Air pollution is a huge concern for human health, ranking as the fifth highest risk factor globally.
Chemical products that contain compounds refined from petroleum, like household cleaners, pesticides, paints and perfumes, now rival motor vehicle emissions as the top source of urban air pollution, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study just published.
"The scientists concluded that in the United States, the amount of VOCs emitted by consumer and industrial products is actually two or three times greater than estimated by current air pollution inventories, which also overestimate vehicular sources... The new study, with its detailed assessment of up-to-date chemical use statistics and previously unavailable atmospheric data, puts the split closer to 50-50." University of Colarado concluded.
In an urban environment, cleaning products are a major contributor to the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), contributing to significant disruptions to our ozone.
"Indoor concentrations are often 10 times higher indoors than outdoors, and that's consistent with a scenario in which petroleum-based products used indoors provide a significant source to outdoor air in urban environments."
Unable to escape the chemicals we emit into our atmosphere, these toxic cleaners contribute to the development of a wide range of respiratory and other diseases.
The prevention of chemical emissions and risk to human health can only be ended by replacing harmful atmospheric polluters with safe, sustainable alternatives - eWater being one of these.
By switching to an eWater System, you can be #reducingourchemicalfootprint and no longer contributing VOCs to our atmosphere. This also means no risk of respiratory disease from cleaning products for you or your staff and no more burden on our ozone and other waste streams.
Click here for the full study.