Borax/Boron Conspiracy?

I started searching this because a friend was afraid to use it to make her soap. She heard it imbalanced hormones--we do not need that! SO, I stumbled on this very interesting but long article. As it pertains to the laundresses of world, I have copied here and will now paste. I will include the link to the entire article. This is simply an awareness issue and a hunch maybe to run out and buy up all the Borax you can (within reason, lol).

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In addition, increasing effort goes into publicly demonizing borax for its alleged reproductive and infant toxicity. As an example, I recently read an article by a 'senior scientist' of the supposedly 'green' Environmental Working Group. In it, the perceived dangers of borax were so exaggerated that most comments in effect said: "Thank you for opening my eyes. I did not know how poisonous and dangerous borax is, I certainly will not use it anymore in my laundry, or for cleaning my toilet and kitchen" .

This is obviously a deliberate campaign to make people grateful for banning borax from public sale. For laundry and cleaning purposes Borax Substitute now replaces the product previously sold as Borax. The EU has spearheaded this campaign. In June 2010, borax and boric acid were reclassified as “Reprotoxic Category 2“, suggesting that they may be harmful to the reproductive functions of humans in high doses, and the product package must display the skull and crossbones symbol. From December 2010, these products were no longer available for public sale within the EU. While this classification now applies for all of Europe, non-EU countries still have some leeway in regard to public sales. This initiative is part of a Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) which is to be implemented as soon as possible. Australia is well-advanced on preparing regulations to implement the GHS for industrial chemicals, with new regulations expected in 2012 (21).

The European Chemicals Agency gave as reason for their reclassification of boron products (paraphrased):

'The available data do not indicate major differences between laboratory animals and humans, therefore it must be assumed that the effects seen in animals could occur in humans as epidemiological studies in humans are insufficient to demonstrate the absence of an adverse effect of inorganic borates on fertility. 17.5 mg boron/kg/day was derived as a NOAEL (no event level) for male and female fertility. For the rat decreased foetal weight occurred at 13.7 mg boron/kg/day, and a safe limit of 9.6 mg/kg/day has been derived.' (22)

What they are really saying is this: 'While we have no human data, animal studies suggest that for adult reproductive functions a daily ingestion of about 2 teaspoons of borax is safe. But to be absolutely sure that no-one is harmed, we will ban it totally.' Importantly, this ruling is not related to borax in foods or supplements where it is already banned, but only for general use as in laundry or cleaning products or as insecticides. Because borax is not readily inhaled or absorbed through intact skin, it is difficult to see how even a few milligrams daily could get into the body with the conventional use. If the same standard would apply to other chemicals, there would be none left.

The key study in this assessment was published in 1972. Why is this being dug up now to justify banning borax when it was of no concern for the past 40 years? It does not make any scientific sense, especially if you consider that the main chemical in the new borax substitute, sodium percarbonate, is about three times more toxic than borax. Acute oral LD50 values for animals are from 1034 to 2200 mg/kg/day (23). Even the commonly used sodium bicarbonate, with an animal LD50 of 3360 mg/kg, is nearly twice as toxic as borax (24). Both of these chemicals have not been tested for long-term reproductive toxicity at the high doses that caused fertility problems in rats and mice.

The same applies to washing powders [laundry detergents], it has been stated that no toxicity is expected if used in the approved way, or that reproductive tests have not been done. Ingredients in these products are more toxic than borax, why can they be used in the approved way but not borax? And how about really toxic items such as caustic soda and hydrochloric acid? Why do they remain available to the public when one of the safest household chemicals is banned despite the fact that it is absolutely impossible to cause any reproductive harm with the approved use?

Regardless of the lack of any scientific credibility, the stage has been set for borax and boric acid to be globally removed from public sale at short or no notice. Even low-level and less effective boron tablets are now tightly controlled by the pharmaceutical industry, and may be restricted at any time through Codex Alimentarius regulations. With this, the medical-pharmaceutical system has safely defused any potential danger that borax may have posed to its profitability and survival.

Walter Last    "        and for the full article on how Boron cures arthritis, click here*

pH values of common cleansers

Click here

Why neutralize your homemade products by mixing acids & bases? Here is a link of
pH values common to home management.

Interesting research on VINEGAR :(

Why reinvent the wheel? Here is an article--no almost a work of art researching how vinegar is made commercially with some eyebrow raising facts. It's one of those posts you want to stop reading, but when you scan down..you find yourself lingering and still reading.   Here is a hint: 

"...Unless your white vinegar bottle says or makes reference to on the label “distilled” then it has likely not gone through the distillation & fermentation process. It is more likely to have been created synthetically using petroleum derivatives, as outlined by statements from the Food & Drug Administration, above..."      Click on the words below to take you to the full article

 Vinegar....natural?

About Borax A natural mineral

Sodium borate (form of BORON) is used as a soap supplement, disinfectant, mouthwash and water softener, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. It is also a primary ingredient in bath salts, according to the website mountainroseherbs.com. When used in bath salts, sodium borate softens water and suspends soap particles. In turn, less residue sticks to the epidermis, resulting in softer skin. When combined with citric acid in bath bombs or salts, sodium borate produces a fizzing action. It is also mixed with water and guar gum in shower gel.

Boron has been used in small quantities to prevent or treat osteoporosis or osteoarthritis at a dosage of 3 mg per day, an amount similar to that in the typical American diet, according to iHerb.com. Food sources, however, may be safer, the website reports. No clinical studies have been performed to gauge the possible benefits of boron or its supplements for bone-related conditions. Boron is sometimes used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but there is no evidence to support its effectiveness. Boron has been used as a sports supplement, but no scientific evidence has been found that it increases muscle mass or improves performance

Some Asian cultures use sodium borate or borax as a meat rub, tenderizer or preservative. It is sometimes sold in Asian grocery stores, but should never be ingested, according to the NSW Food Authority. It can be toxic and may result in and acute kidney failure and or death . Symptoms of borax ingestion include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and red eyes.

In some cultures, boron is ingested for medical reasons. Ancient Egyptians, for example, used it in medicine and mummification. When the amount ingested is less than 3.68 mg/kg, no symptoms appear, according to the EPA. Doses of 20 and 25 mg/kg, however, result in nausea and vomiting. Lethal doses range from 15 to 20 grams for adults, 5 to 6 grams for children, and 2 to 3 grams for infants, the EPA reports.