Last year, the cantonal laboratory of Basel, analyzing 50 detergents, reported 18 as “an immediate risk to health or the environment”.
The lab had asked for it stop selling these detergents highly harmful but, despite public reporting, some of these detergents are still on sale in Switzerland. Thus, the K-Tipp magazine returns to talk about it.
K-Tipp had raised the alarm in 2021, after receiving the list of dangerous products from the laboratory in Basel under the law on public information.
What exactly do blacklisted detergents contain?
Detergents highly harmful to health: what they contain
Detergents reported and disclosed contain corrosive and potentially dangerous substancesused without the necessary warnings for users.
K-Tipp magazine explained that many manufacturers minimize the risks of certain corrosive chemicals used without warning. Only 2 of the 50 detergents examined met the legal requirements.
In particular, the Swiss magazine mentions the Cif Citrus Cream (in a certain version sold in Switzerland) which, despite the report, is still sold with the same colorful packaging as the comics.
The same goes for detergent “Wilderness Wash“: It is still on store shelves without the mandatory notice that it must contain.
Highly harmful detergents: the products reported
We report below the list of products reported and disclosed by K-Tipp, divided according to the type of risk.
Eye-irritating dishwashing detergents where an indication or warning of this effect was missing:
- Coop (Switzerland) “Oecoplan Camomille”;
- “Biobaula Öko” (sold in organic shops);
- “Sodasan Lemon Freshness” (sold in organic shops);
- “Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash” and “Laundry Wash” (sold in Swiss markets and stalls).
Dangerous detergents for children (they look like toys or syrups, they can put them in their mouth or swallow them):
- for dishwashers “Fox” sold in Coop (Switzerland) in the limited edition “Aquatic” (shows the image of a clown fish and coral);
- “Fox” variant “Raspberry” with pink fruit design;
- “Cif Crème Citrus” by Unilever (edition “Switzerland disguises itself”) which shows the images of two cartoon children.
Most controversial special cleaning detergents:
- for swimming pools “Reva-Sol Acide” containing the Forbidden surfactant octylphenol ethoxylate: once in the water, even in minimal quantities, it can damage the reproductive organs of fish;
- “WM 33” to clean mops and “Carela Gips-Ex”, detergent for dissolving gypsum deposits containing an excessive amount of EDTA, poorly biodegradable which can cause the accumulation of heavy metals in water.