Air "Fresheners" May be a Health Hazard

by Deb Cupples |  In the title, I put fresheners in quotes, because room sprays and wall plug-ins don't actually make rooms smell fresh: they give the impression that users are trying to cover up filth-induced odors. 

I don't like over-stating things, so I won't: I hate and detest air "fresheners," partly because the overwhelmingly sweet odor makes me as head-achy as those dime-store perfumes that are marketed to pre-teen girls.  That and air "fresheners" smell equally cheap.

But that's just my opinion, and since nobody really wins debates about personal tastes, I'll refer to a recent article from U.S. News & World Report, which states that the chemicals used in some air "fresheners" and cleaning products may be hazardous to our health:

"Recent research suggests that exposure to cleaning products or air fresheners that contain a certain volatile organic compound (VOC) called 1,4 dicholorobenzene (1,4 DCB), can reduce lung function by 4 percent. Another study found that the use of spray household cleaners could increase the risk of developing asthma by nearly 50 percent.

"Yet a third study, reported by University of Washington researchers this week in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review, found that the fumes from air fresheners and fragrances contain hazardous toxins, none of which were listed on product labels since companies are not required by the federal government to disclose the ingredients in these products....

"Most people with asthma instinctively avoid these types of products, said Dr. David Rosenstreich, director of the division of allergy and immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. But, he added, the study on VOCs 'suggests that other people should probably avoid them, especially considering the way we live in our homes today, tightly wrapped inside, so that if there are any chemicals present, we're constantly breathing them in.'

"VOCs are found in cleaning products, paints, tobacco smoke and other household chemicals, according to the study, which appeared in a recent issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. Benzene and acetone are two commonly used VOCs. The volatile organic compound known as 1,4 DCB is the chemical that gives mothballs their distinctive odor. It's also found in room deodorizers, insecticides and in urinal blocks." (U.S. News)

Did you fully read those last highlighted bits?  Some of those air "fresheners" contain chemicals found in insecticides and tobacco smoke.

I asked a microbiologist-friend (whom I'll call Dr. K) what she thought of the U.S. News article.  Dr. K said: "I'd be worried about long-term effects, like cancer."  She also explained something about benzene.  The details went over my head, but I got the gist.

Even worse, as the quote above states, companies are not required to list those ingredients on air "freshener" labels, so people could be breathing those toxic chemicals without even knowing it. 

It's a shame that our federal government is more interested in protecting certain chemical companies than in protecting the health of us taxpayers -- though, that's certainly not a new regulatory attitude.

I'm no Martha Stewart, but perhaps the best way to rid one's house of bad odor is to find the odor's source and thoroughly clean it. 

If you really just want to add a fragrance to your ambiance, why not go natural? When I was a kid, my mother would occasionally boil tangerine peels in water, which sent a lovely aroma wafting through the house.  (Sometimes she'd add a cinnamon stick or some cloves, which I didn't like so much).

Of course, if you're allergic to such things, you probably wouldn't want to use them, but the point is that there are natural alternatives to potentially dangerous chemical air "fresheners."

Other Buck Naked Politics Posts:

* Electrocuted Soldiers & Electrical Fires in Iraq: No one is Responsible?

* Heart Drug Tied to Cancer: Some Want Quiet Debate

* Watch out Florida: Obama Signals Support for Offshore Drilling

* Seymore Hersh: Cheney's Plan for War with Iran

Comments

[Bill]

One more reason not to use those damned things...as if we needed another!

[D. Cupples]

bingo, Bill!

[LibertyVini]

1,4-dichlorobenzene is also known as para- dichlorobenzene (para refers to the position of the two chlorine atoms on opposite sides of the benzene ring, sorry). As in "Para" moth crystals, "Para" nuggets, etc. It's in lots of products due to its evaporative and insect repellent properties, not its safety. This and many other problematic VOCs can be detected at low levels using EPA method TO-15 sampling, available from consultants and laboratories ( disclosure: I work for such a laboratory - EMSL)

[Deb Cupples]

LibertyVini,

Thanks for the info!

[Gloria Spray]

I want to know if plug in insect repellents are hazard to humans if used continously.

[Deb]

A very good point, Gloria!

[hydroxycut]

I've always said that health is central to our lives, what happens is that many people do not give the importance it deserves, and that's when they come unexpected illness

[viagra online]

of course this kind of things makes more harm to ourselves than good, so, have a nice smell house worth it!?