A recent study in the US of over 55,000 Nurses found that the use of disinfectants once a week or more lead to a 22-32% increased risk of developing COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

“We found that nurses who use disinfectants to clean surfaces on a regular basis – at least once a week – had a 22% increased risk of developing COPD."

Dr Orianne Dumas

Dr Orianne Dumas, from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), presented the findings on Monday at the European Respiratory Society International Congress conference in Milan, Italy.

“The potential adverse effects of exposure to disinfectants on COPD have received much less attention, although two recent studies in European populations showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD.

To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association,” she told the conference."

Dr Orianne Dumas

This is further evidence that replacing toxic chemicals such as bleach with eWater Systems solutions is not just the right thing to do for staff but will also future proof your business.

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