We tell our children to wash their hands routinely, clean the kitchen and bathrooms religiously (since they tend to harbor the most germs), and buy eco-friendly cleaners to ensure our family’s safety. But, despite our best efforts, hazardous materials are still slipping into many of our homes.

In fact, some hazardous materials, albeit small amounts, are actually allowed in the products we buy. The six main substances to watch for in your products include lead, cadmium, mercury, PBB, PBDE and hexavalent chromium. These substances can be found in musical birthday cards, earrings, light bulbs, and even electronic toys.

Since people, especially young children, tend to use their mouth as a third hand that means that you and your loved ones could be putting potentially dangerous material in your mouth. Think about it. How often do you have your hands full and had to resort to putting something in your mouth, just until you can put something else down? Or maybe your child is especially fond of putting their toys and other household objects in their mouth. Our beloved pets are also at risk since they can pick up whatever is in their range.

While you may know the basics when it comes to shopping for safe and environmentally friendly products and what brands to look for, it’s still easy to miss certain ingredients that can pose health risks. There is still no good way for consumers to look at a product and ensure it doesn’t contain hazardous materials that can harm their family, which is why I developed the HSF (Hazardous Safety Free) Mark.

The HSF Mark™ allows companies that comply with industry standards a cost effective way to show consumers that their products are safe. They can use the HSF Mark™ or logo on their packaging, so people can scan the barcode on the products with their phone to reveal a list of materials used in production – including the hazardous ones. My goal is to protect our environment for future generations, by the manufacture, sale, procurement and use of hazardous substance free products.

I believe that consumers have a right to know what is in the products they buy. It is not enough for manufacturers to simply tell us their products are safe, they should be called upon to provide us with the information. After all, there are over 140 million products manufactured worldwide. It’s nearly impossible to know what’s in all of those products, especially those made overseas. We created a logo, called the HSF Mark™, to give people an easy way to identify safe products.

Unfortunately, since the HSF Mark™ is not mandatory, manufacturers don’t have to use it today. As a consumer, you can take the lead in ensuring that products carry the HSF Mark™. Call or write your favorite company and ask them to put the mark on their safe products. You can mention it to local retailers and encourage them to carry products with the HSF Mark™. You can also contact elected officials to let them know about the program and how hazardous material impacts us all.

The HSF Mark™ is a great opportunity for consumers and manufacturers alike. It provides consumers with peace of mind and manufacturers the chance to show consumers they care about the products they produce.

Stanley Salot is the founder, president and CEO of Business and Quality Process Management LLC. He serves as president of the Electronic Component Certification Corp. and is the author of The HSPM Handbook. Get more info at http://www.ecccorp.org/ or http://www.hsf.us

Stanley Salot is the founder, president and CEO of Business and Quality Process Management LLC. He serves as president of the Electronic Component Certification Corp. and is the author of The HSPM Handbook. Get more info at http://www.ecccorp.org/ or http://www.hsf.us

Author Bio: Stanley Salot is the founder, president and CEO of Business and Quality Process Management LLC. He serves as president of the Electronic Component Certification Corp. and is the author of The HSPM Handbook. Get more info at http://www.ecccorp.org/ or http://www.hsf.us

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: hazardous material, HSF, Product Safety, Stanley Salot, technology, environment, consumer advice