Changing Toxic Traditions
For decades, cleaning has been judged by scent and what appears clean not by consequences.
Asbestos was once considered safe.
Smoking indoors was once normal.
Both were accepted. Until science proved otherwise.
Standards evolve.
Cleaning should too.
What are VOCs?
Many traditional cleaners and even some “eco” essential oil-based products release volatile organic compounds, known as VOCs, into indoor air.
VOCs are chemicals that easily evaporate at room temperature, allowing them to move from surfaces into the air we breathe.
Natural does not automatically mean non-volatile.
What smells fresh often means airborne compounds remain suspended in the space around you.
Many formulations are designed to linger, leaving residues on surfaces long after cleaning is complete.
Exposure occurs through inhalation and skin contact.
Cleaning is not occasional.
It is constant.
VOC Studies & Research
A 20-year study from the University of Bergen found that frequent daily use of conventional cleaning sprays was associated with lung function decline comparable to smoking up to 20 cigarettes a day.
The impact was linked to repeated inhalation of airborne chemicals released during routine cleaning.
We are exposed daily.
At home. At work. In restaurants and hotels. In transport. This exposure compounds silently, stressing your body and main organs.
Clean should protect health, not compromise it.
Developing & Vulnerable Lungs
Infants and young children breathe more rapidly than adults. Their lungs are still developing. Their immune systems are immature.
Their surface contact is higher. This increases relative exposure.
Prolonged exposure to airborne VOCs released during conventional cleaning has been linked to respiratory irritation, asthma, wheezing and reduced lung function in children. Emerging research examining chronic indoor air pollution has also explored associations with neurological and developmental vulnerability in early life stages, as well as links to lower birth weight during pregnancy.
Older adults exposed over time have shown increased risk of chronic bronchitis and respiratory decline.
Developing and ageing lungs deserve protection.
Nothing Disappears
The ocean produces over half of the oxygen we breathe. Airborne chemicals do not vanish.
They evaporate into the atmosphere, where VOCs contribute to smog and ground-level ozone. They travel through drains into waterways and coastal systems.
Cumulative chemical contamination places stress on marine ecosystems, affecting oxygen balance, water quality and long-term ocean resilience.
What we spray inside becomes part of something larger. Clean should protect the air above us and the water around us.
A Legal Standard for Clean Air
Cleaning should not come at the cost of the very people and planet it is meant to protect.
This petition supports updating legislation to reflect current scientific research and modern understanding of human health.
We support:
• Clear listing of volatile compounds on product labels
• Transparent disclosure of total VOC emissions
• Defined limits on allowable airborne chemical exposure
What we breathe should never be hidden in small print.
Cleaning products should protect the people using them and the world around them.
Change the standard.
SIGN THE PETITIONVOCs are not limited to conventional chemical cleaners. They can be present in many traditional formulations and in some essential oil-based products.Volatility refers to how a compound behaves in air, not whether it is synthetic or plant-derived.
Transparency matters. Air quality matters