California Tightens VOC Regulations for Seven Product Categories

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently announced it had adopted amendments to several Consumer Products Program regulations to help the state attain federal ozone standards and reduce public exposure to air toxins.

According to CARB, since the Consumer Products Program began in 1988, it has limited the allowable volatile organic compound (VOC) content of more than 100 categories of products, achieving 250 tons per day of VOC reductions. The program reduces smog-forming compounds and particulates, and provides significant reductions in both air toxics and climate-changing gases.

Additional VOC reductions from consumer products were announced in late March as part of the State Implementation Plan. This legally required plan outlines the actions California will take to meet federal clean-air standards. The amendments adopted lower VOC standards for seven product categories. Categories amended per the CARB news release include:

• Four hair-care product categories: Finishing spray, dry shampoo, hair shine, and temporary hair color. Hair finishing spray is the third-largest source of VOCs in consumer products.
• Personal fragrance, including perfumes, aftershaves, lotions, powders, body mists, and sprays, is the second-largest source of consumer product VOC emissions.
• Manual aerosol air fresheners, a category of products labeled to mask odors or scent the air.
• Aerosol crawling bug insecticide category.

“There are many potential sources of VOC exposure in the typical home, office, or classroom,” said Joseph Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at LA Testing. “These include emissions from consumer products, building materials, finishes, and furnishings found all around us. These VOCs are not only bad for the environment, but exposure can also impact a person’s well-being. The excessive exposures can be especially true for those with existing respiratory issues.  For this reason, LA Testing’s network of laboratories provides product, material, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) testing for VOCs. These services can be essential for assisting companies to meet new and existing product regulations.”

To learn more about this or other product, material, environmental, health, and safety testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com , or call (800) 755-1794.


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

LA Testing

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail