The asthma & allergy friendly™ Certification Program administered by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) in partnership with the research organization, Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), announced on November 17th, 2009 that it has developed and adopted a certification standard and testing protocol for Non-Disinfecting Hard Surface Spray Cleaning Products.
House Dust Can Be Unhealthy
Particles within house dust vary greatly with contributions being made by a myriad of different organic and inorganic materials (e.g. human skin, animal dander, mold spores, dust mites, pollen, textile fibers, microorganisms, toxins). Depending on its contents, dust can be categorized as irritating, allergenic or sensitizing, and the health risk depends upon the type of dust and the exposure level.
Recently the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal / EPA) issued a “Statement of reasons for proposed amendments to the California Consumer Products Regulation” and has identified cleaning products as an area where a reduction in the level of VOCs used is necessary. VOCs are among the most common non-biological airway irritants and their impact on the health of adults and children has been extensively studied.
The new Certification Standard for Non-Disinfecting Hard Surface Spray Cleaning Products (ASP: 09-01/101) is designed to assess the effectiveness of a cleaning product for reducing allergen levels and limiting exposure to airborne particles [as well as chemical irritants]. The asthma & allergy friendly™ Certification Mark is awarded to those cleaning products that have been scientifically proven to meet the standards set by the program. An abstract of the new certification standard is available online at www.asthmaandallergyfriendly.com.
Contact:
Brian Oliver, asthma & allergy friendly™ Certification Program
202.466.7643 x224
brian@aafa.org
[Note: Publication of this news item does not indicate an endorsement of this program by The Healthy House Institute (HHI). Readers should perform their own due diligence.]
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