CNN – Cleaning products may contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which include hundreds of different chemicals, says Dr. Natalie Johnson, associate professor of environmental and occupational health at Texas A&M University School of Public Health.
Volatile organic compounds are gases that can be emitted from solid or liquid products, according to the EPA.
These chemicals can cause problems such as eye, nose and throat irritation and damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system, the federal agency said.
The impact of these chemicals depends on how often you are exposed to them and to what degree; and the concentration of VOCs are often much higher indoors, the EPA said.
One big problem is that the list of potentially harmful chemicals is long, and sometimes it can be hard to tell from an ingredients list exactly what you will be exposed to if you use a product, Romer said.
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Fortunately, there are resources to help quickly reference the best choices on the shelves when you are shopping, Johnson said.
The EPA has a Safer Choice label, and products that qualify for the designation do not contain chemicals linked to cancer, fertility problems and other risks to health, Romer said.
Romer’s husband was just at the store to restock on laundry detergent but forgot which kind they like to buy.
After a quick search on the Safer Choice database, he was able to find which of the products on that store’s shelves met the EPA’s criteria, she said.
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Volatile organic compounds are a broad category of chemicals –– some of which are naturally occurring, some helpful in dissolving dirt, grease and stains, Sansoni said.
And manufacturers have taken steps to manage their emissions, he added …