The EPA lists a number of possible adverse effects of exposure to VOCs including headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage, cancer, and more. Formaldehyde is well documented as a carcinogen, and it is present in significant amounts in many air fresheners.
Inhaling excessive air freshener can cause respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness, eye and throat irritation, nausea, and vomiting. Prolonged exposure may have unknown long-term health effects.
These exposures, even at relatively low levels, have been associated with a range of adverse health effects. These effects may include migraine headaches, asthma attacks, breathing and respiratory difficulties, dermatitis, and neurological problems particularly for sensitive individuals.
car fresheners exploding in people's cars. Air fresheners are very toxic and not good for our health. You should not be masking smells in your car. and definitely not in your homes. Air fresheners admit harmful toxins, so if you want to freshen your space, use an odorless filter.
However, the air fresheners many people use to change their car's smell can emit unwanted, and sometimes dangerous chemicals. These are called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. They are emitted as gases and include a variety of different chemicals, such as acetone, benzene, formaldehyde, etc.
Air fresheners also typically contain formaldehyde, a toxic compound that is definitely linked to cancer of the nose and throat.
Car air freshener allergies are caused by the immune system reacting negatively to one or more volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are naturally-occurring chemicals emitted by almost everything that has a scent. This includes things such as fruits and flowers as well as artificial fragrances.
It can cause numbness in hands and feet or even paralysis if directly inhaled, as can happen in workplaces or when individuals “sniff” solvents in an attempt to get high (ATSDR, 2011), but exposures to vapors from plug-ins are unlikely to be high enough to cause such severe health effects.
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While most people can tolerate occasional exposure to air fresheners and deodorizers at low concentrations, people with allergies or asthma may get irritated eyes and throat, headaches, or even an asthma attack.
Fragrance chemicals aren't benign – exposure to them can lead to a range of health problems. They can disrupt the hormone system. Some are phthalates, which can harm the reproductive system. Another fragrance chemical, styrene, is linked to cancer.
State-Specific Regulations in the United States
For instance, states such as Minnesota, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Texas have laws that permit law enforcement officers to pull over drivers and issue fines for having items hanging from their rear-view mirror.
The use of VOCs in air fresheners can potentially cause headaches and respiratory issues and make asthma symptoms worse, especially in children and the elderly. In a confined space like the car interior, the concentration of these compounds can reach levels that are considered harmful.
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.
Chemicals used to add scents to products can cause serious health problems for some people, especially for people with lung diseases such as asthma or COPD . Being near a scented product can make some people sick. Scents enter our bodies through our skin and our lungs.
Inhaling small amounts of most air fresheners is usually not dangerous. Swallowing the gel-type evaporative beads or reed diffuser solutions can cause serious effects. There are also concerns about the adverse effects of repeated air freshener use on the environment and the body's health.
Anyone can be affected by direct exposure to high levels of product. There are case reports of air freshener overdose from inhaling the spray at close range. This has caused rapid heartbeat that required hospitalization. 1,2 These cases have been caused by the butane propellant that is used to spray the product.
Did you know that plug-in air fresheners can be a fire hazard? Switch them off when you're out or go to sleep, and unplug them weekly to check for melting or scorch marks.
Working near exhaust fumes exposes you to poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) gas, which is present in large amounts in vehicle exhaust fumes. Overexposure to this odorless and colorless gas can cause death. Even mild exposure to CO can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue.
Because air conditioning removes moisture from the air, it can cause irritation and dryness in the throat. In cars, the air is often recycled, which can contribute to poor air quality and the circulation of airborne particles that can irritate throats, such as dust and allergens.
Short-term exposure can irritate the eyes, throat and nose, as well as cause nausea. Reactions to air fresheners can get worse over time, according to Claudia Miller, professor emeritus in the department of family and community medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Mask Unpleasant Odors
Cars can collect a variety of odors from food, pets, and even the environment. A good air freshener can mask these smells, ensuring your car always smells clean and inviting.
Formaldehyde exposure is most common through gas-phase inhalation. However, it can also occur through liquid-phase skin absorption. Workers may be exposed during direct production, treatment of materials, and production of resins.