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Indoor Air Freshners Don't Mean Fresh Air
TRENTON - As outdoor air temperatures drop and we close our windows for the winter, keeping your home's air smelling fresh and clean becomes more of a challenge. It can also become a health concern.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reminds residents that when your house is closed up during the fall and winter months, indoor air quality can suffer. It is helpful if, from time to time, you air out your house. But when it's too cold, you do have options other than commercial air fresheners to get that clean and fresh fragrance you desire.
Instead of using products that often only mask smells, rather than eliminate them, consider the following alternatives: Find the source of odors and eliminate them. Grow houseplants, which filter the air. Use baking soda to absorb odors.
Air fresheners, as well as many household cleaners, adhesives and consumer repair products, may contain volatile organic compounds. These chemical compounds contribute to ground-level ozone creation and some may even be harmful if inhaled directly. Reducing your use of these products and exposure to their potentially harmful chemicals is not only important for general air quality but also for your health.
Ground-level ozone irritates the lungs and breathing passages, causing coughing and pain in the chest and throat. It also increases the chance of respiratory infections and reduces the ability to exercise. People with asthma and other respiratory problems are more severely affected.
Ground-level ozone forms in the air from pollutants such as volatile organic compounds, which come from vehicle and industrial emissions as well as evaporation of gasoline, industrial and consumer products such as solvents, paints, air fresheners and many other sources.
The DEP is working cooperatively with eight other Northeast states to reduce volatile-organic-compound emissions from consumer and commercial products.
For more information on what you can do to protect air quality, visit www.nj.gov/dep/ airmon/airtoxics/youcan.htm.
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