Dear Amber:

Last Friday I went to the car wash around the corner from my home. I paid for the "special" car wash and received a wet towel packet. The foil package contains several warnings, including "Harmful or Fatal if Swallowed" and "Contains Volatile Organic Compounds." Is this safe for the environment? Is it wise to pass these out to the public?
-Lorie C., East Lansing

Dear Lorie,

Thanks for sending the packet with your letter.

At first look, the label has no ingredients listed and many warnings: "harmful or fatal if swallowed," "may cause blindness if swallowed," "Contains Volatile Organic Compounds" and "NOT INTENDED FOR SALE OR DISTRIBUTION IN CALIFORNIA."

The pre-moistened wipe is made of a non-woven cloth, which is saturated with a solution after it is packaged in the foil. (This is detailed on the manufacturer's web site.) In this case, "nonwoven" means it's a spun laced fiber blend, made of plastic. "Spun laced" is the way the fabric is made, with jets of water that cause plastic fibers to tangle into a sheet. What it means for you: no linty fibers rub off on your windshield.

The manufacturing company wouldn't say what kind of plastic is used in the wipes, but according to Penn State University, the decomposition rate of a plastic bag is 10-20 years, a plastic container is 50-80 years and a plastic soda bottle takes 450 years to decompose. So you need to make the decision yourself about what you throw away, based on how long you want it to stick around.

I'll start with the first two warnings, about the harmful/fatal and blindness risks, which sound especially bad. The harmful ingredient is Isopropanol, which can cause skin irritation with extended contact, redness and tearing with eye contact, and blindness if you ingest it. Isopropyl is also known as rubbing alcohol. Children with sensitive skin or allergies to Isopropanol probably shouldn't use the product due to the risk of irritation.

The other two warnings regarding "Volatile Organic Compounds" (VOC) and "NOT FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA" require a bit more explanation. In California, they have banned the extensive use of VOCs because they, in combination with nitrogen oxides, are responsible for ground-level ozone and smog. Vehicle emissions, chemical manufacturing and the evaporation of automotive fuels produce volatile organic compounds, other petroleum-based products and chemical solvents.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cites the following effects: "eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidneys and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Headaches, dizziness, visual disorders and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics."

Organic chemicals' effects vary greatly from those that are highly toxic to those with no known health effect. They are pollutants, but the extent and nature of the effect will depend on the level of exposure and length of time exposed.

So, depending on how you look at the product, it is a quick, convenient, lint- and streak-free disposable wipe for your windshield and car interior that will clean up just about anything without causing the average person much harm, if any at all. Or it's a slow-to-decompose plastic-based fabric, soaked with a volatile organic compound that is banned for sale and distribution in an entire state.
A product's value is in the eye of the consumer-as is its environmental risk.