Just smell it, that's how you know its new - whether it's a car, shoes, bag or a freshly painted room. The chemical compounds that give us this sense of comfort are part of a group of products called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short.
When they linger for a day or two, no problem, but enduring emissions are a cause for concern and could lead to health problems.
A reader wrote in to draw my attention to the increasing popularity of bamboo flooring, locally, and I now understand why. According to EcoBuilding Pulse, the production of bamboo flooring has advanced over the decades but there has been no level of standardization among the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association) in the United States.
The product is primarily produced in Asia, and there are great variations in quality among brands, and, of more concern, large differences in the level of urea-formaldehyde used in the adhesive to lay the floor.
Consumers ought to do their homework and take advantage of blog posts and product reviews that name and shame companies whose products should be avoided. Note that formaldehyde free adhesives can be specially ordered, and some U.S. importers have begun producing their own glues.
Generally, though, VOCs are emitted as a gas from very ordinary items in our surroundings such as glues, plastics, carpet, paint, building materials, printers, paper and the list goes on. The concentration of VOCs indoors, where we spend most of our time, has been found to be generally 10 times that found outdoors.
Because there is such a wide variety of compounds, the effects range from limited to toxic, and, in some cases, have been contributing factors in sick building syndrome. In some instances VOCs have been known to cause cancer in animals and are suspected to cause cancer in humans. They are more commonly attributed to irritations of the eye, throat or nose; nausea; headaches and damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.
Admittedly some of the problems are a result of misuse of products by consumers. A common mistake persons make is mixing cleaning products, against the advice of the manufacturer, or neglecting to ensure that spaces are well ventilated when painting or general construction is taking place.
The problem has caught the attention of many agencies including the Carpet and Rug Institute that introduced a green labeling program in 1992 to test carpet, cushions and adhesives for emissions. Suitably qualified products earn their green labels. Building designers wishing to attain their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications have VOC limit tables to guide them; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has its own set of guidelines called Indoor Air Plus Construction Specifications.
To limit your exposure to VOCs get a fact sheet available on many websites that lists the types of products that contain VOCs. Use products as they are intended to be used, and avoid mixing chemicals. Store them in original containers in garages, for example, as opposed to occupied spaces, and limit storage amounts by only purchasing as much product as you need.
o We would like to hear how this article has helped you. Send questions or comments to sbrown@graphitebahamas.com.
Sonia Brown is the principal of Graphite Engineering Ltd. and is a registered professional engineer.

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