Researchers from University of Washington analyzed a range of top-selling products from plug-in oils to dryer sheets, fabric softeners and detergents. The results indicated that these products contained at least one chemical which was deemed toxic or hazardous.
Plug-in air fresheners contained more than 20 different volatile organic compounds and of these seven are regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws. However, none of the potentially toxic chemicals is listed on the product labels, WebMD quoted one of the researchers as saying.
In total, they found 58 volatile organic compounds, with seven of them being considered toxic or hazardous according to federal laws.
The researchers urged the manufacturers to include more warnings on the products and also advised consumers to use ventilation instead of air fresheners and to choose fragrance-free laundry products.
The study is published in the online journal, Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
