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Issues: Health
All Documents in Health Tagged consumer products
- Harmful Pet Products
FAQ - Answers to questions including: How can I tell which pet products contain dangerous chemicals? Which products should I buy? How can I tell if my child or pet has been harmed by these pet pesticides?
- Pet Products May Harm Both Pets and Humans
Products intended to kill fleas and ticks can also poison pets and the people who handle them.
News - Americans purchase and apply to their pets a vast array of toxic chemicals intended to kill fleas and ticks. Though consumers may assume that these products have been tested rigorously for safety, the truth is that the poisons in many of these products are not safe, either for pets or humans.
- Poison on Pets II
Toxic Chemicals in Flea and Tick Collars
Issue Paper - Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on products designed to kill fleas and ticks on household pets, especially dogs and cats. While some of these products are safe, others leave harmful chemical residues on our pets' fur and in our homes. These chemicals are highly hazardous to animals and humans, can damage the brain and nervous system, and cause cancer. The April 2009 paper Poison on Pets II details a first-of-its-kind study by NRDC showing that high levels of pesticide residue can remain on a dog's or cat's fur for weeks after a flea collar is put on an animal. Residue levels produced by some flea collars are so high that they pose a risk of cancer and damage to the neurological system of children up to 1,000 times higher than the EPA's acceptable levels.
- Hidden Hazards in Air Fresheners
NRDC testing finds hormone-altering chemicals in common air fresheners.
News - Over the past few years, air fresheners have become a staple in many American homes and offices, marketed with promises of a clean, healthy and sweet-smelling indoor atmosphere. The labels do not mention, however, that many of these products also release potentially hazardous chemicals.
Documents Tagged consumer products in All Sections
- Efficient Appliances Save Energy -- and Money
Consumers get lower utility bills, and we all get a cleaner environment.
Guide - Energy efficient appliances are good for consumers and the environment. They won't solve our energy problems by themselves, but there are many reasons why they are a step in the right direction.
- Clearing the Air: Hidden Hazards of Air Fresheners
Issue Paper - Air fresheners have become a staple in many American homes and offices, marketed with the promise of creating a clean, healthy and sweet-smelling indoor atmosphere. But this September 2007 issue paper shows that many of these products contain phthalates (pronounced thal-ates) -- hazardous chemicals known to cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects, and reproductive problems. To protect consumers, government action to conduct more thorough tests and enact basic measures to limit exposure to phthalates is urgently needed.
- Safe Ways to Control Pests Around Your Home
These alternatives to toxic pesticides will protect the health of your household, while keeping insects, rodents and other pests at bay.
Guide - These alternatives to toxic pesticides will protect the health of your household, while keeping insects, rodents and other pests at bay.
- Energy Use in Consumer Products and Opportunities for Energy Savings
Index - Home energy consumption will rise unless manufacturers take steps to improve energy efficiency for electronics such as big-screen televisions, cable boxes and digital video recorders. NRDC studies measure the energy use of commonly owned electronics to see how much energy could be saved through product innovation. This index of NRDC information by product category presents research on energy saving options and policy recommendations.
For additional policy documents, see the NRDC Document Bank.
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- The short answer is yes -- get the lowdown from This Green Life.
- Pet Products May Harm Both Pets and Humans
- Poisons in many pet pesticide products are not safe for pets or humans.
- Dispatch from Toxic Town
- The people of Anniston, Alabama, talk about what it's like to live with the lead, PCBs, and chemical weapons that have made their small town terribly toxic.
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