The deodorants, perfumes and soaps that keep us smelling good are fouling the air with a harmful type of pollution — at levels as high as emissions from today's cars and trucks. That's the surprising finding of a study published Thursday in the journal Science.

Are deodorants bad for the environment?

All things considered, yes, deodorants and antiperspirants do have quite an environmental impact. ... The mineral salts form an inhospitable environment to bacteria that cause odor.

Does deodorant pollute?

Shoppers should stop buying spray cans of deodorant and air fresheners because they are a major source of toxic pollution, scientists have warned. ... Aerosol products now account for 6.1 per cent of all VOC emissions in the UK, the researchers said, more than the UK's entire fleet of cars.