Why are air fresheners making us sick?
Air Fresheners: can coat your nasal passages with an oil film and/or reduce your ability to smell odors. These products often contain Formaldehyde – a highly toxic material that can irritate eyes, nose, throat, and skin. High exposure can cause nausea, headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, memory loss and shortness of breath. Other chemicals include Phenol, a skin irritant that can cause swelling, burning, and peeling. High doses of Phenol can also cause cold sweats, convulsions, circulatory collapse, coma, and even death. The main toxin in room fresheners, urinal cakes, moth balls, paints, household cleaning products, and vehicle exhaust fumes is 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB). A recent National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS) study published in Environmental Health Perspectives showed that among 953 adults 1,4 DCB was linked to a reduction in lung function. Check your household products, read the labels to see if they contain 1,4 DCB. Even air fresheners marketed as “al
