Id be a little bit more skeptical of a website promoting a product that competes with Downy. Of course they'll make up and exaggerate all kinds of things that may be harmful about a really successful product that everyone uses. After doing some research (documented below) all of the effects that the site are only true if the chemical is ingested in large amounts. Also in general you will notice harmful symptoms right away from lower concentrations than you need to develop cancer.
Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
Limonene: Known carcinogen
A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
Benzyl acetate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzyl_acetate
Benzyl acetate is found naturally in many flowers. It is the primary constituent of the essential oils from the flowers jasmine, ylang-ylang and tobira. It has pleasant sweet aroma reminiscent of jasmine. Consequently, it is used widely in perfumery and cosmetics for its aroma and in flavorings to impart apple and pear flavors.
benzyl alcohol
http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/00001109.htm
Toxic effects of benzyl alcohol, including respiratory failure, vasodilation, hypotension, convulsions, and paralysis have been known for years (3-5). However, little is known about the toxic effects or levels of benzyl alcohol in neonates, especially in sick premature infants. Animal toxicity studies (6) show an LD((50)) of approximately 33 ml/kg (300 mg/kg) in rats treated by rapid intravenous infusion with 0.9% benzyl alcohol, although 40 ml/kg (360 mg/kg) by slow intravenous infusion was tolerated without mortality. Adult dogs were killed by doses of 88-113 ml/kg (830-1060 mg/kg) of 0.9% benzyl alcohol intravenously, but tolerated smaller infusions without signs of toxicity. The serum half-life of benzyl alcohol in adult dogs is estimated at 1.5 hours. On the basis of the animal studies, it has been estimated that rapid intravenous infusion of adult humans with as much as 30 ml of 0.9% benzyl alcohol (approximately 4.5 mg/kg) in saline should be safe (6).
I doubt there is 30ml of benzyl alcohol in a cup of Downy. I also doubt people are doing anything near intravenous injection
Ethanol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol
This is just alcohol thats found in vodka or any other liquor. We all know what it does. Submerging your skin in alcohol will indeed get you drunk and cause brain damage if you do it 24/7, but somehow i doubt theres that much more ethanol in downy then there is in say minoxidil.
Limonene
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonene
Limonene is a hydrocarbon, classified as a cyclic terpene. It is a colourless liquid at room temperatures with an extremely strong smell of oranges. It takes its name from the lemon, as the rind of the lemon, like other citrus fruits, contains considerable amounts of this chemical compound, which is responsible for much of their smell.
Although once thought to cause renal cancer in rats, limonene now is known as a significant chemopreventive agent[10] with potential value as a dietary anti-cancer tool in humans.[11] There is no evidence for carcinogenicity or genotoxicity in humans. The IARC classifies D-limonene under Class 3: not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.
A-Terpineol
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Alpha_T ... %20MSDS%22
The MSDS sheet rates it as a health risk of 0. Thats lower than common alcohol, ethanol, which has a rating of 2.
Ethyl acetate
This has a MSDS health rating of 1. Again only harmful if eaten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethyl_acetate
Ethyl acetate is a moderately polar solvent that has the advantages of being volatile, relatively non-toxic, and non-hygroscopic. It is a weak hydrogen bond acceptor, and is not a donor due to the lack of an acidic proton (one directly bonded to an electronegative atom such as fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen). Ethyl acetate can dissolve up to 3% water and has a solubility of 8% in water at room temperature. At elevated temperature its solubility in water is higher. It is unstable in the presence of strong aqueous bases and acids.
Ethyl acetate is present in wines. It may be considered a contaminant at too high concentrations, as typically occurs when wine is exposed to air for a prolonged period. When present at too high concentration in wine, it is regarded as an off-flavor.
This may be one of the active ingredients since its polar (i.e. the molecule has plus one side and minus on the other) . Fabric softeners somehow neutralize the static charges in our clothing so maybe this is one of the substances that does it.
Camphor
MSDS health rating of 2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camphor
Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor.
In larger quantities, it is poisonous when ingested and can cause seizures, confusion, irritability, and neuromuscular hyperactivity. In 1980, the United States Food and Drug Administration set a limit of 11% allowable camphor in consumer products and totally banned products labeled as camphorated oil, camphor oil, camphor liniment, and camphorated liniment (but "white camphor essential oil" contains no significant amount of camphor). Since alternative treatments exist, medicinal use of camphor is discouraged by the FDA, except for skin-related uses, such as medicated powders, which contain only small amounts of camphor. Lethal doses in adults are in the range 50–500 mg/kg (orally). Generally, 2 g causes serious toxicity and 4 g is potentially lethal.
ok this one is nasty, but again it needs to be ingested and will in general show obvious symptoms before youre in trouble. Also I doubt the unscented version has this in it since it is stated to have a strong smell.
Chloroform
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroform
As might be expected for an anesthetic, inhaling chloroform vapors depresses the central nervous system. It is immediately dangerous to health and life at approximately 500 ppm according to the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Breathing about 900 ppm for a short time can cause dizziness, fatigue, and headache. Chronic chloroform exposure may cause damage to the liver (where chloroform is metabolized to phosgene) and to the kidneys, and some people develop sores when the skin is immersed in chloroform.
Chloroform once appeared in toothpastes, cough syrups, ointments, and other pharmaceuticals, but it has been banned as a consumer product in the United States since 1976.[11]
Whenever I try to search for chloform and Fabric softener I always get the original list that was posted. I cant find any proof that fabric softeners actually contain this. Even if they do, we would soon be dizzy and sick as soon as we put on a freshly washed/dried shirt. This doesnt really happen very often as far as I know.
Linalool
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linalool
Linalool (IPA: /l??nælo??l/) is a naturally-occurring terpene alcohol chemical found in many flowers and spice plants with many commercial applications, the majority of which are based on its pleasant scent (floral, with a touch of spiciness).
This stuff is present in lots of massage oils. I dont hear too many massage therapists dying from this stuff so its probably ok. Again this can be avoided probably by just getting the unscented version.
Pentane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentane
Pentane is any or one of the organic compounds with the formula C5H12. This alkane is a component of some fuels and is employed as a specialty solvent in the laboratory. Its properties are very similar to those of butane and hexane. It exists in three structural isomers, the branched isomers are called isopentane and neopentane.
MSDS of 1. Not that harmful. here are toxicity levels from the MSDS sheet
http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/PE/pentane.html
IHL-RAT LC50 364 gm/m3/4hr.
IVN-MUS LD50 446 mg kg-1
IHL-MUS LCLO 325 g/m3/2h
thats a shitload to kill a rat. something like 400 times more than caffeine.
If you can find more info on the exact ingredients and their concentrations in Downy then that of course that would really allow one to make a more scientific judgment. But so far I havent been able to find anything online.
