A Breath of Toxic Air

Protecting your home and community from chemicals in consumer and industrial products

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your household products
• Workers at risk from commonly used chemicals
• Vietnamese version: Workers at risk from commonly used chemicals
• Safer alternatives exist: finding and evaluating green products
• A step in the right direction: the Green Chemistry Initiative

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your household products

Every day, families and workers use dozens of products believing they are making their homes and offices clean and healthy. Products such as paint thinners, solvents, household cleaners and personal care products contain VOCs. These compounds pollute our air and water and endanger the health of workers and families who come in contact with them.

VOCs & Your Health
According to the United State Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), many VOCs are known to cause cancer in animals and humans. VOCs can also cause: eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, memory impairment, nausea/vomiting and asthma. Studies have shown that there is a link between exposure to household chemicals found in consumer products and the onset of an asthma attack. Long-term effects include damage to liver, kidneys or the central nervous system, as well as cancer.

VOCs & Your Environment
Many VOCs linger hours after application and can result in indoor pollution levels 1,000 times greater than outdoor levels. According to the U.S. EPA, studies indicate that several VOC levels average two to five times greater indoors than outdoors. In the atmosphere, VOCs combine with other pollutants to create harmful ground-level ozone, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, harms human health and is a key component of smog and PM-10.

Workers at risk from commonly used chemicals

Nail salon employees and other workers confronted with health concerns associated with chemicals

Latinos, Asians and other ethnic communities comprise a significant portion of California's janitors, auto body workers and nail salon employees. They work on the frontlines of exposure to the hazardous emissions and toxic chemicals in consumer products-much more so than other individuals. Ironically, many of these workers have limited access to health care services or adequate information on the health impacts of such products.

Did you know that 8 out of 10 nail salon workers in California are Vietnamese-Americans? In a survey conducted by the California Breast Cancer Research Program, more than half of the Vietnamese-American nail salon workers interviewed experienced health problems associated with working in the industry. A majority of the reported health problems were related to exposure of toxic fumes from the nail products.

It is critical that these communities have language- and culture-appropriate resources available to identify safer alternative products. Manufacturers and policymakers should remove toxic chemicals from consumer products, especially where safe effective alternatives exist. Workers deserve protection to ensure safe working environments.

Safer alternatives exist: finding and evaluating green products

Alternatives to harmful chemicals are available. Making your own green cleaners is a great way to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals at little or no cost.

Women's Voices for the Earth has recipes for simple and effective home-made, non-toxic green cleaners. And see Yahoo's Shine blog for 25 ways to clean with vinegar.

Download our print-and-cut Greener Cleaner recipe cards in English and Spanish

A step in the right direction: the Green Chemistry Initiative

Government bodies are beginning to understand the importance of regulating the chemicals in consumer products to reduce public health effects and the negative impacts on the environment. In California, the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) launched the Green Chemistry Initiative, which aims to reduce toxic substances in consumer products.

To learn more about this initiative, click here.

Federal and State Government Sites

• California Air Resources Board’s Consumer Products Program
• California Dept. of Toxic Substances Control’s Green Chemistry Initiative is an effort to reduce toxic chemicals in products
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing by the U.S. EPA provides information on green products
• South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Clean Air Solvent (CAS) Certification Program
• South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Certified Clean Air Choice
• U.S. EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) offers information and expertise on the development  and identification of safe chemicals and products

Organization Sites

• Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep identifies safe cosmetics and other personal care products
• Green Guard uses a unique certification system, focusing on indoor pollution levels to identify green products
• Green Seal certifies and offers a database of green products
• INFORM provides a list of companies that they believe may not be completely honest when disclosing the chemicals in their products
• The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics encourages cosmetic companies to remove harmful, toxic chemicals from their products
• Women's Health and the Environment provides many helpful resources for nail salon employees