Gretchen Schaefer
202.833.7311
Study Fails to Link Asthma to Household Products
Washington, DC (March 17, 2008) – A study published in a European medical journal is a
failed effort to link respiratory problems to household products, according to the Consumer
Specialty Products Association (CSPA).
The study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, wrongly claims an association
between asthma in children and household cleaning products and air freshener use during the
mothers’ pregnancy.
“The statistical findings in the study are extremely weak,” said CSPA President Chris Cathcart.
“To have such weak statistical findings in a sample this large makes the conclusions drawn in
the study very questionable.”
There are numerous studies that document the benefits of household products in reducing
exposures to various allergens in the home as well as reducing the risk of asthma. Also, the
most common allergy for both asthmatics and non-asthmatics is to house dust mites, and
household cleaning products play an important role in controlling dust mites.
Additionally, according to a National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine study, the
overwhelming causes of both the development and exacerbation of asthma are biological
contaminants. The proper use of cleaning products and disinfectants is an effective and proven
way to reduce the primary causes of disease, infection, asthma and other health threats.
About CSPA
The Consumer Specialty Products Association is a non-profit national trade association
representing approximately 260 companies engaged in the manufacture, formulation,
distribution and sale of hundreds of familiar consumer products. It is organized into seven
divisions: Aerosol Products, Air Care, Antimicrobial Products, Cleaning Products, Pest
Management Products, Industrial and Automotive Specialty Chemicals, and Polishes and Floor
Maintenance. For more information, please visit www.cspa.org.
