That Not-So-Fresh Feeling
Photo by Gerd George/Getty Images
From LOHAS: “Many cleaners, air fresheners may pose health risks when used indoors.”
When used indoors under certain conditions, many common household cleaners and air fresheners emit toxic pollutants at levels that may lead to health risks, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Exposure levels to some of the pollutants—and to the secondary pollutants formed when some of the products mix with ozone—may exceed regulatory guidelines when a large surface is cleaned in a small room or when the products are used regularly, resulting in chronic exposure, according to the study
The study is the first to measure emissions and concentrations of primary and secondary toxic compounds produced by these products under typical indoor use conditions, and it examines the potential hazards of small-scale yet widespread utilization of an array of products designed for household use.
My scientific opinion: D’oh.
