The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals recently reviewed the ingredients of household dishwasher tablets, powders, and detergents, and found that some contain harmful substances. Substances such as a suspected endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), unnecessary fragrances, and even a potential carcinogen were found in products.

40 products were reviewed, including those from popular brands such as Finish and Fairy, and each was given an ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’ ranking. Overall, their findings revealed that 1 in 5 dishwasher tablets contained problematic chemicals. One product contained a chemical that is suspected of being carcinogenic (cancer-causing), and so received the lowest ‘C’ ranking.

Benzotriazole, a suspected endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) was found in 7 of the tested products, which also received a ‘C’ ranking. EDCs are chemicals that disrupt the normal functioning of the hormones, and exposure to EDCs has been linked to adverse health impacts such as certain cancers, reduced fertility, and impaired brain development. Benzotriazole is classified as persistent in the environment – in other words, it can build up in nature – and is therefore unwanted in dishwasher products as they ultimately drain into our waterways.

Half of the tested dishwasher detergents contained fragrance, which can cause allergies, and have no cleaning purpose. The use of fragrances can therefore unnecessarily increase consumers’ exposure to concerning chemicals.

Promisingly, 17 of the 40 products were free from unwanted chemicals, showing that safer options are available.

We are constantly exposed to a complex cocktail of known and suspected harmful chemicals from multiple sources, including air, water, food and consumer products. Cleaning products containing harmful chemicals can contribute to overall exposure. Read more about the mixture effect in our report ‘Chemical Cocktails: The neglected threat of toxic mixtures and how to fix it’.

Most of the products that received an ‘A’ rating are labelled with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, the EU Ecolabel or the Asthma Allergy Nordic label. By opting for products with these eco-labels and allergy certifications, consumers can reduce their risk of unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals.

CHEM Trust supports ongoing efforts to ensure the most hazardous chemicals are not used in consumer products.

For more information on reducing your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals in cleaning products, see our webpage.

Read more news.