Volatile organic compounds (VOC's) come from many sources. As a product of incomplete combustion, VOCs are found in automobile exhaust. They also come from the evaporation of fuels and organic solvents as well as from industrial processes. These compounds have very high vapor pressures and low boiling points. VOC's tend to be very flammable.

Guidelines [local] for laboratory storage of organics from the University of Illinois illustrate the safety challenge.