Hidden Hazards of Air Fresheners

It was nice to wake up to some good news this morning. Walgreens took a look at our test results that showed diethyl phthalate (DEP) in some of their air freshener products, and moved fast to do the right thing. They pulled the worrisome products from their shelves, commissioned additional tests to cross-check our results and look at their product line, and pledged to reformulate the products to get rid of unnecessary phthalates. Kudos to Walgreens for helping to clear the air.  
 
The action from Walgreens is especially important because their products had some of the highest levels of phthalate. But we're still hoping that other companies will take a careful look at their product lines and do what they can to eliminate worrisome chemicals and also to inform consumers. We are also willing to look at independent testing data from the companies and update our website so that consumers have up-do-date information on these products. 
 
This isn't really just about air fresheners, you know. The real issue here is that hazardous chemicals and endocrine disruptors can be in a wide range of consumer products, and the government has little authority or inclination to do anything about it. I find it distressing when patients or friends ask me about whether it's "safe" to use a certain product during pregnancy, or when they have a child in the home, and I have to respond "I have no idea". That's because most consumer products don't have to list ingredients, or even get tested for safety.  
 
Phthalates are a particular concern because there's evidence that current exposure levels in the general population may not be safe. Research studies have found that some people have more phthalates in their bodies than others - maybe because of the consumer products they use in their home - and those people are more likely to have abnormalities in their sperm DNA, or have babies with altered hormone levels, or have baby boys with subtle feminizing changes in their reproductive tract. That's not good, and is all the more reason why it's a good idea to look for ways to reduce the sum total of our exposure to these chemicals.  
 
Air fresheners aren't the only source of phthalates out there. They may not be the biggest source of phthalates out there. But these problems have a way of adding up, so any reduction is a good thing in the big health equation.  
 
See ya later, I'm off to pick a few things up at Walgreens! 
 
Read more posts by Gina Solomon, NRDC Senior Scientist, on NRDC's Switchboard blog.

If houses and other buildings were designed correctly, and with windows that open, we'd have built in air fresheners that are effective and cheap -- it's called fresh air!

Exactly! Sunlight kills all kinds of mites and bacteria. Much better and cleaner and SAFER than covering up odors with weird chemical scents.

and there's always lemon juice, baking soda, and good old soap and water. Not to mention the old "light a match" trick if your stink is in the bathroom... 
 
all non-toxic, and cheap.

We huge stores like Goodwill and the bathrooms of most large chain store all spraying us we need to know what we are breathing. Anti-biological chemicals is not what I want to breathe, do you?

With huge stores like Goodwill and nearly all the bathrooms of most large chain stores all spraying us, we need to know what we are breathing. Anti-biological chemicals is not what I want to breathe, do you?

I am happy to hear about this news clip. Well, not happy but relieved that we have someone actually researching this type of stuff. 
 
If we simply leave it up to the "experts" or worse yet, the government- we are in big trouble!

Good to be updated but lets stop blaming the government - it's not their job to keep us from being total idiots...where in the world did common sense go? And who conned everyone into thinking that natural scents/odors were a terrible thing? 
We're not getting smarter, we're getting sicker and trying to find our way out of the hole, so we're going back to where we started, Nature!

All chemicals are to banned for the betterment of society. In agriculture and home we realy support the concern. Lot of cancer, neural tube defected bebies, babeis with a hole in the heart and so in are the normal happenings in the cotton growing belt of Punjab-India

I agree with all the comments, but, have also heard that matches are not always as "harmless", as previously thought, and may have harmful chemicals coming off them, in the smoke. So, fresh air & sunshine are the best, for freshening the air. 
 
Also, I remember reading sometime ago, when plastic bottles were first allowed to be used as beverage containers, for soft drinks, juices, etc., that "pthalates" were a kind of "plasticizer", used to make plastics softer, and that baby bottles, and other beverage plastic bottles that are soft, can be poisonous.  
 
Also, soft, flexible plastic bags & tubing (for intravenous/I.V. blood transfusions) in hospitals, can and do poison the recipients of the blood, due to these poisonous "pthalates" getting into the recipients' bloodstream, causing immune system problems & worse!

ULS. Use Less Stuff. Often the cure is worse than the ailment!

Congratulations Walgreen's for doing the right thing. See you at the cash register.

Burn natural soy candles,or try fragrant,organic oil difusiers.They work great!

Considering the immoral majority of sources of these poisons that are manufactured by SC JOHNSON wax ' a family company' yeah like mafia just try and quit them.  
J & J's dirty little secret Forbes mag 1998. FACT Tylenol brought to you by same said parent company, endorsed by bubba go round NASCAR drivers. Kills 30% more people than cocaine a known etiological chemical for Myocardial Infarct aka heart attack. There should not be a doctor licensed to prescribe either of these corrupt man made isolated concentrated chemicals. Definition of corruption is decay rotteness and death. 
Jesus on the other hand is LIFE he always spoke the words of life into the darkest and deadliest realm. It is so hearbreaking to know that precious pregnant mom's and their babies are getting toxins from the inside out...conception exposure, then birth superexposure.

Has any one done any testing of Ecolab or similar products that are in almost every public buildings bathrooms?

Air freshener made by a homeopathic pharmacy (Washington Homeopathic) from an ultra-dilute herbal blend might be one of the safest. Similar ingredients as ingestable homeopathic medicines. Reported to work well.

The simplest air freshener can be made at home by combining 20 or so drops of any essential oil with distilled water. Put water in a spray bottle, add essential oil, shake, and spray away. Peppermint works great on ants, too! Taking the time to learn about natural products is well worth the effort.

I still think (like others have wisely said), that FRESH AIR is the BEST & SAFEST \"air freshener\".  
 
My problem with even \"essential oils\", is that they can be very irritating to some people, and they are so long lasting, due to being in oils, (hard to wash out of clothing, off walls, etc.) that if a sensitive person is forced to be exposed to essential oils (be they natural or artificial), it can trigger asthma attacks, allergic reactions, etc. 
 
It would be nice, and considerate of people's various health conditions, if people were not FORCED to inhale ANYTHING other than fresh air, and the smell of foods cooking (which, if objectionable, can be diluted by fresh air).  
 
Buildings should be built where WINDOWS CAN & DO OPEN! 
 
I forgot to mention in my previous comment, that pthalates are small "plasticizer" molecules, that are used by plastic manufacturers, to make plastics softer, and that these small molecules can "leach" out of plastics (like water bottles, beverage bottles, blood bags & blood tubing, etc.), and that's how these pthalate molecules can get into water, beverages, & even blood products, and then into a person's bloodstream, causing big health problems.

I am ecstatic to see this dialogue. Our company, Altruism Pictures, has as a raison-etre to fuel awareness and engagement to this cause further through our documentary "287" as in the number of synthetic chemicals discovered in infants' umbilical cord (EWG July 05). NRDC'c concerns are real and the evidence in everyone state-of-health, pervasive. "287" will be released Fall 2008 theatrically. Sundance, TIFF, Cannes, Tribeca are also on our radar. What Inconvenient Truth is to our external environment, "287" is to our internal environment. We begin shooting before Xmas!

Hey there, 
 
Thank-you for the great Blog. My name is Adam Cormier. I'm a filmmaker in Vancouver, BC and am working on a documentary about Phthalates, which as you probably know is harming the development of the male genitals in the womb. In order to make the best film possible I'm searching for people to fill out the following Survey Monkey survey: 
 
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=861YjEDAha_2bB9wixkaGDfQ_3d_3d 
 
If you are concerned about Pregnancy and Chemicals please think about taking two minutes to fill out the survey. It would really mean a lot to me and actually help ensure the film gets made! 
 
Many thanks and much peace 
 
Adam 
Vancouver, BC, Canada 
 
P.S. If you want to be a super star forward the link to some of your friends!

We need to stay clear of toxins that harm us, and most of all, the vunerable in society - the children. Air fresheners are well documented. Toxins do not need a helping hand from us they are all around - pesticides, fungacides herbicides etc. Leave well alone!

all the hairsprays should be taken alway from the stores and not be use. because this products are polluting the air that we breath.

i have a question on air pollution. how could i advertise a well thought out way to have people look at it and take it into effect and does the effect of airpollution have enough effect to cause the body anymore damage than it does now?

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