The cleaning products used in your facility may contain chemicals that researchers have linked to serious health risks. Indoor pollutants contain increasing levels of carcinogens, cancer-causing chemicals found in many common cleaning products. For the millions of people who spend most of their day inside commercial buildings, the exposure is constant.
Indoor pollutants contain increasing levels of carcinogens, cancer-causing chemicals found in many common cleaning products. For the millions of people who spend most of their day inside commercial buildings, the exposure is constant.
What chemicals in cleaning products are linked to breast cancer?
Studies have found chemicals from spot removers, window cleaners, and other household products at potentially harmful levels in indoor environments. The EPA has determined that chemicals in everyday cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than other air pollutants. These products release colorless, odorless fumes that pollute indoor air and cycle continuously through buildings with recirculated HVAC systems, compounding occupant exposure over time.
A study examining dust and air samples from over 100 homes found chemicals from spot removers, window cleaners, and other household products at potentially harmful levels. Many of these chemicals have been identified as possible contributors to breast cancer risk.
The EPA has determined that chemicals found in everyday cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than other air pollutants. Breast cancer incidence has risen dramatically alongside the proliferation of synthetic cleaning chemicals over the past century.
When cleaning products are stored or used, they release colorless, odorless fumes that pollute indoor air. In buildings with recirculated HVAC systems, these chemicals cycle through the space continuously, compounding exposure.
How can facility managers reduce cancer risk from cleaning products?
Facility managers can reduce cancer risk by switching to EPA-approved green cleaning products that are non-toxic and free of the chemical compounds flagged by cancer researchers. These products clean just as effectively without introducing harmful substances into the indoor environment. Request Safety Data Sheets from your janitorial provider and verify that the products used in your building do not contain known or suspected carcinogens.
Your cleaning program affects the health of everyone in your building. If your janitorial provider is using products with known or suspected carcinogens, you're exposing your occupants to unnecessary risk.
The alternative is straightforward. Green cleaning products that are EPA-approved, non-toxic, and free of the chemical compounds flagged by researchers. These products clean just as effectively without introducing harmful substances into your indoor environment.
What steps should you take to evaluate your cleaning program's safety?
Start by asking your janitorial provider exactly which products they use and requesting Safety Data Sheets for each one. Review those sheets for known or suspected carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and volatile organic compounds. Then consider switching to a managed cleaning program that prioritizes occupant health alongside cleaning performance, using EPA-approved products that eliminate unnecessary chemical exposure.
Ask your janitorial provider what products they use. Request Safety Data Sheets. And consider switching to a managed cleaning program that prioritizes occupant health alongside cleaning performance.
Delta Janitorial Systems uses EPA-approved green cleaning products across all our managed programs. Schedule a free walkthrough to learn more about how we protect the people in your facility.