It is difficult to determine the toxicity of a product
because of the many different factors that need to be
considered. Whether or not a product is toxic can
depend on how much of the product you are exposed to
and the method of exposure. Inhalation exposure is
from breathing in chemical compounds or particles;
ingestion exposure is from swallowing chemicals; and
absorption exposure is chemical absorption through the
skin. Some products may be hazardous only for one
method of exposure (such as ingestion), but others may
be harmful for any method of exposure.


 What may be safe for humans can kill or harm more
 delicate species and disrupt the balance of fragile
 ecosystems such as mangrove lagoons and coral
 reefs.

When we use and dispose of these products, they can
contaminate the environment. In the Virgin Islands, our
landfills do not have liners to keep leachate (water that
collects pollutants as it seeps through the landfill) from
entering ground water, coastal waters, and sensitive
habitats. Toxic chemicals contained in products we use
and throw away daily can easily pollute our environment.

To determine the eco-toxicityof a product, we must
evaluate the basic toxicity of its ingredients, its
persistence in the environment (how long it takes for
nature to break down the product or chemical into non-
toxic components), and its tendency to accumulate in the
food chain. Toxic synthetic chemicals tend to persist in
the environment because their chemical structures do
not break down under normal conditions. Once these