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Spring cleaning and spring training
EDITORIAL
Spring cleaning and spring training
H
ere in the bucolic Midwest, spring is in full bloom. With it comes another season of planting, gardening, cleaning and getting ready for a full and enjoyable summer. With those activities, and many others, also comes the opportunity for overexposure to household chemicals through poor handling and misuse. While every one of us are aware of the hazards associated with the chemicals with which we work on a regular basis, I often wonder how many of us take the time to examine hazards associated with the chemicals we, and our family members, colleagues and coworkers, use around the house? Wasp and hornet sprays, roach powders, and even cleaning and other household products all carry with them a lesson in practical toxicology that we should not ignore. Pesticides are an intriguing class of household chemicals—and there are a multitude of varieties to purchase. At the Elston residence with its shadecovered roof, wasp and hornet control is particularly necessary in the early in the spring and mid-summer. A house in the woods with a detached garage seems to be an open invitation to the
1074-9098/$30.00 doi:10.1016/j.chs.2005.03.003
unwanted creatures, especially around the deck and porches. Many pesticides, and especially those with rapid knockdown capability contain pyrethroid compounds that are well known for their neurotoxicity. While I do admit to a certain degree of satisfaction in eradicating a nest of stinging intruders, even the over-the-counter, diluted compounds deserve our respect during use to prevent unnecessary exposure. Proper protective equipment as well as knowledge of the physics of the application (which way is the wind blowing?) is necessary for safe use. Long-time readers of this journal will recall a personal story that I wrote four years ago regarding herbicide mismanagement. (See Banned for life!, Chem. Health Safe. 2001, 8(2), 3.) No need to repeat it. Thinking of some spring-cleaning? Read the label, and then read it again. Household cleaning products often contain chemicals may be hazardous if misused or inadvertently mixed. Concrete/cement cleaners may contain hydrochloric acid (the label may read ‘‘muriatic acid’’). Liquid drain cleaners can contain upwards of 50% sodium hydroxide that will certainly ruin your day if accidentally splashed on bare skin. Many other cleansers contain organic solvents that can cause dermatitis after extended exposures. Be wary of hazardous or otherwise unwanted or
unplanned chemical interactions, such as unintentional mixing of ammonia (or an ammonia containing cleanser) with bleach. Be mindful of chemical storage too, taking as much care at home as you do in your at-work chemical storage room (especially true if you own a swimming pool). Let’s be as careful with the chemicals we routinely use at home as we do with the ones we use at the lab or in the plant. Simply being a ‘‘household’’ chemical does not necessarily mean ‘‘safe.’’ The dose makes the poison at home as well as at work; chemical overexposure and unwanted reactions can be prevented in both locations. As spring and summer approach, we are presented with a great opportunity to take this message to all those with whom we professionally interact. Education is a part of our responsibility as chemical safety professionals, and we shouldn’t pass up on any opportunity reach out to the community in which we live. Have a great . . . and safe summer!
Harry J. Elston
ß Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
3
Spring cleaning and spring training
H
ere in the bucolic Midwest, spring is in full bloom. With it comes another season of planting, gardening, cleaning and getting ready for a full and enjoyable summer. With those activities, and many others, also comes the opportunity for overexposure to household chemicals through poor handling and misuse. While every one of us are aware of the hazards associated with the chemicals with which we work on a regular basis, I often wonder how many of us take the time to examine hazards associated with the chemicals we, and our family members, colleagues and coworkers, use around the house? Wasp and hornet sprays, roach powders, and even cleaning and other household products all carry with them a lesson in practical toxicology that we should not ignore. Pesticides are an intriguing class of household chemicals—and there are a multitude of varieties to purchase. At the Elston residence with its shadecovered roof, wasp and hornet control is particularly necessary in the early in the spring and mid-summer. A house in the woods with a detached garage seems to be an open invitation to the
1074-9098/$30.00 doi:10.1016/j.chs.2005.03.003
unwanted creatures, especially around the deck and porches. Many pesticides, and especially those with rapid knockdown capability contain pyrethroid compounds that are well known for their neurotoxicity. While I do admit to a certain degree of satisfaction in eradicating a nest of stinging intruders, even the over-the-counter, diluted compounds deserve our respect during use to prevent unnecessary exposure. Proper protective equipment as well as knowledge of the physics of the application (which way is the wind blowing?) is necessary for safe use. Long-time readers of this journal will recall a personal story that I wrote four years ago regarding herbicide mismanagement. (See Banned for life!, Chem. Health Safe. 2001, 8(2), 3.) No need to repeat it. Thinking of some spring-cleaning? Read the label, and then read it again. Household cleaning products often contain chemicals may be hazardous if misused or inadvertently mixed. Concrete/cement cleaners may contain hydrochloric acid (the label may read ‘‘muriatic acid’’). Liquid drain cleaners can contain upwards of 50% sodium hydroxide that will certainly ruin your day if accidentally splashed on bare skin. Many other cleansers contain organic solvents that can cause dermatitis after extended exposures. Be wary of hazardous or otherwise unwanted or
unplanned chemical interactions, such as unintentional mixing of ammonia (or an ammonia containing cleanser) with bleach. Be mindful of chemical storage too, taking as much care at home as you do in your at-work chemical storage room (especially true if you own a swimming pool). Let’s be as careful with the chemicals we routinely use at home as we do with the ones we use at the lab or in the plant. Simply being a ‘‘household’’ chemical does not necessarily mean ‘‘safe.’’ The dose makes the poison at home as well as at work; chemical overexposure and unwanted reactions can be prevented in both locations. As spring and summer approach, we are presented with a great opportunity to take this message to all those with whom we professionally interact. Education is a part of our responsibility as chemical safety professionals, and we shouldn’t pass up on any opportunity reach out to the community in which we live. Have a great . . . and safe summer!
Harry J. Elston
ß Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
3