Common Chemical Products Responsible for Air Pollution

As the levels of vehicle exhaust decrease due to more stringent environmental regulations, scientists are finding that chemicals in goods such as cleaning products, paint, fragrances, and printer ink are contributing to a larger portion of pollution.

In a study published last week in Science, researchers from various U.S. universities looked at molecules known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere. Although VOCs released in the air by vehicles have dropped dramatically, nearly twice as much comes from chemical products found in offices and homes. Many of these products, such as fragranced air fresheners, are designed to evaporate easily, becoming airborne molecules.

To improve indoor air quality, facility managers can limit painting to hours when the building is empty, choose fragrance-free cleaning products, and keep the use of air fresheners to a minimum. They also can consider incorporating indoor plants in their facility’s interior design as scientists have found plants such as weeping figs and spider plants can help remove VOCs from indoor air.