corrosive and would badly burn any plants, birds or land animals exposed to it. The acid particles dissolve in clouds, fog, rain, or snow, resulting in very dilute acid solutions. This may impact the environment as wet acid deposition ('acid rain').

2-Butoxyethanol

Form

This colorless liquid has a sweet odor.

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Used in hair dyes, nail polishes, nail polish removers and skin cleansers

Home Care: Glass cleaners, All surface cleaners

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: Causes irritation, drying.

Environmental Concerns: As per the EWG website (Environmental Working Group) website, 2-Butoxyethanol has been classified under the category F (Highest Concern)

References for further understanding

https://www.ewg.org/guides/substances/152484-2BUTOXYETHANOL/

Methylisothiazolinone

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Moisturisers, lotions, sunscreens, shampoos, conditioners, hair coloring, body washes, mascara, shaving cream, make-up remover, liquid soaps, and baby products including wipes, lotions and shampoos.

Home Care: Cleaning Detergents

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: It is a skin irritant and is known to cause allergies. As of 2016, the European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety issued a voluntary ban on “the mixture of methylchloroisothiazolinone (and) methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) from leave-on products such as moisturisers, creams etc

References for further understanding

https://www.madesafe.org/banned-list/
https://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/methylisothiazolinone/

Nonylphenol Ethoxylates

Where is it used?

Personal Care: Cosmetics

Home Care: Detergents, pesticides

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: Nonylphenol is a toxic xenobiotic compound classified as an endocrine disrupter capable of interfering with the hormonal system of numerous organisms.

Environmental Concerns:NP/NPE chemicals are highly toxic to aquatic life and have a wide variety of industrial and consumer uses that could lead to environmental releases.

References for further understanding

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/nonylphenol

Bleach (Liquid Sodium Hypochlorite)

What is it?

It often refers, specifically, to a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite, also called "liquid bleach".

Used In

• All-purpose cleaners
• Toilet bowl cleaners

Harm to body

• Irritation to skin, nose, eyes, and throat
• Chlorine bleach liquid and vapors can irritate skin, eyes, nose, and throat
• Dermatitis may result from direct skin contact
• When used as a cleaning agent, bleach remains on surfaces and continues to emit fumes. Recent studies have revealed that children who have had exposure to bleach in their homes are more likely to suffer from respiratory illness

Harm to the environment

• Environmental toxins created by bleach have lowered the populations of several species of birds and fish.
• Bleach is especially damaging to the environment because it lingers for many years. Even small amounts of toxic chemicals can accumulate in air and water over time, which can eventually result in adverse health effects.

Harm to pets

• Household bleach can be very harmful to cats, dogs, and other pets.
• The products you utilize to clean your floors or wash your bedding can stay on a pet’s paws or fur. Cats and dogs often lick themselves, which can then cause them to ingest the harmful chemicals

Quaternary ammonium or phenolic chemicals

Where is it used?

Quaternary ammonium compounds are the most commonly employed broad-spectrum hard surface disinfectants employed in animal research facilities.

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Disinfecting products, including those with quats are highly regulated and evaluated by the EPA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as many international authorities such as the European Commission.

Perchloroethylene (used in dry cleaning), naphthalene and ammonium hydroxide

What is it?

Perchloroethylene is a colorless liquid that is also called tetrachloroethylene, PERC, or PCE.

Used In

• Rug, carpet, upholstery cleaners

Harm to body

• The fumes given off by these products can cause cancer and liver damage.
• They have been known to cause dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, loss of appetite, and disorientation.

Harm to the environment

• Perchloroethylene is toxic to aquatic organisms

Benzalkonium Chloride

Harmful effects - Safety measures and side effects

Human/Animal Concerns: There is fear of bacteria developing resistence to Benzalkonium Chloride and thus developing tolerance and being able to survive in increasing dosage levels.This would help them develop resistance to antibiotics.

References for further understanding

https://particleandfibretoxicology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12989-020-0339-8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6581159/