Toxic Chemicals in Air Fresheners
Air fresheners are seemingly everywhere in today’s society, including in the workplace, public restrooms, schools, homes, and automobiles. While they may be called “air fresheners,” the name is somewhat misleading. Contrary to how it appears, air fresheners in many cases do not actually improve air quality by removing impurities. While some air freshener products claim they can do just that, when asked for data to back up their claims, manufacturers were unable to provide public data and information.[1]
Most of us are familiar with outdoor air pollution, but did you know that the air inside our homes can be more toxic than the air outside?[2] Common household products like air fresheners, cleaning products, personal care products, and even furniture contribute significantly to indoor air pollution (along with other sources like appliances, radon, building materials, and outdoor sources).[3] Indoor air quality is important because between school, the workplace, and our homes, people today tend to spend up to 90 percent of their time indoors.[4]
Air fresheners are a source of indoor air pollution and either directly emit or cause the formation of numerous substances associated with negative health effects. In studies measuring the different substances that air fresheners emit, researchers have found numerous chemicals associated with toxic effects. These include: volatile organic compounds (VOCs),[5] benzene,[6] formaldehyde,[7] toluene,[8] m,p-xylene,[9] phthalates,[10] and more. For example, formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, has been measured at high levels. Levels were found to be even higher when air quality was measured during simultaneous use of multiple scented products (cleaning products, air fresheners, and perfume).[11] High concentrations of VOCs[12] have been measured in the emissions from numerous air freshener types too, including sprays, plug-ins, solids, and more.[13]
Some indoor air pollutants associated with air fresheners aren’t substances emitted directly from the air freshener. In such cases, primary ingredients mix with ozone (a common indoor and outdoor pollutant) and create new substances, which are called secondary pollutants. Some secondary pollutants associated with air freshener use include: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, picric acid, and methyl vinyl ketone. These secondary pollutants are also concerns for human health.[14]
Air freshener chemicals can also stick to and be absorbed by furniture, walls and surfaces, carpets, and more. They can then be released and re-enter indoor air even after the air freshener is no longer in use.[15]
Ingredient Disclosure
If you’ve ever taken a look at air freshener packaging, you’ve likely noticed that labels only include vague terms like “fragrance” and “odor eliminator.” In many cases, there may be no ingredients listed whatsoever.
Companies are legally allowed to keep fragrance ingredients confidential because they’re deemed trade secrets by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Trade secret status exempts them from requirements about listing ingredients on product packaging, which is why air freshener packaging contains little to no information about what’s truly inside the product.
A lack of fragrance ingredient disclosure is problematic because numerous substances known to be found within fragrances (like those listed below) are associated with health impacts.[16] Without listing ingredients on the label, it is impossible for consumers to know what substances they might be exposed to..
Ingredients of Concern
Air fresheners contain synthetic fragrance ingredients to impart a scent, but they also contain other ingredients including those that suspend or bind the fragrance to the liquid, gel, or solid substrate; those that disperse the fragrance; and those that preserve the product. In fact, some of the unscented ingredients (like solvents) can be emitted in even higher concentrations.[17]
This list below includes common synthetic fragrance ingredients, other air freshener ingredients, and secondary pollutants:
1,4-Diclorobenzene (1,4 DB): a VOC that may impair lung function. Impairment of lung function is of special concern for those who have asthma or other respiratory illnesses, especially children.[18]
Acetaldehyde: a probable carcinogen.[19]
Benzene: a known carcinogen and developmental and reproductive toxin.[20]
d-Limonene: associated with skin and eye irritation This substance is a sensitizer, which means it’s likely to increase the odds of a future allergic reaction.[21]
Formaldehyde: a known carcinogen.[22]
Parabens: linked to breast cancer and effects associated with hormone disruption.
Phthalates: associated with effects from endocrine disruption, including damage to the female reproductive system, birth defects, and lower sperm counts.
Styrene: associated with cancer and neurotoxicity.[23]
Toluene: linked to developmental[24] and reproductive toxicity.[25]
Xylene: linked to the effects of central nervous system depression, like headache, dizziness, depression, and impaired short-term memory.[26]
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): substances that readily become vapors or gases. Because a wide range of substances are known as VOCs, the associated health impacts span a wide range. Numerous VOCs are known to be toxic. (Some of the other substances on this list are VOCs.)[27]
Tips for Choosing a Safer, Fresher Indoor Air Freshener
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Shop MADE SAFE Certified Products.
- Remove conventional air fresheners. We know it might be tough to hear, but removing air fresheners (and other fragrances like scented candles and cleaners) will leave your home not only more pleasant for friends and family, but also healthier.
- Get to the source of the stink. If there is an unpleasant odor in your home that you feel like you need to cover up, get to the source of the problem. Baking soda is a safe way to absorb odors. If you have an odor you can’t shake, leave small bowls of baking soda around the house for a few days. Baking soda is also great in refrigerators, in the bottom of garbage cans and bags, and in other areas where needed. Baking soda absorbs odors instead of masking them, so make sure to replace it periodically.
- Practice safe scents. If you’ve gotten to the source of any odor issues and you still want to fragrance your home, use safer methods. This can include essential oil home sprays, beeswax candles scented using essential oils, or simmer pots using fruit, herbs and spices where the ingredients are fully disclosed.
- Remember: Most people actually want fragrance-free air. In studies measuring people’s preferences, the majority of people prefer fragrance-free air including in workplace, businesses, airplanes, hotels and beyond.[28] This means that while the air freshener may smell great to you, your friends and co-workers likely prefer fragrance-free air! (Also keep in mind that a large number of people experience health effects from being exposed to fragrance – some of the most common being headaches and respiratory problems.[29])
- Properly ventilate your appliances to avoid lingering food smells (and exposure to particulate matter). If you can’t vent to the outdoors, install a recirculating appliance vent that sucks up air, purifies it, and releases it back into the air of your home. If this is not possible, open your kitchen window while you are cooking.
- Surround yourself with greenery. Air filtering plants like the spider plant, golden pothos, the snake plant, and the peace lily can improve indoor air quality as these plants literally filter the air naturally. (If you have children or pets, check for toxicity warnings first.) [30]
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to suck up settled particles to avoid recirculating them into the air, and vacuum often. Old, inefficient vacuums can just kick up pollutant particles that have settled on the floor.[31]
- Open the windows. On good outdoor air quality days, open up the windows to bring in fresh air. We recommend this practice in the winter too – even if it’s just for a few minutes.
- Keep things clean. By regularly cleaning the usual culprits of stink (think: toilets, appliances, and areas used by pets), you can prevent odors before they start.
- Be wary of “all natural” and “green” claims on air fresheners. These marketing tactics have no legal or regulatory status, so remember to dig deeper to ensure the product is truly safe.
- In public places like workplaces and schools, garner support by sharing information about artificial fragrance’s contribution to indoor air pollution (like this article), fragrance’s impact on health, and sample fragrance-free policies (like these sample workplace[32] and sample school policies[33] from the American Lung Association).
References
[1] Steinemann, Anne. “Ten Questions Concerning Air Fresheners and Indoor Built Environments.” Building and Environment, 5 Nov. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334#section-cited-by.
[2] EPA. “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality.” EPA, 22 June 2023, www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/inside-story-guide-indoor-air-quality.
[3] Kelly, Tom, and John Sobolewski. “Linking Public Health, Housing, and Indoor Environmental Policy: Successes and Challenges at Local and Federal Agencies in the United States.” Environmental Health Perspectives, 1 June 2007, ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.8990.
[4] EPA. “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality.” EPA, 22 June 2023, www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/inside-story-guide-indoor-air-quality.
[5] SCHER. (2006, January 27). Emission of chemicals by air fresheners Tests on 74 consumer products sold in Europe. SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/docs/scher_o_098.pdf
[6] Jo, W.-K., Lee, J.-H., & Kim, M.-K. (2007, September 21). Head-space, small-chamber and in-vehicle tests for volatile organic compounds (vocs) emitted from Air Fresheners for the Korean market. Chemosphere. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653507010399
[7] Trantallidi, M., Dimitroulopoulou, C., Wolkoff, P., Kephalopoulos, S., & Carrer, P. (2015). EPHECT III: Health risk assessment of exposure to household consumer products. The Science of the total environment, 536, 903–913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.123
[8] SCHER. (2006, January 27). Emission of chemicals by air fresheners Tests on 74 consumer products sold in Europe. SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/docs/scher_o_098.pdf
[9] Jo, W.-K., Lee, J.-H., & Kim, M.-K. (2007, September 21). Head-space, small-chamber and in-vehicle tests for volatile organic compounds (vocs) emitted from Air Fresheners for the Korean market. Chemosphere. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653507010399
[10] Cohen, A., Janssen, S., & Solomon, G. (2007, September). NRDC Issue Paper September 2007 clearing the Air. Natural Resources Defense Council. https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/airfresheners.pdf
[11] Trantallidi, M., Dimitroulopoulou, C., Wolkoff, P., Kephalopoulos, S., & Carrer, P. (2015). EPHECT III: Health risk assessment of exposure to household consumer products. The Science of the total environment, 536, 903–913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.123
[12] SCHER. (2006, January 27). Emission of chemicals by air fresheners Tests on 74 consumer products sold in Europe. SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/docs/scher_o_098.pdf
[13] Steinemann, Anne. “Ten Questions Concerning Air Fresheners and Indoor Built Environments.” Building and Environment, 5 Nov. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334#section-cited-by.
[14] Kim, S., Hong, S. H., Bong, C. K., & Cho, M. H. (2015). Characterization of air freshener emission: the potential health effects. The Journal of toxicological sciences, 40(5), 535–550. https://doi.org/10.2131/jts.40.535
[15] Steinemann, Anne. “Ten Questions Concerning Air Fresheners and Indoor Built Environments.” Building and Environment, 5 Nov. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334#section-cited-by.
[16] Uhde, E., & Shulz, N. (2014, November 11). Impact of room fragrance products on Indoor Air Quality. Atmospheric Environment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1352231014008796
[17] Uhde, E., & Shulz, N. (2014, November 11). Impact of room fragrance products on Indoor Air Quality. Atmospheric Environment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1352231014008796
[18] Elliott, L., Longnecker, M. P., Kissling, G. E., & London, S. J. (2006). Volatile organic
compounds and pulmonary function in the Third National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Environmental health perspectives, 114(8), 1210–1214.
https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9019
[19] EPA. (2000). Acetaldehyde - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/acetaldehyde.pdf
[20] OEHHA. (1987). Benzene. Oehha.ca.gov. https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/benzene
[21] SCHER. (2006, January 27). Emission of chemicals by air fresheners Tests on 74 consumer products sold in Europe. SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. https://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/docs/scher_o_098.pdf
[22] OEHHA. (1988). Formaldehyde (gas) OEHHA, Oehha.ca.gov. https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/formaldehyde-gas
[23] OEHHA. (2016). Styrene. Oehha.ca.gov. https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/styrene
[24] OEHHA. (1991). Toluene. Oehha.ca.gov. https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/toluene
[25] ATSDR. (2021, February 10). Public health statements. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHSLanding.aspx?id=159&tid=29
[26] Kandyala, R., Raghavendra, S. P., & Rajasekharan, S. T. (2010). Xylene: An overview of its health hazards and preventive measures. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology: JOMFP, 14(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-029X.64299
[27] EPA. “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality.” EPA, 22 June 2023, www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/inside-story-guide-indoor-air-quality.
[28] Steinemann, A. Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions. Air Qual Atmos Health 9, 861–866 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-016-0442-z
[29] Steinemann A. (2016). Health and societal effects from exposure to fragranced consumer
products. Preventive medicine reports, 5, 45–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.01
[30] Wolverton, B. C., Johnson, A., & Bounds, K. (1989). Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement - NASA technical reports server (NTRS). NASA. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19930073077
[31] Roberts, J. W., Glass, G., & Mickelson, L. (2005). A pilot study of the measurement and control of deep dust, surface dust, and lead in 10 old carpets using the 3-spot test while vacuuming. Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 48(1), 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-003-0224-0
[32] ALA. (2013). Sample fragrance-free policy - American lung association. American Lung Association. https://action.lung.org/site/DocServer/fragrance-free-workplace.pdf
[33] APA. (2013). Sample fragrance-free policy - American lung association. American Lung Association. https://action.lung.org/site/DocServer/fragrance-free-workplace.pdf
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