Products you probably have in your home are giving off chemicals into the air that cause cancer. And, chances are, the carcinogenic ingredients aren’t even listed on the packages.
Research at the Melbourne School of Engineering in Australia, indicates that a wide variety of household items containing fragrances release airborne carcinogens. And even when the products are labeled “all-natural,” or “green,” they may be dangerous to your health.
The research analyzed the actions of 37 common household products, including personal care products, laundry supplies, air fresheners and cleaning products.
The research found that, in total, the items gave off 156 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Each product emitted an average of 15 VOCs. Of these chemicals, 42 are classified as hazardous or toxic according to U.S. Federal regulations. Every product tested gave off at least one chemical classified as toxic or hazardous.
Less than 3 percent of the volatile ingredients discovered in the study were listed on product material safety data sheets (MSDS) or labels.
“The paradox is that most of our exposure to air pollutants occurs indoors and a primary source is consumer products,” says researcher Anne Steinemann. “But the public lacks full and accurate information on the ingredients in these products. Our indoor air environments are essentially unregulated and unmonitored.”
The study found that the most common substances emitted by products with fragrances were chemicals called terpenes. (They were not in fragrance-free products.) Terpenes react with the ozone in indoor air to create other air-borne pollutants including ultrafine particles and formaldehyde.
“Given the lack of information, consumers may choose products with claims such as green, natural, or organic, but those claims are largely untested,” says Steinemann.
She warns that ingredients included in product fragrances do not have to be listed on product packaging even though the fragrance contents may include harmful toxins.
