Once again, the scientific community has issued a study that offers further proof of the dangers that exist in today’s cleaning products.
A research team from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center in Canada recently found that products such as bleach, glass cleaner, detergents and air fresheners exacerbated asthma-related symptoms for cleaning professionals.
According to the study, these findings are aimed at helping to develop workplace health and safety practices that limit exposures to irritant chemicals in cleaning products.
This study comes out on the heels of a report that found that many commercial cleaning manufacturers contained toxic chemicals. It also discussed how cleaning fragrances are often made up of several dozen to several hundred chemicals, most of them synthetic. And their use is almost entirely unregulated.
In 2009, researchers from University of Maryland and Loyola College in Maryland released a white paper titled, “Fragrance in the Workplace is the New Second-Hand Smoke.” The study outlines how both smoking and the use of synthetic fragrance can seriously impact indoor air quality.
Although the study is not new, we are seeing more research being published along these lines which points to the commercial cleaning trend of safety being paramount.
Now is the time for commercial organizations to develop the right cleaning product procurement strategies and make green product use the “new normal.” Fortunately, many of today’s eco-friendly solutions have evolved into being highly effective and well worth the investment – especially when thinking of the welfare of the building occupant and cleaning staff.
The Fresh Wave IAQ “What’s the Smell” blog will continue to shine a light on these new studies that reinforce the value and need for green cleaning solutions. Where safety is concerned, there is no room for error, and thankfully the science is telling us that its time for a more progressive cleaning approach.
