Why are air fresheners bad for the environment? Air fresheners can impact indoor air quality by adding potentially hazardous pollutants to the air. The use of air fresheners is associated with elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) , such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes, in indoor air.
Do air fresheners cause more harm than good?
Studies are increasingly showing that chemicals in fragrance are harming our health, particularly the health of women and children. One study of pregnant women showed a link between the use of air fresheners and aerosol sprays and an increase in headaches and depression in the mothers, as well as ear infections and diarrhea in their babies.
How dangerous are air fresheners?
What’s in Air Freshener
- According to the EPA1, air freshener contains four basic ingredients: formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, aerosol propellants, and p-dichlorobenzene.
- Petroleum distillates come from petrochemical manufacturing, which contribute to air, soil, and groundwater pollution. ...
- Aerosol propellants can harm earth’s ozone layer. ...
Why are air fresheners harmful?
- Febreze and other chemical air fresheners do not remove the odor molecules -they simply cover them up. ...
- Febreze contains chemicals linked to cancer.
- Febreze contains chemicals linked to hormone disruption and developmental problems.
- Febreze contains chemicals linked to neurotoxicity, which means the chemicals are poisonous to the nerves or nerve cells.
Is air freshener bad for your health?
Let’s face it – air fresheners are pleasant to smell but bad for your health. The way to go is all-natural, or, if that idea isn’t appealing, to limit your exposure to traditional air fresheners. Failing to do so can cause a plethora of unpleasant effects that can prove to be life-altering.
What is the disadvantage of air freshener?
Not a Cure. Most air fresheners do not address the source of the odor, but simply cover up the bad smell. Some air fresheners will eliminate bad odor, but if the smell is coming from old garbage or food, then the smell will return as the air freshener wears off—which means using more air freshener.
Are air fresheners air pollution?
Air fresheners are a source of indoor air pollution. Air fresheners emit or cause the formation of numerous substances associated with negative health effects like cancer, neurotoxicity, and effects from endocrine disruption.
Are air fresheners unhealthy?
The EPA's air quality guide lists this chemical as toxic since its vapors can affect respiratory function. Likewise, the U.S. National Institute of Health Sciences reported that the chemicals in air fresheners can reduce lung capacity and may hasten respiratory diseases [source: ScienceDaily].
Why are plug in air fresheners bad for you?
Compounding the risks posed by formaldehyde, most major brands of plug-in air fresheners contain a chemical known as naphthalene. They have shown that Naphthalene can cause tissue damage and cancer in the lungs of rodents in laboratory studies. It's plausible to assume that it causes similar effects in humans.
What can I use instead of air fresheners?
7 Natural Ways to Freshen Any RoomPomander Balls. I gift pomander balls during the holiday season, but they're more than a sweet homemade gesture. ... Essential Oils. Essential oils are natural deodorizers. ... Baking Soda. ... Coffee. ... Vinegar. ... Fragrant House Plants. ... Natural Candles.
What is the safest air freshener to use?
4 Of the Best Non-Toxic Plug-In Air Fresheners for Your HomeScent Fill. ... Enviroscent. ... Airomé ... Aura Cacia. ... Aura Cacia Aromatherapy Car Diffuser. ... Plant Therapy Portable Diffuser with Travel Pack. ... Plant Therapy Multi-Crystal Carfresh Diffuser.
Is Febreze toxic?
No. Contrary to popular belief, Febreze is NOT toxic. We thoroughly check that our ingredients are safe, both on their own and as part of the combined formula, through years of safety testing and collaborations with global safety agencies. Learn more about how Febreze works here.
Can you leave plug in air fresheners on all the time?
The answer is simple: yes, plug-in air fresheners are entirely safe to leave plugged in. The reason is simple: the electrical current going through an outlet is far more powerful than that coming from an air freshener plugged into it.
Are glade plugins toxic?
However, Glade's plug-ins, spray air fresheners, candles, and other products still contain other known toxins like paraffin, VOCs, and more. For this reason, we can't recommend using Glade's products, especially when there are so many other great non-toxic alternatives available.
Are Glade air fresheners toxic?
Although Glade's sprays, candles, and air fresheners are marketed as clean and refreshing, independent investigations have showed that Glade's products are loaded with secret, potentially toxic chemicals.
Why do we need air freshener?
An air freshener helps in removing these odours to make sure the bathroom always smells fresh and clean. Automatic air fresheners are also great as they help prevent odours occurring in the first place. By regularly releasing pleasant smells into the air, it masks any unpleasant odours before and after they occur.
Is Air Wick essential mist safe?
Yes, when used as directed, the product can be used around children and pets (except birds). However, this product should not be used directly on pets.
Is Febreze air bad for the environment?
A test by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that this product, like most synthetic air fresheners, releases a number of potentially harmful ingredients.
What is meant by indoor air pollution?
Indoor air pollution refers to chemical, biological and physical contamination of indoor air. It may result in adverse health effects.
Is Febreze environmentally friendly?
Febreze is a very popular air freshener. Yet it's loaded with toxic chemicals that can cause real harm when you breathe them in. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) grades Febreze products anywhere from a C to an F.
Are Glade air fresheners toxic?
Are Glade Air Freshener Sprays Toxic? Glade carries a variety of different fragrance sprays, including their Automatic Sprays, aerosol Room Sprays, and fragrance “Mists.” These cannot be considered non-toxic either, as they contain many known toxins like methylisothiazolinone, PEGs, and VOCs.
How do air fresheners affect indoor air quality?
Air fresheners can impact indoor air quality by adding potentially hazardous pollutants to the air. The use of air fresheners is associated with elevated levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes, in indoor air. These VOCs are often difficult to smell in the air, but they can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as cause headaches and nausea. The types and amounts of VOCs emitted depend primarily on the fragrance composition of the air freshener, not on the type of air freshener. It can be difficult or impossible to find out the ingredients in air fresheners, because manufacturers are not required to disclose the complete list of ingredients.
Why do people use air fresheners?
Many people often turn to air fresheners (such as sprays, candles, incense, diffusers, etc.) to mask or remove unpleasant odors. However, air fresheners contain a variety of chemical, and sometimes biological, components that can be problematic for some individuals and can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
What are some alternatives to using air fresheners?
Air fresheners are generally used to create a more pleasing indoor air environment, but they can also exacerbate indoor air quality problems by adding more chemicals to the air. Ways to mitigate undesirable odors in an indoor air environment without the use of air fresheners include:
How do air fresheners add VOCs?
Air fresheners can add VOCs and other pollutants to the air through direct emissions from fresheners as well as through secondary reaction products from the freshener chemicals reacting with constituents (such as ozone) that are already in the air. For example, air freshener emissions can react with naturally-occurring indoor air compounds, such as ozone, to produce secondary pollutants such as formaldehyde. The types and amounts of secondary pollutants produced are influenced by factors such as air freshener ingredients, concentrations, and product usage.
What are the factors that influence secondary pollutants?
The types and amounts of secondary pollutants produced are influenced by factors such as air freshener ingredients, concentrations, and product usage.
How to increase ventilation?
increasing ventilation by opening a window or using an exhaust fan
What are the effects of a low exposure to a sulfate solution?
These effects may include migraine headaches, asthma attacks, breathing and respiratory difficulties, dermatitis, and neurological problems particularly for sensitive individuals.
Why are air fresheners bad for you?
Health problems are thought to occur from the chemicals in the air fresheners and from their secondary pollutants. Secondary pollutants are formed when a product’s chemicals combine with the ozone already in the air. Even when these products are used as directed, there are concerns about health problems with repeated exposure.
How does air freshener affect the skin?
Getting air freshener on the skin can cause some irritation and redness. Typically, the discomfort goes away after washing the area well. Fragrances are known to cause allergic-type skin reactions, so a rash is also possible. Small amounts of air freshener in the eye are expected to cause redness and irritation, but these effects should resolve within an hour after a thorough irrigation with water. Medical evaluation should be obtained if eyes are not back to normal about an hour after irrigation. Briefly inhaling a small amount of a spray air freshener might cause some coughing, choking, or difficulty catching the breath. These effects should get better quickly with fresh air.
How many air freshener beads did a 2-year-old swallow?
Case 3: A 2-year-old girl swallowed up to 20 air freshener beads, became very drowsy, and had a low heart rate. These symptoms lasted for days and the girl needed hospitalization for medical care.
How long does it take for air freshener to go away?
Small amounts of air freshener in the eye are expected to cause redness and irritation, but these effects should resolve within an hour after a thorough irrigation with water. Medical evaluation should be obtained if eyes are not back to normal about an hour after irrigation.
What is an air freshener?
Air fresheners have been used to mask unpleasant odors for decades. The first type developed for home use were aerosols. These products are sprayed into the air and create a fine mist of fragrance that lingers. When the use of aerosols became unpopular due to health and environmental concerns, manufacturers responded by reformulating air fresheners as scented oils, reed diffusers, solids, and gels. High-tech versions are heat activated or can automatically spray into the air throughout the day. Even the names of the fragrances have been revamped. Traditional scents such as "rose" or "lemon" have been replaced with more exotic sounding names such as "Tahitian spring mist" or "dewy citrus orchard."
Why are sulfate beads dangerous?
The beads are more dangerous than other formulations because they are easy to swallow, can be swallowed in large quantities, and contain enough VOCs to cause serious effects. Symptoms can last a long time because the beads slowly dissolve in the intestine causing a prolonged release of the toxic chemicals.
What is the difference between gel and aerosol spray?
Solid air fresheners, such as the cone-type products, typically contain the fragrance embedded in wax. Gel products, such as the evaporating beads , allow slow evaporation that prolongs the presence of the fragrance. Aerosols sprays use compressed gas propellants like butane ...
Unregulated and Untested
A 2007 study of 14 common household air fresheners by the environmental group NRDC uncovered that the majority of air fresheners contain chemicals which can aggravate asthma and affect reproductive development.
Chemical Cocktails
Exposure to the following chemicals in air fresheners can have a cumulative effect on health:
Better Ways to Freshen Your Home
There are many simple and effective ways to decrease the health risks associated with chemical air fresheners and keep your home smelling fresh as spring. Air freshener alternatives include:
Are Air Fresheners Toxic?
In our modern world, many people use store purchased air fresheners as a means to create a pleasant fragrance in the home. These devices come in many forms and are a common feature in many homes, often in the form of plug-in air fresheners from major companies. Other common forms include automatic misting devices, heated oils, and synthetic gels.
What Chemicals Are In Air Fresheners?
The presence of certain VOCs has caused concern amongst many scientists and health agencies to be less than complimentary about air freshener usage.
Health Impacts From Air Fresheners
Could air fresheners be making you unwell? Let’s now have a look at a few of the potential impacts that air fresheners may have on our bodies.
Healthy Ways To Keep The Home Fresh
If air fresheners are not to be used, then what are some healthy ways to improve the air quality in your home? There are a few ways we can safely create good quality air conditions for our indoor spaces.
Conclusion
Individuals that are sensitive to the VOCs produced by air fresheners may present with significant symptom profiles upon exposure. However, even if some people may be able to tolerate the compounds from air freshers without too much of a noticeable impact, it is worth considering that they could still be affecting health in subtle ways.
What was the NRDC's air freshener in 2007?
Interestingly enough, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) also tested 14 different air fresheners in 2007, including Febreze, and found they contained phthalates, which are hormone-disrupting chemicals and have been linked with childhood asthma.
What is the chemical that is linked to allergies?
Propylene glycol: linked with allergies and skin and eye irritation. 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol: also used in flame retardants, resins, plastics, and rubber; has been linked with cancer in animal studies, according to the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Is Febreze safe for schools?
The EWG evaluated Febreze in 2009 to determine its safety as a school cleaning supply. Results showed that the product (Hawaiian Aloha option) released 89 air contaminants, including one carcinogen. Yet the manufacturer discloses only three of those ingredients.
Does Febreze remove odor?
Febreze and other chemical air fresheners do not remove the odor molecules -they simply cover them up. The odor molecules are still there, you just can’t detect them anymore. So after spraying the product, you’re not only inhaling the odor molecules, but the air freshener chemicals as well. Febreze contains chemicals linked to cancer.
Can you use febreze to get a nice smelling room?
Every time I use febreze I get a serious headache and it really isn’t worth that trouble to get a nice smelling room house etc.., you can just get a nice smelling room bye opening a window and burning a candle.
Does Air Freshener have a propellant?
According to the label, the air freshener contains only an odor eliminator, water, fragrance, non-flammable natural propellant, and quality control ingredients.
Does Fabreeze give you headaches?
Same as Gail, Fabreeze gives me instant headaches. I asked that it be removed at work.
