BAHAYA AIR FRESHENER

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Many air fresheners employ carcinogens, volatile organic
compounds and known toxins such as phthalate esters in
their formulas. A Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) study of 13 common household air fresheners
found that most of the surveyed products contain chemicals
that can aggravate asthma and affect reproductive
development. The NRDC called for more rigorous supervision
of the manufacturers and their products, which are widely
assumed to be safe:
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"The study assessed scented sprays, gels, and plug-in air
fresheners. Independent lab testing confirmed the presence
of phthalates, or hormone-disrupting chemicals that may
pose a particular health risk to babies and young children, in
12 of the 14 products - including those marked 'all natural'.
None of the products had these chemicals listed on their
labels."
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On September 19, 2007, along with the Sierra Club, Alliance
for Healthy Homes, and the National Center for Healthy
Housing, the NRDC filed a petition with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer
Product Safety Commission to report the findings.
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The University of Bristol's Avon Longitudinal Study of
Parents and Children (ALSPAC) published findings
indicating that exposure to volatile organic compounds
through frequent use of air fresheners and other aerosols in
the home was found to correlate with increased earaches
and diarrhea in infants, and with increased depression and
headaches in their mothers.
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In 2008, Anne Steinemann of the University of Washington
published a study of top-selling air fresheners and laundry
products. She found that all products tested gave off
chemicals regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal
laws, including carcinogens with no safe exposure level,
but none of these chemicals were listed on any of the
product labels or Material Safety Data Sheets.
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Chemicals included acetone, the active ingredient in paint
thinner and nail-polish remover; chloromethane, a
neuro-toxicant and respiratory toxicant; and acetaldehyde
and 1,4-dioxane, both carcinogens.
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A plug-in air freshener contained more than 20 different
volatile organic compounds, with more than one-third
classified as toxic or hazardous under federal laws. Even
air fresheners called "organic", "green", or with "essential
oils" emitted hazardous chemicals, including carcinogens.
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In 2009, Stanley M. Caress of the University of West Georgia
and Anne C. Steinemann of the University of Washington
published results from two national epidemiological studies
of health effects from exposure to air fresheners. They
found that nearly 20 percent of the general population and
34 percent of asthmatics report headaches, breathing
difficulties, or other health problems when exposed to air
fresheners or deodorizers.
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