Are Green Cleaning Products Destroying Our Lungs?
In recent years, “green” cleaners have become increasingly popular, with an assumption that these are better for our health and/or the environment. However, there is no strong evidence to suggest that they are better for indoor air quality compared to regular products.
In developed countries, it is estimated that we spend approximately 90% of our time indoors. As a result, a large proportion of our personal exposure to air pollutants occurs in indoor environments.
Scented surface cleaning products can expose you to a similar amount of pollutant particles as a busy urban road used by 28,000 vehicles a day.
A 2024 study looking at the chemicals released into the air from 10 regular and 13 green cleaners was looked at. Monoterpenes were the most prevalent chemicals. Green cleaners generally emitted more monoterpenes than regular cleaners, resulting in larger increases in harmful secondary pollutant , such as formaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) chemicals.
Chemicals in Our Homes
Indoor air can be 2-5 times, even up to 100 times, more polluted than outdoor air. There are many sources of gaseous and particulate air pollutants indoors, including building materials and furnishings (wood, plastics, floorings), personal care products, household appliances (stoves, photocopiers, fires) and cooking and cleaning.
The problem is that the chemical composition of cleaning product formulations is often unclear from the product labels, as manufacturers are not required to disclose all formulation ingredients. A study of 134 common consumer products found fewer than 4% of the identified volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released into the air were listed as product ingredients.
The fragrance component of consumer products is often listed as “parfum”, or an equivalent term, with no chemical detail about the fragrance components. The fragrance component of household cleaners is a key selling point to consumers, promoting the perception of a clean environment through the concealing of bad smells. Cleaning products have been identified as one of the largest sources of terpenes indoors.
Monoterpenes and monoterpenoids were the most commonly identified species in both regular and green cleaners in the study, with five monoterpenes/monoterpenoids being identified in over 50% of the cleaners tested: limonene, eucalyptol, β-pinene, 3-carene and linalool. Limonene was the most prevalent VOC identified in regular and green cleaners.
The monoterpenes α-thujene, β-ocimene, β-myrcene and allocimene were identified in green cleaners only. These are likely from naturally derived fragrance ingredients (such as essential oils). Green cleaners were generally larger sources of monoterpene emissions compared to regular cleaners, resulting in larger increases in harmful secondary pollutants such as formaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) chemicals.
However, emissions of highly reactive monoterpenes such as α-terpinene, terpinolene and α-phellandrene were observed from more regular cleaners than green cleaners, resulting in a disproportionately large impact on the concentrations of radical species and the production of formaldehyde.
Health Effects of Indoor Air Pollution
Evidence suggests that occupant exposure to pollutants from cleaning products may cause adverse respiratory effects and asthma prevalence in cleaning staff.
The chemical most commonly produced by both regular and green cleaners was formaldehyde. Yes, that’s right, the chemical used to preserve the frog in your biology class. It is a gas that can irritate a person's eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, or trigger an asthma attack, even at low concentrations. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde can cause cancer.
Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is a secondary air pollutant that can significantly impact human health by causing eye irritation, respiratory issues, and potential damage to lung function.
