Air freshener chemicals could lead to cancer

AIR fresheners used in homes, offices and schools could contain more toxic fumes than those inhaled in the middle of a busy street full of traffic, a study has revealed.

Even candles, incense and essential oils can contain chemicals that cause cancer, asthma and interfere with hormones, according to tests carried out on 76 products for BEUC, the European consumers group.

Countries are spending large sums of money trying to reduce the levels in urban areas because the World Health Organisation says there is no safe level. However, like most of the other harmful chemicals found in the products sold in shops from supermarkets to pharmacies, there are no rules regulating them.

Director of BEUC Jim Murray said the products were a health risk, not only for allergy sufferers, asthmatics, pregnant or nursing women and children, but to anyone using them continuously.

“No toxic chemicals should be released through every-day consumer products,” he said and demanded that such products be tested for their effect on our health before being sold.

The products tested fell into four categories: instant release sprays, vaporisers and concentrates; slow release from gels and liquids; electric diffusers that are plugged into a wall socket; scented candles and natural products such as incense and essential oils.

They included such well-known names as Glade, Air Wick, Brise and Ambi Pur in scents including rose bouquet, mandarin and green tea, lemon, lavender, vanilla and spice and cinnamon. There were 24 fragrances used that are known to cause allergies.

The most dangerous were those considered as natural and harmless such as incense and scented candles. These were followed by electric diffusers because they are often plugged in permanently and can produce cancer-causing formaldehyde with ozone in the air. Mr Murray said the tests were carried out in sterile environments so the results do not show the cocktail effect of the chemicals released from the air fresheners and chemicals already in a room such as in paint and furniture.

There are no standards for concentrations of chemical substances in the air inside homes. Manufacturers do not have to carry out any toxicological tests before launching a product on the market. Under proposed EU legislation being debated by the European Parliament and member state governments, many of these chemicals would still not be regulated.

This is because the proposal relates only to chemicals made in large quantities by any one manufacturer. As a result just about 30,000 of the 100,000 in regular use would be tested for human safety. The effect of a cocktail or compounds of several chemicals would not be tested either.