Survey of chemical substances in consumer products, 75 – Total health assessment of chemicals in indoor climate from various consumer products

Total health assessment of chemicals in indoor climate from various consumer products

Preface

In recent years the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) has made special efforts surveying chemicals in consumer products/articles in order to assess the exposure of common people to such chemicals and potential risks in that regard. A large part of such consumer products are used indoor.

The indoor climate is important for the public health, because we reside far the greatest part of our life indoor. Taken together it is expected that Danes spend between 80 and 90 % of their life indoor. Therefore, stressors in the indoor climate may be very important for public health and comfort. Thus, in the Danish national strategy for environment and health indoor climate is a high priority area.

Most of the previous reports on consumer products published by DEPA conclude that the release of chemicals from one single product does not give rise to concern but the collective burden of chemicals from all products used indoor e.g. in the bed room, in the family room, the kitchen or the children’s room, may be a problem.

The project had the aim of

Mapping which chemicals could be released to the indoor climate from normal use of consumer products at home. Release is evaporation, wearing, migration, and primary and secondary formation.
Assessing the importance of consumer products as source of chemical pollution indoor and the exposure of the residents.
Describing the total chemical impacts from the indoor climate various places in the dwelling.
Evaluating potential health impacts and nuisances from these exposures and advice how risks could be reduced.

The project group consisted of Frank Jensen (Chair) and Shima Dobel from DEPA and the two authors Allan Astrup Jensen, FORCE Technology and Henrik N. Knudsen, SBi-Danish Building Research Institute. Anders C. Schmidt, FORCE Technology, and Lars Gunnarsen, SBi-Danish Building Research Institute, were responsible for the quality control.