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Updated
Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
December 07, 2022
While toxic substances are hiding everywhere in our everyday products, UFC-Que Choisir has given its “QuelProduit” application an environmental rating – making it possible to evaluate no less than 70,000 references.
In the wonderful world of cosmetics and household products, there are good ones… and bad ones. Toxic sunscreens, detergents packed with preservatives, polluting toothpastes… It’s hard to choose from the multitude of items on the shelves. Fortunately, UFC-Que Choisir thought of consumers by recently optimizing its “QuelProduit” application.
The application allows you to evaluate no less than 70,000 references
Experts from the UFC-Que Choisir association have evaluated no less than 7,000 chemical substances in order to establish a list of 239 compounds to avoid.
These, used in cosmetics and household products, pose a danger to living organisms in rivers and the sea “such as fish, algae or corals“, specifies the communicated.
Among them, we find in particular zinc oxide, a very toxic dye for fish or butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, a very poorly biodegradable ingredient used in sunscreens to absorb UVA rays.
An environmental note added
All these observations have enabled the association to add an environmental note to its free mobile application “QuelProduit”.
From now on, 70,000 additional references can be evaluated (66,000 cosmetics and 4,000 household products).
The “level” of the product’s dangerousness will be noted (4 possible levels) and information on its dangerousness and the number of harmful substances used will be delivered to the consumer.
UFC-Que Choisir also specifies that the use of major brands (Vichy, Schwarzkopf, Vademecum, Skip, Lenor, etc.)does not in any way constitute a guarantee for the preservation of aquatic environments”.
Toxic products: effects also on health
By dint of redoubling our efforts to clean our interior, it becomes (very) easy to expose ourselves to a myriad of undesirable substances: allergens, carcinogens and endocrine disruptors in mind. Dr. Kierzek nevertheless wants to be reassuring on this subject.
“Beyond the products, it is the dose and the repetition that makes the toxicity. It is also the most fragile people who are particularly at risk from toxic molecules: children, pregnant women and the elderly.“.
To protect yourself and your loved ones at home, common sense gestures can be applied.
“We must open the windows, ventilate, not use too many toxic products… and return to basic and natural products”details the emergency doctor, before specifying “No panic if one has been exposed once to a toxic product. This is not enough to develop cancer.”