WASHINGTON, D.C., August 27, 2004 — The proper use of cleaning products is an effective and efficient tool in combating the triggers that lead to asthma and allergy suffering, according to The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA).

 

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Recent media reports on an Australian study — which suggested exposure to certain chemicals may contribute to occurrences of asthma in children — unfairly targeted cleaning products as a major threat to families who suffer from asthma.

The volatile organic compounds highlighted in the study — benzene, ethylbenzene and toluene — are not found in household cleaning products in the United States, noted SDA.

“When it comes to combating asthma, cleaning products are part of the solution,” said Ernie Rosenberg, SDA President and CEO, who suffered from asthma as a child. “Using cleaning products as directed is a powerful ally in eliminating or reducing the triggers that lead to asthma suffering, including dust and dust mites, animal dander, insect droppings, and mold and mildew.

“Suggesting that cleaning is detrimental to one’s health sends the wrong message to parents,” said Rosenberg. “For children already suffering from asthma, reducing allergens in the home through routine cleaning is critically important.” A 2001 study by the Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati — published in the journal Pediatrics — said the elimination of household allergens could result in a nearly 45 percent decrease in asthma among children aged six to sixteen. Another Children’s Hospital study that appeared in Pediatrics showed that more than half a million children under six would not have asthma if residential risk factors were removed from their homes.

 

SDA and its members provide free educational materials for families and educators on cleaning to control to control asthma and allergy triggers on its website, www.cleaning101.com.

 

 

About ACI

The American Cleaning Institute℠ (ACI - formerly The Soap and Detergent Association) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $30 billion U.S. cleaning products market.  ACI  members include the formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers.  ACI and its members are dedicated to improving health and the quality of life through sustainable cleaning products and practices.