Wednesday 26 October 2011

How to clean "green" - Nonylphenol Ethoxylates

It really is important to know your stuff when it comes to what goes into your green cleaning chemicals. Another substance to make sure is not in your cleaning products is nonylphenol ethoxylate.

This substance is also known as NP9. It has been banned in Europe for more than 12 years but is still used in the US and South Africa. This substance is banned because it mimics estrogen and when entering the body would cause earlier menstrual cycles and lower sperm counts. This could have serious repercussions for people and all kinds of animals.

It would be important to always wear gloves when handling a product that contains NP9 so that the user is not directly affected. However the potential harm does not stop there. Once finished cleaning the used chemical is then washed down the drain and then fish and all sorts of animals can be affected. This is one substance it is best to avoid.

In cleaning products, it is used as a surfactant or wetting agent. This means that it would be the part of the cleaning product that helps water to penetrate the surface to be cleaned and lift dirt off more quickly. It helps to perform a very necessary function in cleaning. There are newer substances that are able to do the same job.

Blendwell Chemicals has developed the Enviro Blend range of green cleaning products. None of the cleaners in this range contain nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants. Please visit www.blendwell.co.za to see more about the Enviro Blend range and all the cleaning products they manufacture.

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