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

3 Review of DEPA reports on chemicals in consumer product and other studies

3.1 DEPA surveys

In the years 2002 to 2005 the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) has published more than 60 reports on studies of chemicals in consumer products.[4] Around half of them contain information relevant for indoor climate considerations.

The particular reports do have different aim and character. In some reports the focus is on the content of chemicals in the products, in others release to indoor air is included, which is most relevant for this project. The DEPA-reports focus on each consumer product separately. It is more complex in the real dwelling, where many products may be used simultaneously.

Even those reports on products very relevant for the indoor climate may not contain sufficient data for an exposure assessment. Furthermore, the results of the chemical analysis are not always very specific and certain, because most are screening methods, and some use toluene-equivalents for quantification of VOCs.

The reports with indoor relevance are listed below with report no. The most relevant reports with emission data are marked with ”+”, while reports only with product composition data for products intended for indoor use are marked with ”(+)”.

3.1.1 Reports containing chemicals and indoor climate information:

(+)    1: Phthalates in PVC products
+ 6: Candle (lights)
+ 7: Mapping of compound discharge when ironing of beads
(+) 8: Contents of selected fragrance materials in cleaning products and other consumer products
+ 14: Moulding wax
(+) 15: Carpets
(+) 16: Cleaning materials and polishers for metals
(+) 17: Analysis of perfluorooctanesulfonate compounds in impregnation agents, wax and floor polish products
(+) 18: Hair styling products
(+) 19: Christmas spray
(+) 21: Dry-cleaned clothes
(+) 23: Textile fabrics
(+) 29: Chemicals in glues
(+) 30: Air freshener and similar products
+ 32: Electric and electronic products, Part 1
(+) 33: Natural toys
+ 36: Survey, release and assessment of volatile chemicals in printed matters
(+) 38: Survey and release of chemicals from sealing materials
+ 39: Chemicals released from incense
(+) 43: Stain removers
(+) 45: Spray paint
+ 46: Tents and tunnels for children
(+) 48: Windows colours
+ 49: Release of chemicals from products of exotic wood
+ 50: Exposure to chemicals in impregnation agents
+ 51: Release of chemicals from products of chloroprene
(+) 52: Chemicals in shoe care products
(+) 57: Screening of health effects from chemicals in textile colours
(+) 58: Survey of chemicals in textile colours
(+) 59: Survey and evaluation of chemicals in glass and porcelain colours
+ 66: Electric and electronic products, Part 2.

For each of these reports a summary was made in a phase-1 report.

An Excel file was generated with a Substance-Product-Matrix for substances in various products with indication if quantitative emission data exists, and if the exposure is long-term or short-term.

3.2 Summaries of other relevant surveys

A review has been made of other selected published studies of release of chemicals from consumer products and into the indoor climate and exposure of people to chemicals indoors from house dusts originated from consumer products. These summaries are found in Appendix B (only in Danish).

In Appendix B the focus is on the newer problems with the less volatile brominated flame retardants, which are often used in electric products, textiles and furniture foam, phthalate plasticizers found in vinyl floor materials and wall paper, and toys, and the repellants used for carpets and clothes. These substances are only in few cases included in the DEPA reports.

Fodnoter

[4] www.mst.dk/kemi/02050100.htm

 

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Version 1.0 September 2006, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency