Wall Paint, Perfumes and Cleaning Agents Are Polluting Our Air
A new study suggests that emissions of volatile organic compounds from everyday household products contributes to nearly half of the pollutants in the air of our cities.
Scientists measuring levels of air pollutants in the Los Angeles basin have found that everyday household products, like soaps, paints and perfumes are causing nearly as much air pollution as cars and industries combined.
Most air pollutants come from the extraction, refining and use of fossil fuels. These pollutants include hundreds of different compounds that scientists clump into what they call Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). "Once they're emitted into the atmosphere, they can lead to the formation of ground level ozone and particles,
