What Are VOCs – Keep VOCs Out of Your Home

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are gases that are emitted by various synthetic materials (both liquids and solids).

VOCs can be found in a large amount of products you may use in your home from paints to household cleaners to plastics to cosmetics to building materials and lots more. You can see a technical list of VOCs here (in pdf) or a more user friendly list of VOCs here.

Why be afraid of VOCs:

Plenty of health issues can occur from exposure to VOCs. According to the EPA the following are issues…

“Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.  Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness.”

VOCs are worse indoors than out, which is a major reason why you need to be aware or the products being used in your home. Research has found that indoor VOC levels average 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoor levels. Shockingly, after immediate exposure to some activities, like paint stripping, levels in your house can be up to 1,000 times greater than outdoor levels.

Not only are VOCs more problematic indoors than out, but you can be exposed even if you’re simply storing a product with high VOC levels. Many VOC laden products release the VOCs when used, but some also release them when they’re just sitting around in your cupboard.

Next up we’ll have some tips about how to limit your family’s household exposure to VOCs.