Volatile
Organic Compounds:
The Health Dangers of VOCs, Where They are Hiding & How to Avoid Them
by www.SixWise.com
Products that you use in
your home and office every day emit gases that can harm your health, both right
away and after extended exposure. These gases are known as volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), and they're emitted from a whole slew of items so much so
that there's a pretty good chance your new home, office, car -- even that shiny
new airplane you took your last business trip in -- are literally bathing you
in a chemical cocktail.
|
According to the
Environmental Protection Agency, concentrations of VOCs are consistently up to
10 times higher indoors than outdoors. Other studies have found that certain
organic compounds average levels two to five times higher in indoor air than
outdoor air.
What is most shocking,
however, is that immediately after using certain products, such as paint
stripper, studies have found that VOCs may be 1,000 times higher than
background outdoor levels.
VOCs: Here, There and
Everywhere
Part of the problem with
VOCs is that they are so prolific in our environment.
Sources of VOCs Include…
|
New materials, such as
those used in new homes and cars, tend to outgas more VOCs than older
materials, and may decrease in VOCs as time goes by.
For instance, according to
researchers of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research
Organization (CSIRO), "Total VOCs in the indoor air of new buildings is on
average 20 to 40 mg per m 3, while established buildings have VOC levels
generally below 1 mg per m 3."
In fact, it is the heavy
mixture of VOCs that gives new vehicles their characteristic new car smell.
Automakers do try to limit the most potent VOC-emitting items; however, the
result is that the cars may no longer have the smell many consumers love --
good for your health, but potentially bad for business.
Automakers have come up
with a quick fix, though, and may add artificial "new car smell" or
"treated leather" fragrances to vehicles.
VOCs' Health-Harming
Ways
While some VOCs cause no
known health effects, others are known to be highly toxic. Their effects vary
and are dependent upon several factors including:
·
The
length of time you're exposed to them
·
The
rate at which the VOC is off-gassed
·
The
building's ventilation capacity
·
Whether
you're exposed to a combination of chemicals (these effects are largely
unknown)
Perchloroethylene is a
cancer-causing VOC used in dry cleaning. Look for environmentally friendly
cleaners that do not use this toxic chemical. |
Acute symptoms of VOC
exposure include:
·
Eye
irritation/watering
·
Nose
and throat irritation
·
Headaches
·
Nausea/vomiting
·
Dizziness
·
Asthma
exacerbation
·
Allergic
skin reaction
·
Memory
impairment
·
Visual
disorders
However, over time, VOCs
can lead to many serious conditions including:
·
Cancer
·
Damage
to the liver, kidney and central nervous system
·
Loss
of coordination
People with respiratory
problems such as asthma, young children, the elderly, and people with
heightened sensitivity to chemicals may be more at risk from VOC health
effects. CSIRO found, though, that anyone could experience acute symptoms at
exposure to concentrations above about 10 mg per m3.
Remember, new buildings may
average VOC levels at 20 to 40 mg per m 3, and the CSIRO report found total VOC
concentrations for new cars to be as high as 64 mg per m3 of air. After a few
weeks, this level fell to 2.1 mg per m3, and to about 1.5 mg per m3 after six
months.
One caveat, as the
temperature rose, so did the total VOC concentrations in the cars.
|
Reduce Your VOC Exposure
Now
According to the EPA,
"At present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the
levels of organics usually found in homes." That said, reducing your
exposure as much as possible is a prudent measure to protect the health of
yourself and your loved ones. Here are a number of tips that you can put into
action today:
·
Use
only natural cleaning supplies in your home. At Sixwise.com, we carry an entire
line of environmentally friendly, petrochemical-free
cleaning products for your upholstery, carpets, glass, dishes and more --
and, as it contains no toxic ingredients, it won't compromise your indoor air
quality.
·
Purchase
new home and office products that contain low or no VOCs (look for
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing).
·
Use
potentially hazardous products outside or in areas equipped with exhaust fans.
At the very least, open windows and use fans to keep air circulating.
·
Watch
the temperature and humidity: as these increase, so will the off-gassing of
chemicals.
·
Filter
your home's air with a high-quality air filter like the Pionair
Smart Pointe Air Treatment System. The SMART POINTE uses the same
technology as the original PIONAIR system, with the added benefit of actively-generated
negative ions. These actively-generated negative ions clear the air of
particulate FASTER than the original PIONAIR system. Therefore, the PIONAIR
SMART POINTE is effective against particulate such as pollen, dust, pet dander,
and smoke, as well as mold, mildew, organic odors, and chemical vapors (such as
formaldehyde).
·
Dispose
of partially used chemicals. Vapors can leak even from closed containers. When
you purchase chemicals, purchase only the amount you will use right away.
Contact your city or county for proper disposal of household hazardous wastes.
·
Choose
an environmentally friendly dry cleaner, like Greener Cleaners.
Perchloroethylene, the chemical most widely used in dry cleaning, is a VOC
known to cause cancer in animals. Studies have found that people do breathe in
low levels of this chemical while wearing dry-cleaned clothing and in homes
where the clothing is stored. Environmentally friendly cleaners do not use this
chemical, so ask about it before dropping your clothing off for cleaning.
Recommended Reading
Organophosphates:
What You Don't Know Can Indeed Hurt You
The Toxic
Chemicals Most Linked to Depression
Sources
U.S. EPA: Sources of
Indoor Air Pollution
Minnesota
Department of Health: VOCs in Your Home
Chemical
and Engineering News: New Car Smell