Key Takeaways

Air freshener betray like gangbusters in the United States . Around 75 percentage of American home use some soma of them , wring up more than $ 1 billion in profits for the industry [ source : NRDC ] . In fact , since 2003 , sales have doubled as the market has extend to bid self-coloured , aerosoland chew - in varieties in a smorgasbord of scents .

But the domesticated fragrances and odor neutralizers have also received a bad whang for their chemical stewpots . Environmental groups repeatedly warn against using many type of air fresheners , citing a leaning of pollutant they lay claim can threaten our health . At the same time , industry representatives maintain that strain freshener pose no hazard . U.S. government organizations , such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and theEnvironmental Protection Agency , have not ruled on whether they should be legal since studies on their wellness effects are scarce .

A 2007 discipline by the National Resource Defense Council ( NRDC ) spiked this public disputation . In testing 14 unlike air fresheners sold at a Walgreens drug store , the study concluded that many contained chemicals that could cause developmental and reproductive job , particularly for infants [ origin : NRDC ] . It highlighted the presence ofphthalates , chemicals that manufacturers use as plastic softener and to hold fragrancy . California and Washington have banish the sale of children ’s toy dog contain phthalates because of their connexion to hormonal break in additional study on animals .

Although the organization did n’t call for the removal of the aviation fresheners from the market , it position off a wave of mixed reactions . Walgreens , for instance , remove three of its generic brand air fresheners that the work found had the high horizontal surface of phthalates [ author : Meersman ] . Some , however , hollo the NRDC testing function into question since it did n’t take into write up factors such as the size of the room it is dispensed in , a person ’s aloofness from the product and the time they abide in a elbow room [ source : Masters ] .

But the leaning of potential air freshener thorn does n’t stop there . On the next pageboy , we ’ll cover the other offender and instinctive way you could hold odors at home base .

Main Chemicals in Air Fresheners

accord to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) , most store - grease one’s palms melodic line fresheners consist offormaldehyde , petrochemical , p - dichlorobenzene and aerosol pollutants [ germ : EPA ] . The agency ’s " Indoor Guide to Air Quality " also observe that melodic line freshener " release pollutants more or less unendingly " [ reference : EPA ] .

The University of California at Berkeley performed a study on air fresheners and menage cleaners in 2006 that discoveredethylene - base glycol ethers , classify by the EPA as wild air pollutant [ informant : ScienceDaily ] . It also discover the presence ofterpenes , which are chemical substance often derive from citrus rock oil that are not inherently dangerous , but react withozoneto form methanal [ source : UC Berkeley ] . While these conclusions may seem like cause for alarm , the study also report that health - related issue would apply mostly to professional sign of the zodiac cleansing agent or janitor who are exposed to high spirit level of the products [ source : ScienceDaily ] .

One of the alive component in mothballs,1,4 dichlorobenzene , also is present in many breeze freshener . The EPA ’s air character guide lists this chemical substance as toxic since its vapour can dissemble respiratory procedure . alike , the U.S. National Institute of Health Sciences report that the chemical in gentle wind fresheners can cut lung capacity and may expedite respiratory diseases [ source : ScienceDaily ] .

Along those same short letter , there is likely a correlativity between air fresheners and asthma attack problems . A University of Washington study on chemic hypersensitivity polled people about their reactions to air freshener . Around a third of the player with asthma allege melodic phrase fresheners will exacerbate their condition , and 40 percentage reacted negatively to scented products in general [ source : Caress and Steinemann ] .

This could be link to that combination of sealed chemicals in air freshener and ozone that imprint methanal [ reference : Caress and Steinemann ] . Why so many honorable mention of formaldehyde ? The gas can leave to impaired ventilation in people and can cause cancer in animals [ source : EPA ] .

Nevertheless , the EPA has not send word against buying air freshener , but rather that mass should work out care with usage . That ’s because many of the chemical substance - relate studies model higher levels of indoor ozone and air freshener consumption than unremarkably occurs in homes . Also , some companies now sell " greener " air fresheners for consumers who are implicated about the wellness effect with lowered levels of pollutants .

If you still are n’t satisfied with your melodic phrase freshener options , you could take the natural path . Proper ventilation , along with baking soda , java ground or Citrus limon Robert Peel ( try grind them up in your disposal ) can all disperse and wipe out peevish odors .

For more info about air fresheners , follow your nose to the connectedness on the next Thomas Nelson Page .

­

Frequently Asked Questions

Lots More Information

Sources