- Story Ideas - Send Corrections Have you ever stopped to think
about the chemicals in a product like drain opener, strong
enough to dissolve clogs often made up of hair? Chemicals in
household cleaning products that leave your sink sparkling may
also be doing damage to your health. If you’ve ever had to open
a window to avoid a headache from fumes or cope with skin
irritation caused by direct contact with a cleaner, you already
know that there’s a problem. But when you’re in a big-box retail
store stocked to the rafters, it can be hard to know how to buy
non-toxic products or determine which ones pose the greatest
risks — few have detailed labels that spell out the names of the
chemicals they contain. Thanks to ongoing research, we know that
some of the most dangerous are ingredients derived from
ethoxylates. These chemical compounds, which include bisphenol-A
(BPA), have been linked to cancer and disruptions in normal
hormone function. According to a study in the journal
Chemosphere, the compounds can find