Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are liquids or solids used in consumer products that turn into gas when exposed to air and sunlight. Shampoo, body lotion, dishwashing soap, caulking compounds, room deodorizers, household cleaners, paint removers, flooring, carpet and pressed-wood products are just a few of the thousands of consumer items that may contain these chemicals.
A study released Tuesday found that over 5,000 tons of 33 potentially harmful VOCs were emitted in 2020 in the state of California.
A study released Tuesday found that over 5,000 tons of 33 potentially harmful VOCs were emitted in 2020 in the state of California, which measures exposures to potential carcinogens and tracks volatile organic compounds in consumer products. "It's a wakeup call. So much of the regulatory focus has only been on occupational exposures without thinking about what happens in the home. People don't understand how much they're exposed to toxic chemicals in their living environment," said toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Toxicology Program and National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, who was not involved in the new paper.
Telly Lovelace, director of issue communications for the American Chemistry Council, which represents the US chemical, plastics and chlorine industries, told CNN via email that its members are "serious" about their responsibility to produce chemicals that can be used safely. The research team then turned to California's right-to-know law -- the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, commonly known as Prop 65 -- which maintains a list of chemicals believed to cause cancer or reproductive and developmental harms. Of those, 33 were listed as volatile organic compounds.
The overall lack of safety information can make it equally hard for companies that want to reformulate their products with nontoxic chemicals, Schwarzman added. "Exposure can cause drowsiness, dizziness, numbness and tingling limbs, and nausea," the CDC says. "Severe exposure can cause loss of consciousness and death."
"As a category, adhesives was the top example of how you can use just one product and get multiple exposures," Schwarzman said. "There were 17 different Prop 65 potentially toxic volatile organic compounds in adhesives."
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