Love that new car smell?

That smell actually comes from the upholstery and plastics in your brand new car. Many new materials and everyday products contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which enter the atmosphere and can affect our health and the environment.

So what exactly are VOCs, where can they be found and what can we do to avoid them? VOCs stands for volatile organic compounds and are typically human-made chemicals. According to the USGS, the word organic, though typically associated with healthy and natural products, actually means that the compound contains carbon.

The most common VOC is Methane (a greenhouse gas containing carbon). VOCs come from many sources and can cause health and environmental issues, but there are steps we can take to reduce their impact.

VOC Sources Commonly Found in the Home:

• Paints, lacquers, varnishes
• Paint strippers, solvents
• Cleaning supplies
• Pesticides
• Newspaper
• Air fresheners
• Tobacco smoke
• Building materials and furnishings: Vinyl floors, Carpets, Upholstery Fabrics

Health Effects

The large number of products that contain VOCs is alarming considering the effects they can have on our health. Symptoms can be anywhere from minor to major depending on the amount of exposure. People at the highest risk are children and people with respiratory issues. Some common health issues associated with VOC exposure include:

• Eye irritation / watering
• Nose irritation
• Throat irritation
• Headaches
• Nausea / Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Worsened Asthma Symptoms

Or more serious health implications can occur, such as:

• Cancer
• Liver damage
• Kidney damage
• Central nervous system damage

Learn more about VOCs from the US EPA.

Environmental Effects

VOCs not only affect our health, but also our environment. They can contaminate soil and ground water, contribute to air pollution and even global warming according to Wikipedia.org. While the affects can be both small and large VOCs are never positive contributors to our health or the environment. They can, however, be avoided by taking a few simple steps:

• Buy low or no VOC products, such as paints and furniture
• Make sure there is ample ventilation when a new carpet is installed, fresh paint applied, and especially in new homes where many products are off-gassing
• Avoid excessive heat since certain chemicals off-gas at a greater rate in high temperatures and humidity
• Look for air cleaners with activated charcoal filtration designed to remove chemicals from the air
• Purchase environmentally responsible cleaning chemicals
  • Here are a few brands that make household cleaners and detergents with little impact on your health and the environment: AFM SafeChoice, BioKleen, Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds, Ecover, Holy Cow, Mountain Green, Plant, Inc., Seventh Generation. (Mother Earth News)

Being aware of how common house hold products and materials can affect us is important to a healthy home. Taking action, like buying low VOC products and being aware of our home’s indoor air quality, can improve the health of our families and the state of our environment.

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