Air Fresheners: Look and Sniff Before You Spray

The end of summer in New York City was crisp and cool-- time, we thought, to shake out those sweaters we’d bagged with cedar chips and lavender sprigs. But the first week of autumn brought the return of stinky sticky air, and complaints: “I thought we were over with the heat, already!”

Outside, enveloped by engine soot and the stench of rotting garbage, I recalled an exchange with a fellow pedestrian on a hot summer’s street corner. “Can you smell me from where you are?” he asked. “No,” I said, holding my breath. “Thanks! I was partying all night and have to go straight to work, so I sprayed myself all over with Febreze.” “But that’s a room air freshener,” I pointed out. “No problem!” he said. And actually, he had a point. That’s because Febreze Air Effects Air Refresher, unlike thirteen other air fresheners recently tested by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), was found to be free of toxic phthalates, which have been linked to birth defects and reproductive harm. Many of these products were labeled “natural” or “unscented.” AIR FRESHENERS
It’s gross, but true: Just about every college student on the planet is guilty of using air fresheners to put off laundry day or sweeten the smell of a musty college dorm room. These days the handy little spray-bottles-of-clean are used to freshen up just about anything, including underarms and that pair of jeans you’ve worn for four days in a row. But masking not-so-fresh smells with yet another smell can hurt more than your social life. Many aerosol refreshers are tainted with toxic phthalates, which have been linked to birth defects and reproductive harm. A 2007 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) study found that the hormone-disrupting compounds in 12 out of 14 common air fresheners and none of these products listed phthalates on their labels. Summertime, and the breathing's not easy. Hot and hazy means there's something unhealthy in the air. One out of ten Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the American Lung Association's State of the Air 2008 report. The smoke and soot from wildfires in California and North Carolina contain fine particulate matter, also produced by coal-burning power plants, cars and trucks. Sudden spikes in particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10), which can penetrate deep into the lungs, have led to cardiopulmonary deaths within the following 24 to 48 hours, a study revealed this year. Pregnant women's exposure to PM10 has also been associated with lower birth weights in their babies. Prolonged exposure to combustion byproducts known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can cause cancer (in addition to the aforementioned, sources include charred meat and barbecues). In response to the tests, Walgreen’s last week pledged to remove all phthalates from its branded air fresheners. For the list of phthalate-tainted products, including Glade Air Infusions and both Febreze and Glade scented oils, go to http://www.nrdc.org/. Of course, there are many dozens more air fresheners on the market that haven’t been vetted for phthalates. What to do? 1. Look Before You Spray. Read labels. If you see the word “Fragrance,” it’s likely that the manufacturer is taking an advantage of an FDA labeling loophole that allows users of synthetic fragrance to avoid mentioning specific ingredients—including phthalates, used to disperse synthetic scents. Look instead for specific essential plant oils, preferably organic. 2. Do a Sniff Test. Before buying any fragranced product, natural or not, spray some from a tester to see whether it produces sneezes or itchy eyes. Strong fragrances, particularly citrus or pine, can provoke irritation and allergic/asthmatic reactions. And remember, when it comes to any perfume, a little goes a long way, so you needn’t overdo it. 3. For greener products, see http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/04/unclean-air-fresheners.html Pass this info on to your odor-phobic college student, teen or preteen. Advertising heavily aimed at their demographic urges them to spritz and spray rather than open windows, do laundry and wash with plain soap and water.