11/10/2024
PART 2...Washing Powder ingredients debunked. What’s itching your pet?
Builders, silicates and anti-redeposition agents increase the powder’s cleaning abilities and prevent the redeposition of dirt onto fabric once suspended in the washing water. Environmentally friendly mineral salts can be used to raise the alkalinity of the product but commercial washing powders employ silicates and plastic polymers that are released into the water system as micro-plastics which end up in the ocean causing severe damage to marine life. Enzymes: protease, amylase, lipase, cellulase and mannanase are enzymes which are responsible for breaking down proteins (blood or egg stains), starch, fats, cellulose (vegetable stains), and mannans (bean gum stains) respectively. When laundered fabric comes into contact with the skin, many of these catalytic enzymes continue breaking down oils in the skin and cause dermatitis. Manufacturers promote their products as biodegradable. This claim may well be true in the case of enzymes but it is not environmental toxicity that is the problem here, it is the effect of the enzymes on living skin.
Perfume, fragrance and Phthalates. Although it is difficult to find out what fragrances are actually made from, some sources cite alcohol, coal tar, petrochemicals, acetaldehyde, limonene, chloromethane, and acetone which are all harmful to the skin. Phthalates are added to prevent the fragrances from dissipating. They have been shown to disrupt endocrine and metabolic processes....PART 3 TO FOLLOW...