Many products now claim "No Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) " and others claim to be "Unscented" - is there more to this story?
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No volatile organic compounds (VOCs) means that a product does not contain a class of chemicals made up of certain hydrocarbons which are able to rapidly evaporate (see also Volatile Organic Compounds). VOCs are often found in solvents, paints, caulking materials, household cleaning products, etc. They can be harmful and some are extremely dangerous. However, the natural VOCs released by onions, oranges, and baking bread are considered reasonably safe.
Unscented
Unscented would seem to indicate that a product contains no natural or synthetically derived fragrance. However, some manufacturers use this term or scent-free when the scent has been altered so it can’t be smelled. In some cases—especially with detergents—certain major companies use an additional masking fragrance to cover up or counter the odor of the original fragrance. Obviously, this type of labeling can be somewhat confusing, if not misleading. Unfortunately, for some chemically sensitive persons, the presence of the original scent and the masking fragrances will have an adverse effect. This is because, for them, it’s the chemical composition of the scents that’s bothersome—not the odors themselves.
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