Subject: RE: Cleaning Bird Feeders-additional info
Date: Oct 20 15:33:46 1997
From: Franny Drobny - fdrobny at cairncross.com


I'm not an expert on this, but according to "Buy Smart, Buy Safe - A
Consumer Guide to Less-Toxic Products," by Philip Dicket, available free
at the Seattle Public Library, the following information is published
and may give food for thought about using bleach to clean your feeder:

Re: Liquid Chlorine Bleach (e.g. Clorox)

Common household chlorine bleach is an eye irritant and the vapors
irritate the lungs. If mixed with ammonia or acids, it reacts to emit
hazardous gases. Non-chlorine bleaches are safer alternatives, but they
do not have disinfectant properties.

A diagram is shown (in the brochure re bleach) that illustrates a Better
to Worse scale. 1 is better, and 4 is worse. Liquid bleach is listed
as a "3" in relation to impact on humans:

acute toxicity - moderately to highly toxic or causes severe skin
or eye irritation
chronic toxicity - may contain an ingredient which has caused cancer
in some studies or could be
harmful to your health from long-term or
repeated exposure.
reactivity - in relation to being a physical and chemical
hazard when reacting with other
household products.

"3" means to use bleach only if less hazardous alternatives don't exist,
especially if product has more than one of these ratings, which it does
in all categories (as opposed to a 1).

In regard to bleach as an environmental impact (as opposed to the
above-mentioned human impact) including toxicity to fish and other
wildlife: It was rated a "2," meaning "minor toxicity or environmental
impacts, but generally an acceptable alternative."

It states: "You must decide for yourself if the products perform well
enough. Overusing an ineffective product can be more harmful than very
selective use of a more effective one."

If you need more information or have concerns, call the Washington Toxic
Coalition at (206) 632-1545, maybe they know of a disinfectant that
isn't a bleach. They identify and promote alternative products and
techniques which are least toxic and environmentally sound.

Franny Drobny
Seattle, Washington
fdrobny at cairncross.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christy Anderson [SMTP:christya at gte.net]
> Sent: Friday, October 17, 1997 7:37 PM
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: Cleaning Bird Feeders
>
> How about vinegar? Boiling water?
>
> ----------
> From: Marlene Penry <mpenry at compuserve.com>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Cleaning Bird Feeders
> Date: Friday, October 17, 1997 3:30 AM
>
> I am concerned with the discussions here on Finch disease and would
> like to
> know if anyone has a suggestion other than chlorine bleach for
> disinfecting
> bird feeders. I really do my best to avoid household hazardous
> products
> due to the environmental damage they cause. I'd like to find an
> environmentally friendly alternative. I currently just wash the
> feeders
> with hot soapy water -- using biodegradable soap of course. :- )
>
> Marlene Penry
> Seattle, WA
> mpenry at compuserve.com
> ----------