BOULDER, Colo. — When you think of air pollution sources, automobile tailpipes likely come to mind. A new study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder suggests there's another source of pollutants.
It comes from products we use everyday like deodorants, shampoos, and a variety of household products that you might use to improve your home. These are products that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere.
"You can think of VOCs as compounds that you can smell," said Brian McDonald. McDonald is an environmental engineer with the NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory and is part of a massive air quality campaign going on this summer.
Researchers are measuring air pollutants from the streets up to space in cities across the country using aircraft packed with all sorts of technology.
Because, while regulators have made big strides in reducing air pollution by cleaning up tailpipe and smokestack emissions in recent decades, they have done little to reduce ground-level ozone.
"Currently in the US, 100 plus million Americans live in areas that are designated in non-attainment for ozone under the Clean Air Act," McDonald said. "So a lot of Americans breath unhealthy air."
The campaign aims to change that by focusing on the chemicals we use everyday: everything from deodorants to paint. Fragrances that not only contribute to ozone but to climate change as well.
"Mitigating or lowering emissions can also contribute to the lowering of emissions that contribute to climate," said McDonald.
McDonald said while the researchers do their part, we can do ours by living a more fragrance-free, low VOC lifestyle.
"I think the two main things in this area are... fragrance free type of products, and then low VOC paints," he said.
Small changes, simple choices people can individually make that McDonald believes could make a big impact.
Currently ozone contributes to the deaths of more than 100,000 Americans every year. It's a number researchers hope to drastically lower through tougher regulations.
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