Harmful Chemicals Linked to Heart Disease and Cancer Found in Common Household Cleaners
- One new study found that many popular household cleaning products can emit hundreds of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
- Exposure to VOCs is linked with health problems such as lung cancer and cardiovascular disease.
- The researchers note that “green” products and those with no fragrances had the lowest levels of emitted VOCs.
- Experts say steps like using low-VOC products or making your own homemade cleaners can reduce exposure.
- It also helps in purchasing products that are certified by the EPA among other groups to be much safer.
There has emerged a new study in Chemosphere, in which over a couple of years the scientists measured emissions from general cleaning products 37 types, air fresheners, multipurpose cleaners as well as glass cleaners. From the finding, it was established that many products have the capability to emit several hundreds of types of VOCs
However, certain categories of cleaning products than others had lower levels of VOCs.
Cleaners labeled “green”, that is, those claiming to be environmentally friendlier, contained less VOCs than the conventional varieties. Also, the ones with no fragrance had lower levels.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency or EPA describes VOCs as chemical compounds with high vapor pressure and low water solubility. It is these qualities that enable the VOCs to evaporate quickly into the air.
According to the EPA, VOCs can build up indoors in a home and linger in the air for a long time. Many of them, however, are known to have both short-term and long-term health consequences; thus, excessive exposure to them becomes a cause for concern.
Type of cleaning products tested
The team of scientists studied 30 products that were purchased from online retailers.
They included 16 conventional, 9 that were green but contained fragrance, and 7 that were both green and fragrance-free.
Among the types of products tested were:
- air fresheners
- laundry stain removers
- all-purpose, carpet, floor, glass, and wood cleaners
They chose the more popular cleaning products by looking at customer reviews on websites such as Amazon as well as by checking what was available.
They put their very own marketing claims to the test, whether they had any sort of certification such as the EPA’s Safer Choice label, in an attempt to determine which cleaners were actually green.
If products were labeled fragrance-free, they took the manufacturer’s word.
Products were labeled “conventional” if they lacked any type of green claims or certifications or if the manufacturer revealed the inclusion of an ingredient of concern, such as 2-butoxyethanol or dyes.
Green and fragrance-free cleaning products emit fewer VOCs
The products were then subjected to air chamber testing in an indoor air quality laboratory.
Dr. Luísa Borges, an environmental scientist and author of the book “How to Do More for the Environment With a Little Help From Science,” explained in an email that this test method was chosen because the researchers had selected it due to its “recognized in previous studies as effective proxies for real-world household cleaning environments.”.
The products were then analyzed to see what VOC emissions from them had in the air samples, and at what concentration.
The team reported finding 530 unique VOCs in the 30 products. Of these, they identified 193 as potentially hazardous.
Green cleaning products tended to emit about half the number of VOCs as conventional ones, the researchers further found.
Fragrance-free green products fared the best, emitting the least amount of VOCs. They emitted about four times fewer VOCs than green products with fragrance, and about eight times fewer VOCs than conventional products containing fragrance.
Cleaners with high VOCs levels may pose health risks
Borges said the study “offers a compelling analysis.
Prolonged exposure to VOCs has been connected with health issues, she said, such as increased risk of lung cancer or higher susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases.
Borges added that these results are very relevant for anyone hoping to improve indoor air quality.
These findings really bring it home-the importance of green cleaning product selection, particularly fragrance-free, since those shown to have significantly lower VOC concentrations compared to their conventional counterpart,” she added.
What people can do to minimize health risks from VOCs
Dr. Lydia Williams, co-founder of AUTOINFU, who also was not part of the research, says one way to cut exposure is by the use of “low VOC” or “VOC-free” cleaning products.
“It’s important to ensure proper ventilation when using any cleaning product,” he added, “by opening windows and doors to disseminate toxic fumes.”.
Dr. Lydia added that homemade solutions, made with items like vinegar and baking soda, are also non-toxic alternatives to cleaning products one might find in stores.
Finally, he said keeping cleaning products out of the reach of children will help lower their exposure to such products.
“By following these measures, individuals can decrease their exposure to VOCs and create a healthier indoor environment for themselves and their families,” said Dr. Lydia.
The EPA also warns that when making purchases of cleaning products, consumers should be wary of trusting products labeled as “environmentally friendly,” “eco-safe,” or “green.”
The practice in question is known as “greenwashing.” This may be misleading and give the impression that the products which people buy are much “greener” than they actually are.
To make it easier to identify products that are truly safer for humans as well as the environment, the EPA maintains a database of products bearing their Safer Choice label.
The Environmental Working Group, whose scientists performed the study, also provides a listing of green cleaning products.
Takeaway
A new study has found that several popular household cleaning products can give off hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Among the most significant health problems to which VOC can expose a person are lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The lowest levels of VOCs, as findings by the researchers showed, were from green products and those without fragrances.
Experts say steps such as low-VOC products or the making of homemade cleaners will reduce exposure.
Aside from that, buying products certified to be much safer by the EPA and other groups will help.
