*From newsmax
*
*Toxic Chemicals Found in Common Household Products*
A University of Washington study of top-selling laundry products and air
fresheners found the products emitted dozens of different chemicals. All
six products 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. "And I wanted to know, 'What's in these products that is
causing these effects?'"
She analyzed the products to discover the chemicals' identity.
"I was surprised by both the number and the potential toxicity of the
chemicals that were found," Steinemann said. Chemicals 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," Steinemann said.
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 the product's surface
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."
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.
"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."
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