Issues: Health

Clearing the Air
Hidden Hazards of Air Fresheners

Air fresheners have become a staple in many American homes and offices, marketed with the promise of creating a clean, healthy and sweet-smelling indoor atmosphere. But this September 2007 issue paper shows that many of these products contain phthalates (pronounced thal-ates) -- hazardous chemicals known to cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects and reproductive problems. To protect consumers, government action to conduct more thorough tests and enact basic measures to limit exposure to phthalates is urgently needed.

OVERVIEW & QUICK REFERENCE
Fact sheet (179 k pdf)
News: Hidden Hazards in Air Fresheners

FULL ISSUE PAPER IN PDF
Adobe Acrobat file (size: 174 k)
Click here if you need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)

OUTLINE
Executive Summary
From Berry Burst to Cleansing Rain: 14 Air Fresheners Tested
Masking the Risk: Phthalates Found in Majority of Fresheners
Appendix A: Methodology of Laboratory Procedure, Provided by Analytical Sciences Laboratories
Appendix B: Phthalates Tested in Each Sample and Lab Reporting Detection Limit
Endnotes

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Related NRDC Press Releases

6/13/2008
Lawsuit Seeks Chemical Safety Testing and Labeling for Home Air Fresheners
6/12/2008
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6/6/2008
NRDC Launches Campaign to Force EPA to Strengthen Deficient Toxic Air Regulations

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