The government-sponsored Household Products Database (HPD) offers a brief look at the Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS) manufacturers are required to provide for every product that may pose hazards to health, safety or the environment.

 

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Offered by the National Library of Medicine, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the HPD lists products by specific manufacturer and brand name. For all products, the database lists procedures for safe handling and disposal. For products that may be hazardous to health or safety — even if the threat is minimal — HPD offers tips on treating contact with skin or eyes and what to do if the product is ingested. Information on the potential for any cancer-causing effects is also included where applicable.

The database doesn’t include every product sold in the U.S. However, information for products in a number of categories, such as automotive fluids, degreasers, multi-purpose cleaners, and the like, is sometimes general enough to apply to generic-label products intended for the same use.

 

The best place to begin looking up a product is at the HPD search page.

Reference:

Specialized Information Services, a division of the National Library of Medicine.