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Is it true that some ingredients in common air
fresheners can cause health problems?
Air fresheners are a $1.72 billion industry in the
United States. An estimated 75 percent of homes use them regularly.
According to a September 2007 report released by the Natural Resources
Defense Council, most common household air fresheners contain potentially
noxious chemicals that degrade the quality of indoor air and may even
affect hormones and reproductive development, particularly in babies.
As part of its “Clearing the Air” study,
NRDC researchers tested 14 brands of common household air fresheners and
found that 12 contained chemicals known as phthalates. Only two, Febreze
Air Effects and Renuzit Subtle Effects, contained no detectable levels of
phthalates. Products testing positive included ones marketed as
“all-natural” and “unscented.” None of the brands
tested listed phthalates on the label.
Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can
be particularly dangerous for young children and unborn babies. Like some
other manmade chemicals, phthalates can affect normal hormonal processes
— those that control brain, nervous-system, and immune-system
development; reproduction; mental processing; and metabolism — by
blocking them altogether, throwing off the timing or mimicking natural
hormones and interacting with cells themselves, with unhealthy
consequences. The state of California notes that five types of phthalates
— including one commonly used in air-freshener products — are
“known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.”
Despite these issues, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration does not regulate the use of phthalates or require the
labeling of phthalate content on products. Other governments take the
phthalate threat more seriously. The European Union forbids the most
harmful phthalates in cosmetics or toys, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is
expected to soon sign similar legislation for his state. The NRDC bemoans the fact that the U.S. government
does not test air fresheners for safety or require manufacturers to meet
specific health standards. “More than anything, our research
highlights cracks in our safety system,” says Dr. Gina Solomon, a
senior NRDC scientist. “Consumers have a right to know what is put
into air fresheners and other everyday products they bring into their
homes,” she says, adding that the government should keep a watchful
eye on potentially dangerous products. In conjunction with the study, the NRDC — along
with the Sierra Club, the Alliance for Healthy Homes, and the National
Center for Healthy Housing — is petitioning federal agencies to start
assessing the risk posed to consumers by air fresheners by testing all
products now on the market. The NRDC has already begun working directly
with some manufacturers to find ways to eliminate phthalates from these
products. The NRDC recommends that consumers be selective and
purchase only air fresheners that have the least amount of phthalates.
Better yet, the group suggests that consumers first try to reduce household
odors by tending to their root causes or improving ventilation rather than
masking them. “The best way to avoid the problem is to simply open a
window instead of reaching for one of these cans,” Solomon concludes.
For more information:
Natural Resources Defense Council,
www.nrdc.org/health/home/airfresheners.asp.
Send questions to Earth Talk, care of E/The Environmental Magazine,
P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881 or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.
This article appears in Oct 25-31, 2007.
