There are thousands of harmful petrochemicals that we come into contact with daily.
Here is a list of the petrochemicals that are most common:
Ammonia
Ammonia is an irritant that affects the skin, eyes and respiratory passages. The symptoms of ammonia exposure are: a burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat; pain in the lungs; headache; nausea; coughing; and increased breathing rate.
Ammonia adds nitrogen to the environment. In areas that cannot handle the added nitrogen, disruptions to the ecosystem will result. These include toxic effects to plants, fish and animals. Ammonia is included as a toxic chemical on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list and the EPA has set limits on permissible levels in bodies of water. The FDA also regulates the amount of ammonium compounds in food. OSHA regulates the maximum allowable levels in the air to protect workers.
Found in: Conventional window cleaners.
Amyl acetate
A synthetic grease cutter, amyl acetate is a neurotoxin implicated in central nervous system depression.
Found in: Conventional furniture polishes.
Artificial fragrances
Artificial fragrances can be made from petroleum. Many do not degrade in the environment, and may have toxic effects on both fish and mammals. Additionally, they often can cause allergies and skin or eye irritation.
Artificial colors
Artificial colors can be made from petroleum, though some are made from coal. Many do not degrade in the environment and also have toxic effects on both fish and mammals. They do not serve any useful purpose. Additionally, they often can cause allergies and skin or eye irritation.
Benzalkonium chloride
A synthetic disinfectant and bactericide, this chemical is biologically active (meaning it can negatively affect living organisms). The widespread indiscriminate use of bactericides is also now causing the emergence of new strains of bacteria that are resistant to them. Benzalkonium chloride, and other synthetic disinfectants, should be avoided for these reasons.
Found in: Conventional spray disinfectants, disinfecting cleaners, disinfecting hand soaps and lotions.
Benzene
(also benzol, benzole, annulene, benzeen, phenyl hydride, coal naphtha). Made from petroleum and coal, benzene is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a carcinogen, is listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant, and is on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list.
Found in: Conventional oven cleaners, detergents, furniture polish, spot removers.
Chlorine
(also known as hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, hydrogen chloride, hydrochloric acid)
Chlorine was first manufactured on an industrial scale in the early 1900s. It was used as a powerful poison in World War I. Chlorine is the household chemical most frequently involved in household poisonings in the U.S. Chlorine also ranks first in causing industrial injuries and deaths resulting from large industrial accidents. Chlorine is an acutely toxic chemical created through the energy intensive electrolysis of sea water.
This manufacturing process also creates extremely toxic by-products. Sodium hypochlorite (known as household bleach, a 5% solution of sodium hypochlorite) is a chemical precursor of chlorine and should be treated as such because any use will create pure chlorine in the environment.
Chlorine is listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant and is on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list. In 1993, the American Public Health Association issued a resolution calling for the gradual phase-out of most organochlorine compounds.
Found in: Conventional laundry bleach, dishwasher detergent, scouring powders, and basin, tub and tile cleaners.
Diethanolamines
(also diethanolamine, triethanolamine and monoethanolamine)
A synthetic family of surfactants, this group of compounds is used to neutralize acids in products to make them non-irritating. Diethanolamine is slow to biodegrade and reacts with natural nitrogen oxides and sodium nitrite pollutants in the atmosphere to form diethanolnitrosamine, a suspected carcinogen.
Found in: Conventional personal care products and some detergents.
Ethyl cellosolve
This synthetic solvent is both a nasal irritant and a neurotoxin
Found in: Conventional all-purpose cleaners, window cleaners.
Ethylene glycol
(also ethylene dihydrate, ethylene alcohol)
This synthetic solvent is highly toxic and is both a nasal irritant and a neurotoxin (see Solvents). Its vapors contribute to the formation of urban ozone pollution. Ethylene glycol is listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as a hazardous air pollutant and is on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list.
Found in: Conventional all-purpose cleaners
Fatty acid alkanol amides/amines
These surfactants are made by reacting an ethanolamine with a fatty acid obtained from either synthetic petroleum sources or natural vegetable oils. (Most fatty acids are produced synthetically as this method is currently less expensive.)
Fatty acid alkanol amides can react with materials in the environment to form nitrosamines (see diethanolamines above).
Found in: Conventional shampoos and conditioners, liquid cleansers, and polishes.
Formaldehyde
Although not common as a primary ingredient, formaldehyde is present as a contaminant in many consumer household products. It is an extremely potent carcinogen and respiratory irritant and may appear as a preservative. Products containing this chemical should be considered unacceptable.Found in: Conventional deodorizers, disinfectants, germicides, adhesives, permanent press fabrics, particleboard.
Hydrochloric acid
(also muriatic acid)
A strong mineral or "inorganic" acid. In high concentrations, it is extremely corrosive.
Found in: Conventional toilet bowl cleaners.
Methanol
(also methyl alcohol)
A solvent derived from wood, natural gas, or petroleum, methanol is acutely toxic and can cause blindness.
Found in: Conventional glass cleaners.
Naphthalene
A member of the carcinogenic benzene family derived from coal tar or made synthetically. Known to bioaccumulate in marine organisms, naphthalene causes allergic skin reactions and cataracts, alters kidney function and is extremely toxic to children.
Found in: Conventional deodorizers, carpet cleaners, toilet deodorizers.
O-benzyl-p-chlorophenol
(4-chloro-a-phenyl o-cresol, chlorophene) A synthetic disinfectant used in hand soaps, this is chlorinated hydrocarbon and is therefore unacceptable. Bacterial resistance hazards associated with the indiscriminate use of disinfectants (see benzalkonium chloride above for more information) can also occur with use.
Found in: Conventional hand soaps.
Optical brighteners
Optical brighteners are a broad classification of many different synthetic chemicals that, when applied to clothing, convert UV light wavelengths to visible light, thus making laundered clothes appear "whiter." Their inclusion in any formula does not enhance or affect the product's performance in any way; they simply trick the eye.
Optical brighteners do not readily biodegrade. They are toxic to fish when washed into the general environment and can create bacterial mutations. They can cause allergic reaction when in contact with skin that is then exposed to sunlight. Most optical brighteners are given trade names which consumers are unlikely to see on a label.
Found in: Conventional daundry detergents.
Organic solvents
A category of solvents and grease-cutters of mostly synthetic origin (organic in this instance refers to their petroleum origins). All chemicals in this category are generally neurotoxins and nervous system depressants, especially if contacted in sufficient quantity.
Found in: Conventional all-purpose cleaners, degreasers and metal polishes.
Paradichlorobenzene
(also p-Dichlorobenzene, PDCB) A chlorinated synthetic of extreme chronic toxicity and environmental concern. Paradichlorobenzene is an endocrine disrupter and carcinogen. It does not readily biodegrade.
Found in: Mothballs and deodorizers.
Perchloroethylene
(also "Perc")
A chlorinated solvent used most commonly in the dry cleaning process, "Perc" is implicated in 90% of all groundwater contamination.
Found in: Conventional degreasers, spot removers, dry cleaning fluids.
Petroleum-based waxes
A broad category of synthetic waxes. Although they may appear in products like Butcher's wax, typically these are used for polishing or waxing in conjunction with a solvent and a spray. Once sprayed, the solvent evaporates (creating air toxins) and leaves the wax behind as a residue. Additionally, spraying is an inefficient way to apply a product and ingredients that rely on it for dispersal are suspect.
Found in: Conventional furniture polishes and floor waxes.
Petroleum distillates
(also naphthas)
A broad category encompassing almost every type of chemical obtained directly from the petroleum refining process. Any ingredient listed as a "petroleum distillate" or "naphtha" should be suspect as it is, firstly a synthetic and, secondly, likely to cause one or more detrimental health or environmental effect.
Phosphates
A key nutrient in ecosystems, phosphates are natural minerals important to the maintenance of all life. Their role in laundry detergents is to remove hard water minerals and thus increase the effectiveness of the detergents themselves. They are also a deflocculating agent; that is, they prevent dirt from settling back onto clothes during washing.
While relatively non-irritating and non-toxic in the environment, they nonetheless contribute to significant eutrophication of waterways and create unbalanced ecosystems by fostering dangerously explosive marine plant growth. For these reasons they are banned or restricted in many states. Products containing phosphates should be considered unacceptable. Almost all conventional dishwasher detergents contain phosphates.
Found in: Conventional laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners, dishwasher detergents.
Phosphoric acid
(also mataphosphoric acid, orthophosphoric acid) Phosphoric acid is included as a toxic chemical on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list. It is also controlled under the Clean Air Act as an air pollutant. OSHA regulates the maximum allowable levels in the workplace to protect workers.
Found in: Conventional bathroom cleaners.
Polycarboxylates
Similar in chemical structure to certain plastics and acrylic compounds, these are relatively new, synthetic phosphate substitutes. Because they are recent additions to the consumer product chemical arsenal, however, their effects on human and environmental health remain largely unknown. Though tests show they are non-toxic, do not interfere with treatment plant operation and generally settle out with the sludge during water treatment, until further study and analysis are conducted, use of this ingredient is not recommended. Further, they are not biodegradable and are petroleum based.
Found in: Conventional laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners and dishwasher detergents.
Sodium hydroxide
(also lye, caustic soda, white caustic, soda lye)
Sodium hydroxide is derived from the electrolysis of brine sea water as a co-product of chlorine. It is a strong, caustic substance and causes severe corrosive damage to eyes, skin and mucous membranes, as well as the mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach. Injury can be immediate.
Blindness is reported in animals exposed to as little as 2% dilution for just one minute. Skin is typically damaged by 0.12% dilutions for a period of one hour. Tests with healthy volunteers exposed to the chemical in spray from oven cleaners showed that respiratory tract irritation developed in 2 to 15 minutes. Sodium hydroxide is included as a toxic chemical on the EPA's Community Right-to-Know list. It is also a controlled substance in the workplace, and OSHA has set limitations on concentrations in the air.
Found in: Conventional oven cleaners, drain cleaners
DEA
One of the most common-and potentially toxic-compounds commonly found in personal care products is DEA (diethanolomine). Read about the dangers of DEA
In the past little was known about the long term exposure to petrochemicals. However, today we know that many of the household cleaning products, home furnishings and our food supply is loaded with petrochemicals, and this is linked to the rise in cancer, along with other diseases.
The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has not been proactive, and their policy is to allow the public to use harmful products, while providing only "warning labels".
For more information on Petrochemicals, see the following:
Petrochemical Petroleum Products
Dangers of DEA - Personal Care Products
How Plastic is Made from Petrochemicals