Consumer Alert Air Fresheners
by Edward Morgan
An astounding 19 pages of chemicals go into making one commonly used brand of air freshener,
representing just how poorly regulated and toxic this increasingly popular class of consumer
products is.
You�ve probably seen pictures of people navigating urban cityscapes, their noses and
mouths covered by medical masks to safeguard against toxic air quality. You might be surprised
to learn that it�s actually indoor air quality, permeated by chemical �air fresheners,�
that is a top concern for public health officials.
Consider for a moment, the toxic chemicals an average urban dweller is exposed to each
day upon leaving the home. Limiting scope to just airborne toxicants, it�s still easy
to produce a long list of offenders: exhaust fumes from vehicles, chemicals used in manufacturing,
emissions of dry cleaners, common cleaning products including the greenwashed brand �Simple
Green,� second-hand smoke from passersby � and that�s not counting the sneezes
and coughs of people on the subway. This is just a sampling of the many vectors of toxicity
affecting air quality; most of which emanate from sources that are largely beyond our control.
Now think of an average home. All surfaces are cleaned once per week with a name-brand
spray cleaner. Carpets are sprinkled with freshening powder and vacuumed (the vacuum
cleaner bag gets changed every few months). Fabric-covered sofas and chairs are spritzed
with Fabreze� to mask pet odors. Finally, the scented plug-in in the bathroom keeps
it smelling guest-friendly at all times. To make sure the house stays �fresh�, the
windows are sealed tight to keep the polluted outside air from entering. Sounds really clean,
right?
It may shock you to learn that the EPA found levels of common air pollutants to be up to
five times higher inside homes than outside, even in highly industrial areas.[1] In homes
like the example illustrated above, indoor air can reach levels up to 100 times more
toxic than outside air.[2] And it�s the effort to create �freshness� that is largely
to blame.
The United States EPA recognizes indoor air quality as a top environmental risk to public
health. Problems such as asthma, chronic fatigue, breathing problems, allergy, and sinus infection,
among other serious concerns, are often directly attributable to breathing contaminated indoor
air. With some individuals, particularly the elderly who can spend nearly all of their
time indoors, it�s easy to see how poor air quality can quickly devastate one�s
health. But breathe easy! A little bit of knowledge and focused action goes a long way
towards restoring your home to the safe sanctuary you intended it to be.
The Unseen Pollutant
The primary pollutants inside of our homes are VOCs: volatile, organic compounds, that
get released in gaseous or particulate form, from furniture, paints and varnishes, cleaning
products, flooring, air fresheners, and even clothing and personal care products. These
dangerous chemical emissions remain trapped in the air of a closed home, where they are
inhaled by inhabitants, causing untold damage to cells. Thanks to medical research, we know
the damage that can occur when people come into contact with the 182 known toxicants
on the EPA�s list of Hazardous Air Pollutants. The ugly truth is, most of these chemicals
are not banned from use. Rather, they are allowed into our homes, offices, and public
transportation, under what the EPA deems �safe, allowable limits.� These limits, set on
known carcinogens and genotoxins, are largely based on hypothetical data, since testing
for actual harm to humans would be unethical to perform. Even if every product in your
home was under these arbitrarily-set limits for known toxins, what are the levels when
you combine ten or twenty such products in the same room? What happens if you close that
room for a long, summer weekend with no A/C running? Your home can quickly become a toxic
soup of VOCs that are literally hanging out in the air and on surfaces, waiting for your
return.
As with any toxic chemicals, the amount to which we are exposed is a critical factor
in health outcomes. With so many products coming together under the roof of the average
home, it�s a safe bet that multiple contamination sources are lurking. When these toxicants
converge, not only do the overall levels of each chemical increase, but volatile organic
compounds can bind with other VOCs, forming new and sometimes more dangerous compounds
that are so limitless in their potential formations, it�s virtually impossible to study them
and ascertain their risk. Even if your favorite spray cleaner has been tested for safety and
passed, it hasn�t been tested for how it combines with your favorite scented lotion,
which you apply several times a day. Or how it mixes with the toilet cleaner, vinyl shower
curtain, soap scum remover, and Glade plugin in a tiny bathroom, where the door is usually
shut. The types of emissions coming from these and other household products are serious enough
to warrant concern on their own merits. The potential toxic combinations that can form
should seal the deal when it comes to evaluating if these products deserve a place in your
home.
The Problem with Synthetic Freshness
One of the biggest and most deceptive sources of VOCs are �freshening� products, meant
to instill a sense of confidence in �clean� surroundings. Freshening products of all types
have been identified as containing VOCs, specifically formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, styrene, and
phthalates. Sprays, powders, plug-ins, diffusers, sachets, potpourri, scented candles, and car
vent clips, have all been found to contain these chemicals, despite no mention on most
product ingredient lists. Lax regulation allows manufacturers to omit these chemicals from
labels in many cases, opting for the catch-all term �fragrance� that is less likely to
set-off consumer alarm bells. What �fragrance� means in these products, is a chemical cocktail
that can be comprised of literally hundreds of ingredients.
A recent post by Dr. Kelly Brogan titled, �Is Your Uber Making You Sick,� reveals
an astounding 19-page list of chemicals used in the making of Proctor & Gamble�s Febreeze
Car Vent Clips, with the first page reposted here below:
Page 1 (of 19) of potential fragrance chemicals in Febreze air fresheners.
A November 2015 investigative report by Women�s Voices for the Earth called Unpacking the
Fragrance Industry, found a shocking lack of oversight for fragrance products due to
an inherent conflict of interests. According to the group, �RIFM [Research Institute
for Fragrance Materials], the body responsible for determining the safety of fragrances,
is governed by a Board of Directors made up of the world�s largest fragrance sellers.
They have a vested financial interest in making sure that fragrances are deemed safe.� Some
of the conflicts uncovered in the report include:
The vast majority of scientific studies on fragrance materials are generated by major
fragrance manufacturers or the fragrance trade association�s own laboratories. Largely,
these studies have never been published or peer-reviewed, and are not publicly available.
The RIFM Expert Panel, the �independent� review board which helps oversee the Fragrance
Safety Program, operates in secret, without the benefit of public oversight.
There is no evidence that the RIFM panel has reviewed the safety of several of the most
controversial fragrance ingredients, such as hormone-disrupting phthalates and musks
or carcinogens, including styrene and pyridine, in the last 30-40 years.[3]
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) has compiled a �Transparency List� of
more than 3,000 chemicals used in the industry. Many of these are what the EPA deems �chemicals
of concern,� with regards to public health. All of the VOCs commonly found in fragrances
are chemicals of concern that also appear on the EPA�s list of Hazardous Air Pollutants.
Also known as air toxics, �These are chemicals that are known or suspected to cause cancer,
reproductive or birth defects, or other adverse human and environmental effects.�[4] Let�s
examine the five worst chemicals of concern, and understand why a simple vanilla candle
can be a serious risk to your health.
Chemicals of Concern in Air Fresheners
In 2005, the European Consumers� Organisation, or BEUC (Bureau Europ�an des Consommateurs),
commissioned a study to understand the real dangers presented by indoor air fresheners.
In this study, 74 popular consumer air fresheners were tested using a chromatographic method
for �total VOCs,� as well as emissions from allergens. The study identified VOCs
that are common to most types of air fresheners, including incense, scented candles, gels,
aerosols, and diffusers, even products labelled �natural� and �organic.� Their findings
were among the earliest alarm bells to ring, as these products proliferated across the
globe. Since then, numerous independent studies have confirmed their findings.[5] Of the hundreds
of VOCs that have been found in commercial air fresheners, the following represent some
of the most dangerous and prolific chemicals of concern.
Formaldehyde
Besides smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke, contaminated indoor air is the largest
source of formaldehyde exposure for most individuals. Classified as a human carcinogen, epidemiological
studies have linked formaldehyde inhalation to a variety of negative health outcomes,
including leukemia, vomiting, spasm, and death at high concentrations. Even short-term exposure
to relatively low levels (>0.1 ppm) may cause watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes,
nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation in some individuals.[6]
Formaldehyde has been observed in animal studies to achieve greater than 90% absorption by
the upper respiratory tract when inhaled. Long-term, repeated inhalation is linked to
the development of multiple forms of cancer.[7]
Benzene
Benzene�s naturally sweet odor makes it desirable in fragrance products. Colorless,
it evaporates quickly into the air, or lands as an imperceptible film upon surfaces in
the home. Benzenes are easily inhaled, with animal studies showing that around 50% of
inhaled molecules are absorbed via the respiratory tract.[8] Benzenes� primary impact is on
the blood, with long-term exposures (>one year) causing a decrease in red blood cell
count and damage to bone marrow.[9] But that is far from their only bad effects. Benzenes
are a known carcinogen, linked to leukemia and lymphomas in cases of long-term exposure.
Benzenes damage human DNA, and have been linked to genetic mutations (genotoxic). Other observed
health effects from inhalation exposures include reproductive and developmental defects.[10]
Toluene
Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon most frequently associated with paint thinners.[11] Harmful
if inhaled, the tragic choice to �huff� paint products has led to spontaneous renal
failure and even death, in some cases.[12] Toluene can appear on labels (IF it appears
on labels!) as Methyl benzene, Methyl benzol, Phenyl methane, or Toluol. Symptoms of accidental
contact can present as irritated eyes or nose, fatigue, muscle weakness, confusion, euphoria,
dizziness, headache, excessive tears, and dilated pupils.[13] Studies of exposure to
airborne toluene molecules have shown as much as 93% is absorbed via the respiratory tract.
Once toluene makes its way to the bloodstream, it is readily distributed throughout the body,
with primary effects noted to the brain, liver, and blood. Long-term exposure can lead to
permanent kidney, heart, and neurological damage.[14] Toluene has caused reduced sperm
counts in animal studies[15], and cases of spontaneous abortion have occurred after high-dose
exposures.[16] Due to a benzene-like sweet smell, toluene is a frequent contributor to
fragrance products.
Styrene
Styrene, a derivative of benzene, is another sweet-smelling, colorless liquid that evaporates
easily into the air. Both animals and humans readily absorb styrene when it is inhaled,
with as much as 70% being taken up by the bloodstream.[17] Short-term exposure to styrene
can induce nausea and gastrointestinal effects, impaired balance and vision, and allergic
reactions.[18] According to OSHA, chronic exposure primarily affects the central nervous
system, with symptoms such as headache, fatigue, weakness, and depression among the most common
side-effects.[19] Studies of furniture industry workers, commonly exposed to styrene contamination
from the many solvents used in their work, demonstrated �acute neurological effects�
such as brain abnormalities, delayed reactions, and impaired color vision. Long-term exposures
produced an increased risk of cytogenetic effects, such as lymphoma and leukemia.[20]
Phthalates
Phthalates are one of the most frequently omitted ingredients from fragrance labels,
due to sudden awareness among consumers about the dangers of this all-too-common product
additive. A plasticizer found in many consumer products, phthalates can be inhaled and absorbed
through the skin, and have effects that simulate hormones in the body. The Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) published an alarming report, Hidden Hazards of Air Fresheners,
which tested 14 popular air fresheners sold in the United States. Researchers found that
12 of the 14 products contained phthalates, yet none of them listed this on the ingredients
list! Common side effects of phthalate exposure included hormonal abnormalities, birth defects,
and other reproductive problems.[21] While the EPA has concluded that reproductive risks
from phthalates �are negligible,�[22] researchers found exposure to phthalates can
lead to endocrine alterations in women who have been exposed. Health problems such as
�increased risk for endometriosis, reproductive and other endocrine-related cancers� and
well as �impaired ovarian function and menstrual cycling� have been demonstrated in other
studies.[23] Observed health effects in men include disturbed gonadal development, reduction
in semen quality, infertility, as well as an increased risk for testicular cancer.[24]
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the BEUC report was the concentrations of these toxins
that were observed after normal use of these products. Total VOC concentrations were determined
and then compared to international exposure guidelines for the general public. For most
of the products tested, the emitted total VOC values exceeded the proposed maximum limits
set for indoor air in several countries, and the emissions contained the aforementioned
chemicals of concern, classified as carcinogenic, at �rather high concentrations.� The health
implications of the BEUC report were deemed �strongly conclusive,� with authors recommending
wider testing of these products, better definition of the exposure harms, and evaluation of the
interactions between the compounds.
An even broader study was conducted in 2016, the first study to examine the multiple avenues
by which people are exposed to fragranced products in the United States, and the effect
of these exposures on US populations. Using an online survey method, a nationally representative
population sample was queried to ascertain four key points:
prevalence and types of fragranced product exposures
associated health effects awareness of product emissions
preferences for fragrance-free policies and environments
Results showed an overwhelming preference for safe and unscented environments:
>50% of the population prefer that all public spaces are fragrance-free
>20% leave a business as quickly as possible if they smell air fresheners or some fragranced
product. More than two thirds of the population say
they fall for �greenwashing��the false belief that �green� and �organic�
products are safe�but over 60% would stop using a fragranced product if they knew it
emitted pollutants. Nearly 35% of the population reported health
problems, such as migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties, when exposed to fragranced products.
>15% have lost a job or some workdays due to exposure to fragranced products in the
workplace. Researchers concluded,
�Results from this study provide strong evidence that fragranced products can trigger
adverse health effects in the general population. The study also indicates that reducing exposure
to fragranced products, such as through fragrance-free policies, can provide cost-effective and relatively
simple ways to reduce risks and improve air quality and health.�
While we must wait for regulatory agencies to catch up to public awareness, there is
much we can do to ensure that the air in our home and workplace is as fresh (really fresh!)
as possible. Rely on natural home cleaning products, and use only natural beeswax or
soy candles that are scented using essential oils. Looking for another ancient air microbial
disinfectant? Read about the science of herbal smoke/smudging in our previous article: �Killer
Germs� Obliterated by Medicinal Smoke (Smudging), Study Reveals. And don�t forget to regularly
vent your homes to allow VOCs a safe escape.
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