It is a curious thing. Environmentally safe solutions for most cleaning problems already exist, and some products today are even officially classified as biodegradable. Yet, the general population does not specifically demand or use that as a criterion for purchasing cleaning products.
For the uninitiated, perhaps a simple explanation is required. The characteristic of biodegradability of any chemical product suggests component chemical compounds, ideally, will break down quickly into harmless elements such as oxygen or hydrogen or break down to a basic and simple reduced mixture of them. For example, in ordinary water, some basic minerals or other compounds are generally considered natural and harmless in the environment.
Many people are unaware that complex organic compounds in chemical products can persist in that form for many years when released into the environment. Freon, a refrigerant, is a good example of the persistence of a chemical compound in the background.
Only some people realize that many organic compounds may continue to exist in their original state and combine with other environmentally reactive chemicals, resulting in ever-increasingly complex compounds.
- Toxic chemicals – organic, inorganic, and combinations- can and do form.
- Toxicity, i.e., toxic waste – is not the end of the insidious process.
Organic compounds of almost any nature can continue to react. Under ideal conditions of temperature, moisture, or the influence of catalytic agents, thousands of yet unidentified and unknown compounds can be formed.
At any given time, nobody really knows how many complex organic chemical substances and combinations of those substances exist in the environment as a result of the offerings of the chemical and petroleum industries.
This complex process, unfortunately, can include chemical compounds found in ordinary everyday cleaning products. Ammonia and ionic surfactants are but two examples. These chemicals might be unknowingly included in cleaning agents for handicap ramps that might endanger people with disabilities.
Does the environmentally concerned portion of the population use environment-friendly products exclusively?
Perhaps more so than the general population, but even individuals who admit they know the consequences of doing so – continue to use products that are harmful to the environment. Why?
The simple explanation is that unfriendly, non-biodegradable products are conveniently sold in stores everywhere. They are offered in the marketplace, familiar to the consumer, and easily used. Still, the key, most importantly- is that they ARE available.
Clearly, if non-biodegradable cleaning products were not offered in the marketplace, they would not be used.
On the surface, it seems very simple. People are creatures of habit. Suppose a cleaning product works when purchased. In that case, the hook is set. It will be bought repeatedly, no matter whether it is environmentally harmful or if there may be better products that clean as efficiently – or even do a better job.
Consumers continue to buy old, familiar, and harmful products because of branding, habit, and the status quo.
Consumers are introduced to and buy new products that are not environmentally friendly because of endless advertising by unscrupulous manufacturers considering only profit made. For these businesses, the biodegradability of cleaning products is not an issue.
The inertia of the status quo must be overcome by logic, effort, and willpower to effect change.
Paradoxically, leaders and politicians of all stripes paint themselves as ‘Environmentally Green’ who use metal stairs but fail to initiate legislation requiring all cleaning products – manufactured or offered — to be biodegradable.
Chemical compounds in the environment clearly cause illness and kill people.
It may be convenient to think otherwise, but it is naive to do so.
With the staggering increases in the incidence of cancers known to be caused by carcinogenic chemical compounds, it seems logical that civilization would minimize the use of all substances where possible. In today’s marketplace, logic apparently does not apply.
Cases of hyper allergies, lung diseases such as emphysema, the mysterious catch-all fibromyalgia, and unusual autoimmune disorders appear to be increasing in number and complexity -and exponentially with our clean’ society – as the environment becomes more polluted with ever-increasing complex chemical compounds.
The ’cause’ of many of these disease conditions is ‘reportedly unknown.’ It is time for money to take second place in the health and well-being of human beings. The truth about some chemical products we use may be frightening.
With the preliminary knowledge base now listing the harmful effects resulting from the endless, arbitrary, and willful pouring of chemical compounds into the environment, it is absolutely irresponsible not to insist that cleaning products be required to be biodegradable -by law.
Should all cleaning products be required to be biodegradable by law? A resounding Yes.