Review: Laundry toxins linked to cancers, genetic damage -- U.S. doctor

Are any hazardous substances coming out of your dryer vents? Dr. Anne Steinemann has done diverse research into what chemicals are released from laundry by-products, air fresheners, cleaners, lotions and other fragranced consumer products.

Could doing your laundry be hazardous to your health? Dr. Joseph Mercola reveals that toxic substances in laundry presents hidden dangers. These dangers include cancers, and a variety of other serious health problems. “The familiar "clean" scent of fabric softeners actually comes from a deceptively toxic blend of chemicals that have escaped regulation and are silently contributing to a number of health problems for unsuspecting consumers,” states Dr. Mercola in his article entitled “The Household Appliance that Releases 600 Potentially Dangerous Chemicals into the Air.” His research covers the following key points:

-- A new study finds more than 600 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being emitted from dryer vents from commonly used laundry products, two of which are known carcinogens and unsafe at any level;

-- Long-term cumulative effects of these chemical blends have never been studied so they’re largely unknown; however, potential adverse effects of fragrances used in commercial laundry products include respiratory, neurological, endocrine, immune system, and damage to virtually every organ system in your body;

-- Fragrance reactions in the workplace are now so common that effects are being compared to those of secondhand smoke;

-- The fragrance industry is unregulated, and companies are not required to list all chemical ingredients on labels or on MSDS sheets, making it impossible for you to know what’s in your products. Dr. Joseph Mercola elaborates: According to the Guide to Less Toxic Products by the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia, fabric softeners often contain quaternary ammonium compounds, or "quats," and imidazolidinyl, both of which are known to release formaldehyde. Formaldehyde can cause joint pain, depression, headaches, chronic pain, and a variety of other symptoms.

Fabric softeners can also contain carcinogenic coal-tar dyes, ammonia, and very strong fragrances. One fragrance can be made up of literally hundreds of chemicals, none of which has to be disclosed or tested in any way. All are derived from petroleum products, which means high potential for human toxicity. Fragrances are one of the leading causes of allergic reactions. As humans, we are being conditioned by large corporations to buy toxic substances. Should we think twice about using products with industrially manufactured fragrances? Anne Steinemann, PhD reveals that “natural” and “organic” are deceptive labels in areas associated with laundry detergents and fabric softeners. [video attached] In her research, Dr. Steinemann further reveals that the so-called “organic”-labelled and “natural” laundry products were ironically more toxic than the regular products.