Indoor air pollution - classroom cleaning with conventional cleaners
Greener School Cleaners = Healthier Kids
Conventional Classroom Cleaning
Cleaning a model classroom using ordinary school cleaning supplies like Twister, Waxie 21 Glass Cleaner, and Simple Green resulted in emission of 68 air contaminants. Overall air pollution was six times higher than a classroom cleaned with green products. See below for more information about the chemicals detected.
This classroom was cleaned using:
- Twister (floor)
- Waxie 21 Glass Cleaner (windows)
- Simple Green (desks and other surfaces)
Green Certification: None
| 68 | Air Contaminants Detected |
| 5 | Ingredients disclosed by manufacturer |
| 15 | Chemicals that may arise from combined product use - not detected when products were tested separately (2,6-DIMETHYL-7-OCTEN-2-OL, ANETHOLE, BENZOIC ACID, CITRAL, LINALOOL, NONANAL, ETHYLHEXANOL, FENCHYL ACETATE, beta-PINENES, DODECANE, 2-METHYL, (+)-CAMPHENE, DODECANE, 4-METHYL, 1-HEPTANOL, 2-PROPYL, ACETIC ACID, TRIMETHYLSILYL ESTER, 2-HEXEN-1-OL, 2-ETHYL-) |
Concerns of the chemicals detected
Key health concerns highlighted by major agencies (Study Methodology)| 1 | Chemicals cause asthma | FORMALDEHYDE |
| 1 | Chemicals on California's Prop 65 List for cancer and reproductive toxicity | FORMALDEHYDE |
| 2 | Chemicals linked to cancer | 2-BUTOXYETHANOL, FORMALDEHYDE |
| 0 | Chemicals linked to reproductive toxicity | |
| 3 | Chemicals that disrupt hormones | ETHYLENE GLYCOL, NONYLPHENOL ETHOXYLATE, PHENOL |
| 2 | Chemicals toxic to the brain and nervous system | ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, PHENOL |
| No | Corrosive concentrate or dangerous pH |
The chemicals detected
| Chemical: | EWG's Skin Deep Toxicity Score: | Disclosed / Detected: | Further Toxic Concerns noted in EWG's Skin Deep database (2009): |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORMALDEHYDE | 10 | detected | Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes |
| PHENOL #† | 9 | detected | Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Violations, restrictions & warnings, Neurotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| CITRAL | 7 | detected | Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| PROPYLENE GLYCOL # | 7 | detected | Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption |
| 2-BUTOXYETHANOL # | 6 | detected and disclosed | Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Violations, restrictions & warnings, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| BUTYL ALCOHOL # | 6 | detected | Violations, restrictions & warnings, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| LIMONENE # | 6 | detected | Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| NONYLPHENOL ETHOXYLATE | 6 | disclosed | Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1,4-DIOXANE, ETHYLENE OXIDE, 1,4-DIOXANE) |
| ETHYLENE GLYCOL #† | 5 | detected | Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOETHYL ETHER, METHOXYETHANOL), Occupational hazards |
| LINALOOL # | 5 | detected | Violations, restrictions & warnings, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| BENZALDEHYDE # | 5 | detected | Neurotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| BENZOIC ACID *** | 4 | detected | Violations, restrictions & warnings, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL #† | 4 | detected and disclosed | Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL MONOMETHYL ETHER # | 4 | detected and disclosed | Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Occupational hazards |
| ETHYLHEXANOL # | 4 | detected | Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE | 3 | disclosed | Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| OCTANAL #† | 3 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| EUCALYPTOL ** | 2 | detected | none identified |
| alpha-PINENES # | 2 | detected | Persistence and bioaccumulation, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| 2,6-DIMETHYL-7-OCTEN-2-OL # | 1 | detected | none identified |
| ANETHOLE *** | 1 | detected | Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
| DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL # | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| DECANE # | 1 | detected | none identified |
| NONANAL #† | 1 | detected | Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| BUTYRALDEHYDE # | 1 | detected | Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) |
| DIHYDROANETHOLE * | 1 | detected | none identified |
| DODECANE # | 1 | detected | Persistence and bioaccumulation, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| FENCHYL ACETATE * | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| PENTADECANE # | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| TETRADECANE # | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| TRIDECANE # | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| beta-PINENES # | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards |
| gamma-TERPINENE ** | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| TERPINOLENE ** | 1 | detected | Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| 1-HEPTANOL, 2-PROPYL *** | 1 | detected | none identified |
| D-CAMPHOR ** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| 5-NONANOL * | 0 | detected | none identified |
| UNDECANE, 3-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TETRADECANE, 2-METHYL *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 2-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DODECANE, 2-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| (+)-CAMPHENE # | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DODECANE, 4-METHYL *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| 2,3-DIMETHYLDODECANE ** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| PENTADECANE, 7-METHYL- **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 3-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| UNDECANE, 2-METHYL # | 0 | detected | none identified |
| PENTADECANE, 6-METHYL ** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 3-ETHYL ** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 6-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| 2-PROPANOL, 1-(2-METHOXYPROPOXY)- **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| 5-ETHYLDECANE **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DECANE, 3,7-DIMETHYL- **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DODECANE, 3-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| UNDECANE, 4,4-DIMETHYL * | 0 | detected | none identified |
| UNDECANE, 6,6-DIMETHYL ** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| UNDECANE, 4,6-DIMETHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TETRADECANE, 3-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 5-METHYL *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 4-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 7-METHYL **** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 4,8-DIMETHYL *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DODECANE, 2,5-DIMETHYL *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| TRIDECANE, 2,5-DIMETHYL ** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DECANE, 2,3,6-TRIMETHYL *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| DECANE, 2,3,5,8-TETRAMETHYL- *** | 0 | detected | none identified |
| ACETIC ACID, TRIMETHYLSILYL ESTER * | 0 | detected | none identified |
| 2-HEXEN-1-OL, 2-ETHYL- * | 0 | detected | none identified |
Chemicals found in the separate product chamber tests, but not in this cleaning scenario: DIETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOETHYL ETHER, ACETALDEHYDE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL BUTYL ETHER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL PROPYL ETHER, TERPINEOL, ALPHA-, ALLYLANISOLE, BUTYL FORMATE, DIPROPYL KETONE, HEXADECANE, ISOBUTYL PROPIONATE, ISOCINEOLE, MYRCENE, PROPIONALDEHYDE, BENZENE, 1,2,4,5-TETRAMETHYL, 1-PROPANOL, 2-(2-HYDROXYPROPOXY), 1-PROPANOL, 2,2'-OXYBIS-, PROPANE, 1-(ETHENYLOXY)-2-METHYL, FORMAMIDE, N,N-DIETHYL-, BENZENE, 1-ETHYL-4-METHYL (4-ETHYLTOLUENE), ETHYLENE GLYCOL MONO-2-ETHYLHEXYL ETHER, PENTADECANE, 2-METHYL, 2-(SALICYLIDENEAMINO)NAPHTHALENE, 1-PROPANOL, 3,3'-OXYBIS-, PENTADECANE, 4-METHYL, PENTADECANE, 3-METHYL, NAPHTHALENE, DECAHYDRO-2-METHYL, UNDECANE, 4-METHYL, DODECANE, 2,6,10-TRIMETHYL, CYCLOHEXANE, 1-METHYL-4-ISOPROPYL, CIS, DECANE, 2,6-DIMETHYL, 1-PROPANOL, 2-(2-METHOXYPROPOXY)-, UNDECANE, 3,8-DIMETHYL, UNDECANE, 4,8-DIMETHYL, NONANE, 3-ETHYL, HEPTANE, 4,4-DIPROPYL, UNDECANE, 2,4-DIMETHYL, 1,5-CYCLOHEXADIENE-1-METHANOL, 4-(1-METHYLETHYL)-, OCTANE, 4,5-DIPROPYL-, TETRADECANE, 4-METHYL, HEXENAL, 2-ETHYL-, HEXADECANE, 7-METHYL-, DODECANE, 2,6,11-TRIMETHYL, OCTANE, 2,3,6,7-TETRAMETHYL-, 2-BUTANOL, 3,3'-OXYBIS, DODECANE, 2-METHYL-8-PROPYL, DODECANE, 4,6-DIMETHYL, OCTANE, 3-ETHYL-2,7-DIMETHYL, 3-ETHYL-4-OCTANOL, CYCLOPROPANE, 1,1-DIMETHYL-2-(3-METHYL-1,3-BUTADIENYL), DODECANE, 2,7,10-TRIMETHYL, 3,5-DIMETHYLDODECANE, DECANE, 5,6-DIPROPYL-
Laboratory Data Qualifiers
| #† Denotes quantified using multipoint authentic standard curve (post-calibration). Other VOCs quantified relative to toluene. |
| # Indicates AQS database match with a probability greater than 99%. |
| **** Indicates NIST/EPA/NIH best library match only based on retention time and mass spectral characteristics with a probability greater than 95%. |
| *** Indicates NIST/EPA/NIH best library match only based on retention time and mass spectral characteristics with a probability greater than 90%. |
| ** Indicates NIST/EPA/NIH best library match only based on retention time and mass spectral characteristics with a probability greater than 85%. |
| * Indicates NIST/EPA/NIH best library match only based on retention time and mass spectral characteristics with a probability greater than 80%. |