December 15, 2004 – The holiday season is upon us and you want your home to be welcoming. Would a touch of “smells good” be perfect to create a pleasant atmosphere? Possible, but it will be at the expense of your health, says the Federal Union of Consumers (UFC), a French consumer association that has carried out tests on 35 indoor deodorants.
Whether in the form of gel, liquid, candle, aerosol or electric diffuser, these products intended to perfume the house would charge the air with allergenic and even carcinogenic chemicals, whose concentrations exceed, in the majority of cases, the thresholds recommended by public health organizations.
What is more, incense and essential oils, considered more “natural”, would release worrying amounts of dangerous pollutants, including benzene, a carcinogenic hydrocarbon, according to the body. Incense sticks emit 110 times more benzene than the threshold recommended by the Superior Council of Public Hygiene of France, according to the tests carried out. Phthalates (a hormonal disruptor) and formaldehyde would be added to the benzene fumes, thus creating a rather toxic cocktail. A choice that can hardly be described as “healthy”.
Among the products tested, one vaporizer emitted 4,655 ug / l3 (micrograms per cubic liter) of volatile organic components, among which there are allergens and hormone disruptors, while above 200 ug / l3, the ambient air is no longer considered healthy by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to the UFC, the irritating emissions of some of these products could explain, in part, the significant increase in asthma in children in recent years. The UFC is also concerned that the industry is increasingly offering streaming products, which could exacerbate the effects of the shows.
The tests were carried out in empty rooms, devoid of furniture or rugs which may already be impregnated with chemicals. It was also ensured that the premises used were free of pollutants, by performing an analysis of the ambient air before carrying out the tests with the deodorants.
These analyzes sparked strong reactions within the room fragrance industry in France. Some manufacturers refuted the results while others decided to withdraw some of their products from the market.
Marie france Coutu – PasseportSanté.net
According to What to choose and Press.
