Some Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

It's impossible to avoid all toxic or potentially toxic synthetic chemicals due to their sheer ubiquity. But individuals who are concerned about toxicity can certainly reduce their exposure by opting for household products that shun toxic substances in favour of gentler alternatives.

Cleaning products

Cleaner products based entirely or largely on plant-based chemicals of minimal toxicity are available from various brands such as Ecover, Bio-D and ACDO. Ecover in particular is widely available in supermarkets as well as health food shops, though for a full selection of products you might need to try a specialist green store such as:

• Green Shop
• Natural Collection
• Nigel's Eco Store

If you feel particularly strongly about animal testing (or indeed you're a vegan and keen to shun all animal-based ingredients), you might want to seek out green products from a company approved by the very strict Humane Household Products Standard. These include:

• Astonish (by the Oil Refining Company)
• Clear Spring (by Faith Products) 

Some committed greens try to avoid conventional cleaning products wherever possible and to favor old-fashioned alternatives. Baking soda works well as a surface cleaner, as does lemon juice as a bleach substitute and white-wine vinegar solution as a descaler and glass cleaner. The more adventurous among the eco-minded community even swear by tomato ketchup as a pot scrubber.

A number of companies produce cosmetics and toiletries based on non­toxic and ecologically low-impact ingredients. Some also use organic ingredients and recyclable plastic bottles, and shun animal-based ingredi­ents. Popular brands include:

• Green People 

Established in 1997, Green People sell more than one hundred organic (and vegan) toiletries and skin products, from sun creams to organic jojoba, hemp and rosehip oils. The company donates 10% of its net profits to environmental charities.

• Honesty Cosmetics

Marketing their products "without unrealistic claims of emotional or physical benefit", Honesty Cosmetics sell a wide range of reasonably priced toiletries and cosmetics, including own-brand products made with natural oils sourced with envi­ronmental sustainability in mind.

• Neal's Yard

Expensive they may be, but Neal's Yard products - some organic, all non-petro­chemical and minimally packaged - are as good as toiletries get. Available in many specialist stores as well as online.

For yet more choices, try the following websites:

• Culpeper 
• Faith In Nature
• Weleda