25 gallons of toxic and hazardous chemical products used in homes are linked to serious diseases

Reports by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Children's Health Environmental Coalition have been used in this article to educate Americans about the huge quantity of toxic and hazardous chemical products used in homes that find their way into the bodies of humans and wildlife. Unfortunately, only a miniscule number have been tested for safety.

Because the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission does not require manufacturers to test household cleaning products before they appear on store shelves, the consumer is really a guinea pig.

The Children's Health Environmental Coalition is concerned about the solvents, dispersal agents, dyes and fragrances, and other ingredients (that can make up 90% of a product) that may be suspected carcinogens or worsen long-term health problems such as allergies and asthma. For example, the organization says that "Diethyl phthalate, commonly found in commercial cleaning products, is a known endocrine-disrupting chemical (which can interfere with normal growth and development). Toluene, a chemical found in some stain removers, has been classified by the EPA as a carcinogen -- and studies have linked it to neurological problems and birth defects."