Is your Air Freshener Making you Sick?

(Editor’s note: I’ve used an Uber in 25 cities now and am headed to speak at Parker University’s Vegas event as I type this, as well as Cal Jam, and imagine I’ll be riding in several more. I’ll definitely ask them nicely if they’ll put away the air freshener and explain the dangers.)

If you’ve ever been in a yellow cab in New York or gotten into an Uber around town then you are probably familiar with that giant smell that hits you when you get in- air fresheners.

While it doesn’t surprise me that some car owners find the smell appealing it does surprise me that no one gives a second thought to all the chemicals radiating from those things.

From the article:

“According to Anne Steinemann, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Melbourne who has studied extensively the health impacts of fragranced household products, one-quarter of the ingredients in air fresheners are classified as toxic or hazardous.
“Ultimately your risk depends on exposure,” she says. “You don’t have to have symptoms. Just because it doesn’t kill you, it doesn’t mean it’s not harming you. Some effects are not immediately obvious.”

But just what’s IN those things? Well, four of the most common are:

1. FRAGRANCE- this can include many chemicals that are mixed together, usually to mask the smell of the other toxins in the product. And what’s unbelievable is that individual chemicals don’t have to be listed on the label which makes it difficult for consumers to really know what we’re smelling (or even putting on our skin).

How fragrance harms health: My favorite site, EWG says that fragrance is linked to allergies, asthma and other respiratory concerns, hormone disruptions, and potentially to reproductive issues.

2. FORMALDEHYDE- a chemical used in many household products and building materials. It’s also used as a fungicide, disinfectant, and preservative in medical labs.

How formaldehyde harms health: Immediate reactions might include skin irritations, coughing, burning in the eyes, nose and throat, or nausea. However, the long-term effects are much more serious; the EPA says chronic exposure is linked to allergic contact dermatitis, respiratory lesions, and even cancer (specifically leukemia).

3. BHT- Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an additive found in a wide variety of processed foods, cosmetics, cleaning products, and in petroleum products.

How BHT harms health: It can damage the liver and kidneys, mimic the effects of estrogen, and inhibit male sex hormones. It can also promote the growth of tumours.

4. ACETALDEHYDE- a compound found naturally in nature and produced by the body but also synthetically in perfumes and dyes, as a preservative in fruit and fish, and as a solvent in the rubber, tanning, and paper industries. YUCK. Why do I want to eat that??

How acetaldehyde harms health: The EWG says this ingredient is connected to allergies, asthma, cancer and skin and respiratory irritation. It might also cause problems with the reproductive system.

And those chemicals are just the most common, it’s certainly NOT an exhaustive list. You can keep all the fake smell you want, I’m going to use something natural and healthy!