Toxic Chemicals Found In Common Scented Laundry Products, Air Fresheners

Researchers found that all top-selling laundry products and air  fresheners tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed   on the product labels.

"I first got interested in this topic because people were telling me that  the air fresheners in public restrooms and the scent from laundry products vented  outdoors were making them sick," said Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of    civil and environmental engineering   and of public affairs. "I wanted to know, What's in these products that are causing these effects?"

        She analyzed the products to discover the chemicals' identity.  The potential toxicity of the chemicals that were found, included acetone, the active ingredient in   paint thinner and nail-polish remover; limonene, a molecule with a citrus scent;    and acetaldehyde, chloromethane and 1,4-dioxane.

Nearly 100 volatile organic compounds were emitted from these six products,    and none were listed on any product label. Plus, five of the six products emitted one or more carcinogenic hazardous air pollutants, which are considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to have no safe exposure level.

Her study was published online July23 by the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review. Steinemann chose not to disclose the brand names of the     six products she tested. In a larger study of 25 cleaners, personal care products,  air fresheners and laundry products, now submitted for publication, she found     that many other brands contained similar chemicals.

Because manufacturers of consumer products are not required to disclose the ingredients, Steinemann analyzed the products to discover their contents. She studied three common air fresheners (a solid deodorizer disk, a liquid spray and     a plug-in oil) and three laundry products (a dryer sheet, fabric softener and a detergent), selecting a   top seller in each category. She bought household items    at a grocery store and asked companies for samples of industrial products.

In the laboratory, each product was placed in an isolated space at room temperature and the surrounding air was analyzed for volatile organic compounds, small molecules that evaporate from product surface's into the air.

Results showed 58 different volatile organic compounds above a concentration     of 300 micrograms per cubic meter, many of which were present in more than    one of the six products. For instance, a plug-in air freshener contained more than 20 different volatile organic compounds. Of these, seven are regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws. The product label lists no ingredients, and information on the Material Safety Data Sheet, required for workplace handling    of chemicals, lists the contents as mixture of perfume oils.

This study does not address links between exposure to chemicals and health effects. However, two national surveys published by Steinemann and a colleague   in 2004 and 2005 found that about 20 percent of the population reported adverse health effects from air fresheners, and about 10 percent complained of adverse effects from laundry products vented to the outdoors. Among asthmatics such complaints were roughly twice as common.

Manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients used in laundry products    and air fresheners. Personal-care products and cleaners often contain similar fragrance chemicals, Steinemann said. And although cosmetics are required by    the Food and Drug Administration  to list ingredients, no law requires products     of any kind to list chemicals used in fragrances.

Fragrance chemicals are of particular interest because of the potential for involuntary exposure, or second-hand scents" Steinemann said.

"Be careful if you buy products with fragrance, because you really don't know what's in them," she added. "I'd like to see better labeling. In the meantime, I'd recommend that instead of air fresheners people use ventilation, and with laundry products, choose fragrance-free versions."

The European Union recently enacted legislation requiring products to list 26 fragrance chemicals when they are present above a certain concentration in cosmetic products and detergents. No similar laws  exist in the United States.

                                                     Back to Top 

The EPA suggests three basic methods for improving indoor air quality:

1. Control the source of air pollution.        

            2. Improve ventilation.                  

  3. Purchase an air purifier.           

Imagine yourself in the stillness that follows a thunderstorm.  A quiet   world refreshed and cleansed by naturally occurring ionization and oxidizers.  Every breath a pleasant reminder of what truly fresh air     should be.  Now imagine all that as you relax in the comfort of you home    

 P H X   Fresh  Air  Everest    ComfortZone  Heaters    Induct    BOS Dumpster                

 Around The Clock Protection     

Back to Top                

Ecobox  Covers up to 1500 sq/ft     Fresh Air  Covers up to 3000 sq/ft    

EcoQuest True HEPA+ – 4-stage, 216 CADR† filtration featuring  99.97% effective HEPA to remove pollutants as small as 0.3 microns    like pollen, pet dander, smoke, mold spores, dust and more. Plus, UV   light to kill  germs that pass through the system, ozone reducing    activated carbon filtration to help eliminate odors, and a washable  prefilter to keep the unit cleaner, longer. No Ozone Output.