9.8 Volatile Organic Compounds

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a diverse group of organic compounds that evaporate at room temperature. A typical indoor environment may contain as many as 100 different compounds, including formaldehyde. Other sources of VOCs may be found in household pesticides, cleaning agents, cosmetics, and dry-cleaned clothes. A common characteristic of all VOCs is that at room temperature, gasses are emitted into the atmosphere from their solid or liquid state. These compounds can be emitted as a gas for long or short periods of time.

Indoor levels of VOCs have been determined by the Environmental Protection Agency to exceed outdoor levels by as much as 10 times. Exposure to VOCs may result in both acute and chronic health effects. Since the existing knowledge base of the toxicological effects of VOCs and their mixtures is still incomplete, exposure to them should be minimized. This section will focus on two of the more common VOCs - formaldehyde and pesticides.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a colorless organic gas compound that has a strongly pronounced pungent odor. It is also an inexpensive preservative and bonding agent commonly used in house products, such as pressed wood, house insulation, glues, and finish flooring material. Because of its bonding characteristics, house construction trades have used formaldehyde for years. Although the off-gasses produced by the products were obnoxious, formaldehyde was thought to be harmless. However, in 1980, laboratory findings showed that exposure to formaldehyde could cause nasal cancer in rats. Since that study, the issue of whether formaldehyde increases the risk of cancer has been a subject of debate in scientific and health communities. By 1987, the Environmental Protection Agency classified formaldehyde as a "probable" human carcinogen, under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure.

Regardless of whether formaldehyde is a definite carcinogen, it certainly is known to cause allergic reactions in humans. Some studies have demonstrated that 10-20% of the population is either allergic or hypersensitive to the substance. In some cases, exposure to formaldehyde can increase a person’s sensitivity to other irritants or chemicals that were never a problem in the past, thereby making the individual allergic to almost anything. Formaldehyde itself is known to cause the following conditions in humans, even at low levels of exposure:

• Skin allergies and rashes

• Shortness of breath and wheezing

• Chest tightness

• Coughing

• Eye irritation

• Runny nose

• Nose bleeds

• Throat irritations

• Vomiting and nausea

• Sneezing

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Sleeping difficulties

• Fatigue

The following are signs of acute exposure to formaldehyde:

• Abdominal pain

• Anxiety and depression

• Coma

• Convulsions

• Diarrhea

• Bronchitis

• Pneumonia

• Pulmonary edema

The seriousness of the above allergic reactions depends on individual sensitivity to formaldehyde, the duration of exposure, and the concentration levels at the time of exposure. The threshold level giving rise to minor symptoms for most people is at indoor air formaldehyde levels at or above 0.1 ppm. Sensitive people experience reactions to formaldehyde below the 0.1 ppm level. The World Health Organization recommends that indoor exposure should not exceed 0.05 ppm.

Formaldehyde in the House

Formaldehyde is an industrial chemical used to make many household products and building materials. Many people originally thought that formaldehyde was mainly a problem for owners of mobile homes, as the generally air-tight conditions along with extensive use of building materials that contained formaldehyde had a recognizable "mobile home" off-gas odor.

It is now known that in many houses formaldehyde can be a source of health problems, even in small amounts. It may take years for the formaldehyde to finally dissipate after being used in building materials and products. In older houses, studies show that the average concentration levels are well below 0.1 ppm. In houses with significant amounts of new pressed wood products, levels can be greater than 0.3 ppm. The following are some of its uses in building materials:

• Glues and adhesives

• Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI)

• Pressed wood products (e.g., plywood, particle board, paneling, and wood finishes)

• Carpet

• Laminated flooring materials

• Cabinet fiberboards

• Drapery materials

• Used as a preservative in some paints and coating products

Of the products and materials listed above, those made with urea-formaldehyde resins as adhesives are the ones of most concern.

When products are new, emissions of formaldehyde are at the highest levels. As products age, emissions of formaldehyde decrease. Because of this, newer homes will usually have more of a formaldehyde issue than older homes.

Pesticides

It is likely that termites, cockroaches, fleas, fungi, weeds, insects, or rodents will eventually affect most houses. To address these pest issues, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and disinfectants may be used inside the house or around the property. Many of these chemicals may only be used by trained and licensed applicators. For the do-it-yourselfer, others are available in hardware and grocery stores.

If a pesticide is classified as a restricted-use compound, both federal and state regulations usually apply. These regulations require applicator licensing and record keeping requirements relating to the name of the chemical applied, date of application, name of applicator, location of application, and weather conditions at the time of application.

While some indoor pesticide contamination can result from homeowner use of indoor pesticides, 90% of all pesticide exposure occurs indoors, although most of the restricted-use compounds are used outside of the structure. This occurs because the majority of the indoor pesticide contamination is tracked indoors from contaminated soils or dust, or is due to improper pesticide storage procedures. This is particularly a problem in rural areas where pesticides may be carried by air currents from applications on the field next door or perhaps even miles away!

Another source of pesticide contamination inside a house may be from the potable water supply. If the potable water supply is from a public municipal water system, there should be little concern. Federal laws require constant monitoring of municipal water supplies for numerous chemicals and VOCs. However, private wells may be a source of pesticide contamination. This may be from misapplication or over-application of pesticides or from improper chemical selection. Pesticides can leach through the soil, into the groundwater, and eventually into a well.

If improperly applied or released into a structure, pesticides can lead to serious health problems. Even limited exposure can cause symptoms such as dizziness, difficulty sleeping, muscular weakness, nausea, breathing difficulties, headaches, flu like symptoms, and watery eyes. Long term exposure or exposure to higher doses of pesticides can lead to allergies, cancer, or damage to the kidneys, liver, respiratory and nervous systems.

Whether the homeowner or a licensed professional applicator is doing the application of a pesticide, the manufacturer’s application, storage, and usage instructions should be followed to minimize exposure to pesticides.

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Company Policy for Licensees regarding VOCs:**

Real estate agents do not have the monitoring of sources of contamination from VOCs as a part of their job description. However, since indoor VOCs can have a major impact on the health of a house’s occupants, licensees should keep the following points in mind:

• If the buyer is purchasing a new or recently remodeled house, higher than acceptable levels of formaldehyde will probably be present. The agent should discuss the health concerns that formaldehyde may present, direct the buyer to sources of further information relating to formaldehyde, and should discuss various methods to reduce formaldehyde levels.

• In rural areas or houses that may have well water as their water source, the real estate agent should be aware of potential contamination of the water supply by agricultural spraying and pest control applications. In these cases, the agent should recommend that the buyer obtain water quality testing. The real estate agent might also direct the buyer to information available through state or local agencies relating to the impact of agricultural spraying and pesticide applications on the inside of the house.

• Either prior to closing or after closing, many real estate transactions will require pest control applications. Often real estate agents are asked to recommend a pest control service. While the real estate agent might consult with the seller or buyer and caution them to carefully select a pest control applicator, the real estate agent is cautioned against recommending a specific pest control company. Some areas of inquiry the buyer may wish to pursue are the possible use of natural or petrochemical-free insecticides, discussion of possible allergies of house occupants, and documentation to verify proper insurance coverage of the company.