MSDS – Material Safety Data Sheets – What ingredients are in a product?
Posted by Norman Fong
Do you wonder what is in that detergent or cleaning product? How green is it really? What do I do if it gets on my skin?
We have often cited Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS in our analysis of cleaning and construction products. What are they?
What is a MSDS
They are documents used to describe a products ingredients, what they are, are they hazardous, how to store them, toxicity, health affects, what should be done if there is an accident, regulatory issues, etc. Vendors have to undertake manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal of hazardous materials and chemicals to complete these documents. There are even MSDS docs for things like Mustard gas, VX Nerve gas!
OSHA and the EPA set up regulations that require MSDS documents on certain products.
Where can I find MSDS documents
Often vendors have links to MSDS documents on their website or require you to email them asking for them. This site has links to many MSDS docs. NIH has a database of Household Products.
When checking out the greeness of a product, be sure to look for its MSDS document and READ it.
Filed under: Cleaning, Easy, Eco Friendly, Effort, Environment, Green, Health, Home, Indoor Air Quality, Kids, Money, Pollution, Shopping | Tags: ingredients, Material Safety Data Sheets, MSDS
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12 Responses to “MSDS – Material Safety Data Sheets – What ingredients are in a product?”
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September 15th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Please send me MSDS information on Kirkland Dishwashing Detergent.
January 21st, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Please send me MSDS information for Kirland Laundry Detergent. Thanks so much.
January 21st, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Please call Costco at 1-800-955-2292 and ask for them for the MSDS information.
March 16th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Please send me the MSDS sheets for Kirkland dishwashing detergent.
Thank you.
March 17th, 2010 at 9:24 am
call Costco for this information
April 2nd, 2010 at 12:01 am
[...] how to check on the products and ingredients by reading MSDS [...]
April 20th, 2010 at 8:06 am
To meet safety requirements and to be able to use your product, my company needs msds sheets for the Kirkland Automatic Dishwashing Detergent. Please email this to us or show us how to find it on the web. Thank you.
April 20th, 2010 at 9:53 am
call Costco at 800-774-2678
April 23rd, 2010 at 7:56 am
When I called the phone number given for Costco (800-774-2678), I was told by the rep. that they did not have msds sheets available and that I would have to go to a Costco store. We are over 50 miles from the nearest Costco. This is not very user friendly MSDS on Costco’s part.
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:27 am
You should ask rep makes the particular Costco brand product and call the manufacturer to get the MSDS sheets. Costco outsources most products to other vendors.
September 13th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
please send msds sheets on kirkland laundry detergent itam #119903 and also kirkland fabric softener sheets
October 19th, 2010 at 9:57 am
[...] sure to read those ingredient lists and MSDS documents. [...]