In a study published this Tuesday, December 8, the consumers’ association denounces the presence of toxic substances in many household cleaning products. According to experts and out of the 244 products decrypted, 44% contain substances dangerous to health and the environment.
244 products among the most common references were analyzed
While the Covid-19 pandemic has exploded sales of household cleaning products, the UFC-Que Choisir alerts on the presence of toxic substances in this type of product. Allergens, carcinogens or endocrine disruptors… the undesirable substances present in household products are not without risk for human health as well as for the environment. It is in this context that the consumers’ association has chosen to decipher 244 references among the most common on the market.
According to the results of the analysis, 44% of products are full of harmful substances, or nearly one in two decrypted products. According to the UFC-Que Choisir, the most dangerous products and therefore the least recommendable, are ” multipurpose detergents and liquid laundry detergents that abuse perfumes and allergenic preservatives “. To this is also added “ softeners which expose our skin throughout the day to a cocktail of toxic substances, as well as toilet blocks which not only contribute to the emission of pollutants into the air, but are also particularly harmful to the environment because of their repetitive discharges into wastewater “.
The absence of an exhaustive list of ingredients on the packaging
Beyond the harmful substances present in household cleaning products, the consumers’ association denounces the unfounded promises of the manufacturers. The specialists thus underline “ the lack of an exhaustive list of all ingredients on the packaging Which makes the identification of undesirable substances particularly complex. The Consumers Association explains “ to better persuade consumers of the harmlessness of their products, manufacturers multiply the mentions of the ‘sensitive’ or ‘ecological’ type, images evocative of nature or even the highlighting of traditional ingredients such as black soap or Marseille soap “.
However, “the reality is quite different” according to the UFC-Que Choisir which gives as an example: ” despite the reassuring photo of an infant on the label, the fabric softener ‘Soupline Grand air’ contains a toxic fragrance for reproduction, suspected of being endocrine disruptor ” or ” ‘Carolin Multiusage au bicarbonate’ wipes, ‘Cif Nature with white vinegar’ anti-limescale, ‘Persil au soap de Marseille bouquet de Provence’ and ‘Skip Ultimate Sensitive’ detergents contain preservatives that are not only very allergenic, but also toxic for aquatic organisms “.
This is why the UFC-Que Choisir urges the public authorities to act to protect the health and environment of consumers by ” prohibiting in formulations carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic for reproduction and endocrine disrupting compounds ” and in ” including on the packaging the list of all the ingredients present in the formula as for cosmetic products “.
