Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)/sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), 1,4-dioxane (known carcinogen), NPE (nonylphenol ethoxylate), and Phosphates.
Not only are these chemicals potentially damaging to your health, but they are contaminating waterways and harming the environment. The wastewater carries these toxins and harms our fish and wildlife.
Sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant, detergent, foaming agent and emulsifier used in thousands of industrial cleaners and cosmetic products. It is present in nearly all shampoos, scalp treatments, hair color and bleaching agents, toothpaste, body washes and cleansers, make-up foundations, liquid hand soaps, and laundry detergents.
Although SLS originates from coconuts, the chemical is not natural. SLES is considered to be slightly less irritating than SLS. Ammonium lauryl sulfate is not safe as well. SLS has been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, organ toxicity, skin, and lung irritation. NPE is banned in Canada. Both SLS and SLES are banned in the European Union. It is best to opt for sulfate-free, “SLS free”, phthalate-free products.
SLS goes by other names, including Sodium dodecyl sulfate and Sulfuric acid. Ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) is another variation commonly put into cosmetics and cleansers to make them foam. ALS is similar to SLS, showing similar risks. All these are contaminated in the manufacturing process with the known byproduct, toxic carcinogen 1, 4 dioxane. 1,4 dioxane is toxic to your brain, central nervous system, kidneys and liver, respiratory system and yet it is found in 2/3 of laundry detergents.
Many popular brands of shampoos, body washes, lotions, and even baby products were found to contain 1,4-dioxane. Levels of contamination were so high that many companies have come under legal attack for poisoning consumers. About two-thirds of the laundry detergents tested contained1,4-dioxane. However, all brands with the USDA organic certification were found to be dioxane-free.
,4-dioxane is a by-product of SLS, which is an extremely common ingredient in detergents. 1,4-dioxane is considered by the State of California to cause cancer and has been found to be potentially toxic to your brain and central nervous system, kidneys, liver and respiratory system. According to the CDC, and the Organic Consumers Association: The cumulative effects of 1,4-dioxane exposure, even at very low levels of a few parts per billion resulted in laboratory animals developing cancer. 1,4-dioxane is readily absorbed through the lungs, skin and gastrointestinal tract of mammals. The U.S. federal regulation systems consider dioxane’s potency to be equivalent to or greater than many pesticides considered dangerous to humans. Cosmetics and detergents contaminated with 1,4-dioxane may also have traces of other contaminants, including formaldehyde, nitrosamines, and phthalates. Like SLS and SLES, NPE is an inexpensive nonionic surfactant frequently used in laundry detergents. NPE is an endocrine disruptor and estrogen mimicker that can potentially cause hormonal problems, or even cancer. NPE is banned in the use of laundry detergents in Canada and the European Union.
Look for toothpastes, shampoos and other personal care products marked “SLS Free”. Sodium coco sulfate is less irritating than SLS and SLES.
Phosphates are the main cleaning ingredient in many detergents and household cleaners because they break down dirt particles and remove stains by softening the water and allowing suds to form, which enhances the cleaning power of the detergent. Some dishwasher tabs are made of more than 30 percent phosphates. There are human health problems as well as major environmental hazards associated with phosphates. Phosphate residues on items that have been cleaned with phosphate-containing detergents have been known to cause nausea, diarrhea and skin irritations. The largest concern with phosphates is the environmental hazards they create. Phosphates are difficult to remove from wastewater and often end up in rivers and lakes, where they increase algae growth, choking off waterways and suffocating salmon and other aquatic life, starving them of oxygen. Since detergents are available with or without phosphates, use only phosphate-free detergents.
