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Household items as bad as cars for pollution

Household Items - Level 4

Scientists say a big cause of pollution is in our home. Everyday items such as toothpaste, deodorant and perfume have volatile compounds that create pollution. Dr Brian McDonald, an air-pollution researcher, did research on what creates pollution in our homes. He was surprised to find that household items cause as much pollution as cars and trucks. He said transportation is getting cleaner, but household items are becoming more polluting.

The researchers looked at volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in household items. VOCs react with sunlight to form ozone pollution. This gets trapped in our home. VOCs form tiny particles in the air and these can damage our lungs. Dr McDonald said we should regulate household products to reduce their impact on our health. He said: "The things I use in the morning to get ready for work are comparable to emissions that come out of...my car."

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Household Items - Level 5

Scientists say a massive cause of pollution is right under our noses. Everyday household items such as toothpaste, deodorant, perfume and polish contain volatile compounds that lead to pollution. Dr Brian McDonald, an air-pollution researcher at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, conducted research into what creates pollution in our homes. He was surprised to find that household items now cause as much pollution as cars, trucks and other vehicles. Dr McDonald said that as "the transportation sector gets cleaner, these other sources...become more important".

The researchers looked at volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a range of household items. VOCs react with sunlight to form ozone pollution. This goes into the environment and gets trapped in our house or apartment. VOCs interact with other chemicals to form tiny particles in the air that can damage our lungs. Dr McDonald said we should regulate household products more tightly to reduce their impact on our health. He gave a warning, saying: "The things I use in the morning to get ready for work are comparable to emissions that come out of the tailpipe of my car."

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Household Items - Level 6

Scientists say we are unaware of a massive cause of pollution that is right under our very noses. Everyday household items such as toothpaste, shaving foam, deodorant, perfume and furniture polish contain volatile compounds that help to cause pollution. Dr Brian McDonald, an air-pollution researcher at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, conducted research into how our homes create pollution. His team was surprised to find that household items now contribute as heavily to particular types of air pollution as cars, trucks and other vehicles. Dr McDonald said that as "the transportation sector gets cleaner, these other sources...become more and more important".

The researchers focused on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a whole range of household items. VOCs react with sunlight to form ozone pollution. This escapes into the environment and gets trapped in our house or apartment, causing pollution in our homes. The scientists said VOCs interact with other chemicals to form tiny particles in the air. These particles can lead to lung damage. Dr McDonald said governments should regulate household products more tightly to reduce their negative impact on our health. He issued a stark warning, saying: "The things I use in the morning to get ready for work are comparable to emissions that come out of the tailpipe of my car."

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson