Did you think that air pollution only comes from cars and factories? A new study reveals that cleaning and care products emit at least as many volatile organic compounds into the air as vehicles
By Maya Falah, Angle, Science and Environment News Agency
When you think of polluted air, the first image that usually comes to mind is that of smoking chimneys or roads full of cars, pollution emitted from their exhausts. Air pollution is considered today to the fifth most influential health risk factor in the world, and also in Israel particulate air pollution is responsible according to estimates for the death of over 2,200 people each year and more than half a million hospitalization days in the hospitals.
However, although transportation and industry are undoubtedly the most significant causes of air pollution, they are by no means the only ones. A new study reveals that consumer products found in every home Volatile organic compounds are emitted into the air at a much higher rate than was known until now - and are thus comparable to the rate of emissions of these compounds by vehicles.
Facial irritation, headaches and even cancer
"Volatile organic compounds (VOCs for short) are all organic compounds - that is, substances that contain carbon and hydrogen," explains Associate Professor Barak Fishbein from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Technion, "as opposed to inorganic compounds - which are synthetic, such as plastics and various drugs. The VOCs exist in everything that is created from plants and animals, and in fact are found in most of the materials known today", when they come into contact with the air, particles of these compounds evaporate and mix with it.
Until recently it was common to think Most of the volatile organic compounds found in the air originate from fuel burned by cars and factories, and various solvents used in industry. The fossil fuels used in most vehicles originate from organic matter - plants and animals that were buried deep in the ground millions of years ago - therefore when they are burned in the process of producing energy or driving a car, they emit volatile organic compounds. The health effect of volatile organic compounds varies greatly depending on the type of compound, the level of exposure and the concentration; The effects range from facial irritation and headaches, to damage to internal organs and even cancer.
But another significant source of VOCs is in consumer products found in every home, which also contain products of the oil industry: Cleaning agents, paint thinners, printer ink and many others. Until recently, it was believed that their share in the emission of VOCs into the air was relatively small: according to the data of the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), consumer products are responsible forabout 25 percent from air pollution with VOCs. A recent new study reveals that the picture is completely different.
The danger in cleaning materials
In a new study Conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado and the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) along with other researchers, it was checked whether the emission of these compounds from household consumer products really amounts to only about a quarter, because according to the researchers' hypothesis - it is a much higher percentage.
Today, about 95 percent of the pure oil extracted from natural reservoirs is used to produce fuel, and only 5 percent is used in the chemical industries to produce consumer products such as deodorants, cleaning agents, pesticides, and more. Therefore, it was reasonable to assume that the rate of VOC emissions from cars would be significantly greater than that of consumer products. However, the researchers explain that in the case of cars, the oil undergoes combustion in a system aimed at reducing the emission percentages of various pollutants; Whereas when they are in cleaning agents, for example, they come into direct contact with the air when we use the substance at home, and evaporate into it without any filtering - which causes its high concentration in the air.
Since it is a very broad family of substances, it is very difficult to measure their concentration in the air. Therefore, NOAA developed a new tool for the research, which allows measuring even very low concentrations and produces much more accurate results than tools used for measurements in the past. Along with testing the VOCs that are emitted from various consumer products at home and outside, the researchers also performed measurements of the air quality on the sides of roads, in order to understand the part of the vehicles in the emission of VOCs into the air. The researchers performed the various measurements in 33 industrialized cities across the US.
Improvements in the automotive industry
The results confirmed what the researchers suspected: the measurements showed that the amount of volatile organic compounds emitted into the air without vehicles is much greater than previously estimated. While the US Environmental Protection Agency previously estimated that approximately 75 percent of VOCs originate from transportation, the researchers estimate according to the results of the study that today it is actually a 50-50 ratio; That is, about 50 percent from transportation, and 50 percent in the products found in all of our homes.
But there is also (relatively) good news: the researchers attribute the reduction in the gap not only to the increase in the use of consumer products and the underestimation of their impact, but also to a large extent to improvements made in recent decades in vehicles and in the efficiency of their emission systems, due to stricter air quality laws and regulations formulated in the US in and in Europe and forced the automobile industry to make efforts to reduce all air pollution originating from automobiles. "When the engine is efficient, the amount of VOC emissions is significantly reduced," explains Fishbein. "The bigger and less efficient the engine, the more VOCs it will emit, which is why older trucks and cars emit more VOCs." It is hoped that similar improvements will be made in other products that cause contamination.
Detergents with a green note
According to the researchers, the findings are of great importance in delineating policies to deal with air pollution: today, most of the attention of government bodies dealing with the issue and the regulations amended for this purpose are mainly concerned with the burning of fuels, and mainly vehicles. According to the results of the new study, there is an urgency to address the presence of these substances in consumer products that are in daily household use, limiting their use and bringing the issue to public awareness.
And what is the situation in Israel? "There is a policy in Israel that encourages manufacturers of cleaning products to use the green symbol," says Dr. Ohad Karni, director of regulatory policy in the planning and policy cluster, Ministry of Environmental Protection. In addition, The Israeli standard for green construction It has already become mandatory in the cities of the 15th Forum (where about 80 percent of Israel's population currently lives), and it includes guidelines for the use of materials and colors that emit less VOCs into the home. In cleaning products, the situation is more complex, because everyone can choose for themselves which material to buy and what to use - but if you follow The green note, you can also reduce exposure to VOCs that come from cleaning agents.'
And according to Carney, there are definitely alternatives on the market today. "The big manufacturers today usually have a green mark, and there are also imported products that have other relevant marks. So that the consumer can know that he is choosing a sustainable product that is relatively free of VOCs and the like, we released theThe guide to preventing drooling ("Greenwash") - which also allows class actions in the event of consumer deception on the subject. So that efforts are being made that there will be proper alternatives, and there will also be reliable publication on this issue.'
Meanwhile, the researchers suggest limiting the use of products containing volatile organic compounds as much as possible, and using the minimum amount possible when using them. The Ministry of Environmental Protection also recommends that "when using products containing volatile organic substances, such as fuels, adhesives and paints, the room should be well ventilated". Also, "products containing volatile organic substances, such as fuels, adhesives and paints, should not be stored at home for long periods of time. Small quantities of these products should be purchased for immediate use." This is, of course, alongside avoiding these substances that are emitted at gas stations and vehicles.
