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Do Not Use Janitorial Products With The Following Ingredients

Janitorial products with these ingredients should not be used. They pose unaccceptable risks to the janitor using the product, to building occupants, or to the environment. Gloves and goggles may not be enough to fully protect the user from harm. In some instances the ingredients are illegal for janitorial products.

Abbreviations are explained at the end of the table.
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  • Ingredients to Avoid
  • Ingredients to Avoid If Possible/Otherwise Use With Extreme Care
  • Ingredients to Use With Extreme Care
  • Ingredients to Use With Ordinary Care
  • Return to Risk Evaluation Page
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    Health Effects From Full-Strength Ingredient

    NFPA Rating

    CAS Number

    Ingredient Name

    Eye Effects

    Skin Effects

    Skin Absorb?

    Inhalation Effects

    Chronic Effects

    H

    F

    R

    00100-51-6

    Benzyl Alcohol

    B/BL

    Sev Irr

    Yes

    Sev Irr

    Carcinogenic; CNS effects; vertigo

    2

    1

    0

    00075-45-6

    CFC-22; Chlorodifluoro Methane

    FB

    FB

    No

    FB

     

    2

    0

    1

    68603-42-9

    Coconut Oil Diethanolamine

     

     

     

     

    Carcinogenic

     

     

     

    00111-42-2

    Diethanolamine

    Irr

    Irr

    No

    Slight

    Suspected Carcinogen; Skin allergy

    1

    1

    0

    00075-68-3

    HCFC-142b

    FB

    FB

    No

    FB

    		        

    00120-40-1

    Lauric Acid Diethanolamine

    		        

    Some evidence of carcinogenic effects

    		      

    00071-55-6

    Methyl Chloroform; 1,1,1-TCE

    Irr

    Irr

    Yes

    Irr; Damage

    Liver; Kidneys; Heart; CNS

    3

    1

    0

    00078-93-3

    Methyl Ethyl Ketone

    B

    Sev Irr

    Yes

    Sev Irr

    CNS; GI Tract; Liver; Repro-Fetal

    1

    3

    0

    00091-20-3

    Naphthalene

    D/BL

    Irr

    Yes

    Irr

    Potential Carcinogen; Damage to GI Tract; Blood; Liver; Kidney; Repro

    2

    2

    0

    18662-53-8

    		 Nitrilotriacetic Acid         Carcinogenic - Prop. 65      

    00106-46-7

    Paradichloro benzene

    Irr

    Irr

    		  

    Yes

    Carcinogen - Prop. 65 ; Liver & kidney damage (from inhalation)

    2

    2

    0

    00127-18-4

    Tetrachloroethylene; Perchloroethylene

    B

    Irr

    Some

    Yes

    Carcinogenic; reproductive damage; liver & kidney damage

    2

    0

    0

    00108-88-3

    Toluene

    D

    Irr

    Yes

    Yes

    CNS Impairment; Liver & Kidney Damage

    2

    3

    0
     

    Tributyl Tin

    		                

    00079-01-6

    Trichloroethylene

    D

    Irr

    No

    Yes

    Liver, Reproductive, & CNS damage; Prop. 65 Carcinogen

    2

    1

    0

    Abbreviations
    B Causes burns to eyes or skin, which may heal over time.
    BL Contact with eyes quickly causes permanent blindness.
    B/BL Burns eyes, in some cases causing blindness.
    CAS Chemical Abstract Service, who assigns a number to every chemical ingredient.
    CNS Central Nervous System
    D Causes damage to eyes or skin, which if not taken care of will be permanent.
    FB May cause frostbite from cold temperature of aerosol.
    Irr Irritant (Victim will usually only be temporarily inconvenienced).
    NFPA H = Health Hazard; F = Flammability Hazard; R = Reactivity Hazard. Ratings of this sort are summaries, and therefore should be used with caution and some skepticism. Consider individual hazards to eyes, skin, etc. to determine the overall risk that each ingredient poses to the user.
    PBT Refers to chemicals that are persistent, that bioaccumulate, and that are toxic.
    Prop. 65 Listed by California’s Workers’ Right-To-Know Legislation.
    Sev Irr Severe Irritant (Victim will usually be temporarily incapacitated).
    Skin Absorb This ingredient easily absorbs through skin, and will poison the liver, kidneys, or other organs as the body trys to eliminate it.