How Chemicals Can Affect Your Health

If you breathe, swallow, or touch chemicals, they can:

• Cause dizziness, headaches, fatigue, depression, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs
• Burn the skin
• Damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and nervous system
• Cause cancer in various parts of the body
• Lead to convulsions, coma and death

How to Know if You Have a Problem

Chemicals might pose a danger in your home if:

• Your household products contain strong fragrances and harsh chemicals, with labels that say Caution, Warning, Danger, or Poison (Danger and Poison are the most dangerous).
• People smoke in and around your home.
• You have peeling, flaking, or chalking paint in a home built before 1978 that may contain lead.

How to Fix the Problem

• Use the safest possible household products, including homemade “green” products with ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, liquid castile soap and salt.
• Read product warning labels carefully, and follow directions for use, storage, and disposal.
• Keep chemicals in their original containers, and never remove labels.
• Keep dangerous household chemicals out of children’s reach.
• Do not use air fresheners or other products with fragrances or aerosol sprays.
• Post the phone number for the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) near every phone and program the number into cell phones.
• Do not allow smoking in or around your home.
• If your home was built before 1978, have it tested for lead paint.
• Test for radon, and install systems to remove it if necessary.

For more Information:

Norwalk Health Department - Lead Poisoning Prevention
CT Department of Public Health - Asbestos Program
CT Department of Public Health - Radon Program
CT Department of Public Health - Tobacco Use Prevention & Control Program
CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection - Household Alternatives for Reducing Toxic Products in the Home