*50% of all illness is because the air inside the home is of poor quality. (1989 State of Massachusetts Study)

*Chemicals get into our body through inhalation, ingestion and absorption.

*Liquid dish detergent is one of the leading causes of poisonings in the home for children under the age of 6 (over 2.1 million accidental poisonings per year) These detergents contain formaldehyde and ammonia in most brands.

*The average home today contains 62 toxic chemicals - more than a chemistry lab at the  turn of the century.

*Top three culprits are household cleaners, bleach and medications.

*An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.

*CMHC reports that houses today are so energy efficient that "outgassing" of chemicals has no where to go, so it builds up inside the home.

*The National Cancer Association released results of a 15 year study concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home.

*Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problems are diseases commonly related to chemical exposure.

*ADD/ADHD are epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have long been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds. Use of Ritalin has skyrocketed since 1990.

*Of the chemicals found in personal care products, 884 are toxic, 146 cause tumors, 218 cause reproductive complications, 314 cause biological mutation, 376 cause skin and eye irritations. (United States House of Representatives report, 1989)

*There has been a 28% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products. (National Cancer Institute)

*In one decade, there has been a 42% increase in asthma. 29% for men; 82% for women. The higher rate for women is believed to be due to women's longer exposure times to household chemicals. (Center for Disease Control)

*The majority of chemicals have never been tested for long-term effects.

*The New York Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product warning labels were either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a poison, and for first aid instructions.

*Due to the increase in toxic buildup in our bodies, including the toxic buildup of formaldehyde, dead bodies are not decomposing as fast as they used to. (National Institutes of Health)

*There is an increased risk for leukemia in children where parents have used pesticides in the home or garden before the child's birth. (Journal of the National Cancer Institute)

*Over 150 chemicals found in the average home have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

*The ideal rate of humidity is between 35% and 45%. Anything higher causes mold. When we use humidifiers or de humidifiers with standing water we are encouraging mold growth with the standing water. The ideal temperature in the home is between 68 degrees and 72 degrees, anything higher makes chemicals more active.

*Pesticides only have to include active ingredients on the labels, even though the inert (inactive) ingredients may account for 99%, many of which are toxic and poisons.

*As often as we all use toothpaste, and force our children to brush their teeth and floss, here is one statistic that will give you the chills. Toothpaste can contain a number of harmful ingredients, such as ammonia, formaldehyde, mineral oil, plastic (PVP), saccharin, benzyl alcohol/sodium benzoate, ethanol, and fluoride, all classified as carcinogens or suspected carcinogen. Flouride, has been banned in many European countries and is the subject of concern with regard to thyroid problems. In fact, as of April 1997, toothpaste is required to carry poison control information on the label as even a small amount can harm or kill a small child.

*Chemical names are often disguised by using trade names that may seem to look harmless, and most chemicals can be listed under several different synonyms to make it even more confusing. Example? Butyl cellosolve, an ingredient of such products as Simple Green or Formula 409, can be listed as: 2-butoxyethanol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, monobutyl glycol ether, or simply as a glycol ether (glycol ethers are also listed by the NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) as neurotoxins. This toxin effects the central nervous system. Butyl is associated with blood and bone marrow damage, and adverse effects on hematopoietic tissues, (which have to do with the formation of blood or blood cells in the body,) blood, kidneys and liver. (This information is available through NIOSH or the product Material Safety Data Sheet.)

*More products that contain formaldehyde. Antiperspirants, mouthwash, toothpaste, baggies, clothes that are permanent press, floor waxes, furniture polishes, wax paper, and here is one you are really going to love...Coffee.

*Some symptoms caused by formaldehyde are, allergies, cancer, immune system failings and asthma.

*When using Chlorine, antiseptics or bleach in industrial areas you are required to wear protective clothing that keeps you from being exposed to these toxins, hard hats, boots, gloves, apron or coveralls, chemical goggles or full face shield and use in well ventilated areas. These are the same chemicals we are exposed to when we wash our clothes, spray on our cabinets, wipe onto our eating areas, spray our rooms to kill germs, and swim in when we get into our pools.

*Here is one you might find quite surprising. While the EPA has found that the normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to the general population, the use of products containing DEET has been associated with rashes, swelling and itching, eye irritation and, sometimes, slurred speech, confusion and seizures. Products with high concentrations of DEET are considered hazardous to children, and the EPA no longer allows claims on labels of products containing DEET that the product is safe for your children...but does it say that it's not?

*Common pesticides cause brain damage and aggression.

I will close this page with some statistics about our children. Because children drink more water, breathe more air, are more active than we are, and eat more food than adults, they also take in much higher concentrations of toxic chemicals.  Our children’s growing and developing bodies are especially vulnerable to harm caused by toxic chemicals.  Rates of certain diseases linked to environmental exposures in children are increasing at alarming rates.  Here are some stats that may cause you to think really hard about the toxins we have in our homes.

* Cancer rates in children have increased 26% between 1975 and 1998.

* In the last 25 years, the number of children who suffer from asthma has doubled to more than 8 percent.

* Nearly 12 million children have one or more learning, developmental, or behavioral disabilities.

Our children are at risk. Chemicals that build up in their bodies should not be used in products we buy in our stores, and the chemicals that spill out contaminating our air, water and food from these factories should be dealt with accordingly. We should not have this forced upon us against our will.  Instead, we should be focus on creating and substituting safer products through innovation so that these toxic products that are slowly causing us to become ill can be eliminated.