Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
The smell of new paint, new carpet or the inside of a new car comes from gases you want to avoide: volatile organic compounds or VOCs. These contribute to indoor air pollution and outdoor smog.
VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids, including many items you might have around the house, such as paint, cleaning supplies, pesticides, glue, permanent markers, air fresheners, automotive products, sealants, dry-cleaned clothing and pressed-wood products such as particleboard, hardwood plywood paneling and medium-density fiberboard.
Levels of some VOCs are 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. Exposure to VOCs can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.
One well-known VOC, formaldehyde, is considered a human carcinogen by OSHA. Studies show that it causes cancer in animals. Formaldehyde is used in pressed-wood products and in some paints.
The solvents in paints can include benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene, which are known carcinogens or neurotoxins. Choose low-VOC or no-VOC paints instead.
Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness.
Sources:
-- “An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality: Formaldehyde,” EPA Web site. Accessed Aug. 21, 2007. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html
-- “An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality: Organic Gases – Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs),” EPA Web site. Accessed Aug. 21, 2007. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html
-- “Carpet Diem,” by Umbra Fisk. Grist Magazine, Feb. 15, 2006. Accessed Aug. 21, 2007. http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/02/15/carpet_padding/index.html
-- “Greening the Cube,” by Joel Makower. Grist Magazine, March 2, 2006. Accessed Aug. 21, 2007. http://www.grist.org/biz/tp/2006/03/02/makower/index.html
-- “New Car Smell,” by Steve Ritter. Chemical and Engineering News, May 20, 2002. Accessed Aug. 21, 2007. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/8020stuff.html
-- “Paint Smart Shopper’s Card,” by P.W. McRandle and Andreea Matei. The Green Guide, May/June 20034. Accessed Aug. 21, 2007. http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/96/paint
