Barb Wilkie's EHN Website
Last updated 2008

RIFM RESPIRATORY SAFETY PROGRAM - INDOOR AIR QUALITY
The fragrance industry tells us that fragrances do not clean the air. What they don't elaborate
upon is that line about producing no smell at all. They use chemicals to deaden your olfactory
senses. The chemicals are there to adversely affect one's body whether or not you can smell
them. I personally find that dangerous and despicable. -- barb
http://www.rifm.org/WHITE%20PAPER%20IAQ%20DIsola%20v2%2004082004.htm

Also see EHN's . . .    FDA Citizens' Petition 99P-1340, which is still open (1/06).
If you view nothing else, DO check one of the analyses, then write the FDA at: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov and reference 99P-1340

Laboratory 2: Analysis Summary of Eternity eau de parfum by Calvin Klein
(Be sure to print this out and use it . . . Make note of the chemicals listed on the EPA's
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory and on the Registry of Toxic Effects of
Chemical Substances (RTECS).)
http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/analysis.htm

    Assaulted by Fragrance
http://ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/a.htm#Assaulted

    The Word IS Out!
http://www.ehnca.org/www/ehnhompg/wordout.htm

    Take Heart! (EHN's page on access and accommodation info)
http://ehnca.org/www/ehnhompg/takheart.htm

• A Canary's Eye View ã Fragrance
  http://www.loudzen.com/canary/challenges/air/fragrance.html

   

• ADA -
• The Advocate -- Stamford
  Norwalk City Hall employee files lawsuit over perfume
  By Brian Lockhart, Staff Writer; March 1, 2005
  http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-lawsuit2mar01,0,3665573.story

  Printer Friendly
  http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-lawsuit2mar01,0,2743686,print.story

   

• Air "Fresheners" . . . really air POLLUTERS!
  
• RIFM RESPIRATORY SAFETY PROGRAM - INDOOR AIR QUALITY
  The fragrance industry tells us that fragrances do not clean the air. What they don't elaborate
  upon is that line about producing no smell at all. They use chemicals to deaden your olfactory
  senses. The chemicals are there to adversely affect one's body whether or not you can smell
  them. I personally find that dangerous and despicable. -- barb
  http://www.rifm.org/WHITE%20PAPER%20IAQ%20DIsola%20v2%2004082004.htm

   

  
  
  • Air Fresheners Create Indoor Smog
    EHANS; UPdate spring 2005
    "Plug in air fresheners containing fragrances such as pinene and d¼limonene can combine
    with ozone in the air to create a potentially harmful smog inside houses. Ozone is a
    common component of both urban and rural air. Researchers from the US
    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studied what happened when the substances
    combined as they would in an indoor environment. They found that the combination
    generated formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen, as well as related compounds which are
    associated with respiratory problems."
    http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Health/Nsaeha/s05fresheners.html

     

  • Air Resources Board and the University of California, Berkeley
    
    • Household cleaners and air fresheners emit toxic pollutants
      May 25, 2006, 12:33, Reviewed by: Dr. Priya Saxena
      "Their results indicate that we need to look beyond the directly emitted compounds."
      
      By UC Berkeley, When used indoors under certain conditions, many common household
      cleaners and air fresheners emit toxic pollutants at levels that may lead to health risks,
      according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and
      Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
      http://www.rxpgnews.com/research/environment/pollution/article_4312.shtml

         . . . and that led to . . .

      Principal Investigator: William W. Nazaroff
      University of California, Berkeley
      April 2006
      
      ARB Contract No. 01-336 (Full Report)
      ABSTRACT
      When cleaning products and air fresheners are used indoors, occupants are exposed to
      airborne chemicals, potentially leading to health risks. Indoor air pollutant exposures
      owing to cleaning product and air freshener use depend on emissions from products,
      dynamic behavior of chemical species, and human factors. A series of experiments was
      conducted to investigate volatile organic compound emissions, concentrations, and
      reactive chemistry associated with the household use of cleaning products and air
      fresheners. Research focused on two common classes of ingredients in cleaning products
      and air fresheners: ethylene-based glycol ethers, which are classified as toxic air
      contaminants, and terpenes, which react rapidly with ozone. A shelf-survey of retail
      outlets led to the selection of 21 products whose chemical composition was characterized.
      Among the criteria used to select these products were ready availability through
      California retail outlets and, for the majority of products, expectation that they contained
      ethylene-based glycol ethers, terpenes and related compounds, or both. Of the 17
      cleaning products characterized, four contained substantial levels of d-limonene (4-25% by
      mass), three contained terpenoids that are characteristic of pine oil, six contained
      substantial levels of ethylene-based glycol ethers (0.8-10% by mass), and five contained
      less than 0.2% of any of the target analytes. Xylene in one product was the only other
      toxic air contaminant detected. Among the four air fresheners characterized, three
      contained substantial quantities (9-14% by mass) of terpene hydrocarbon and terpene
      alcohol constituents, with linalool being the most abundant. Six of the 21 products were
      investigated in simulated-use experiments in which emissions and concentrations of
      primary constituents were measured. Cleaning products that contain 2- butoxyethanol
      as an active ingredient produced one-hour-average concentrations of 300 to 2,300 µg/m 3
      immediately after simulated typical use in a room-sized chamber. For cleaning products
      that contain d-limonene as an active ingredient, corresponding levels were 1,000 to
      6,000 µg/m 3 . Application of a pine-oil based cleaner produced one-hour-average
      concentrations of 10-1300 µg/m 3 for terpene hydrocarbons and terpene alcohols.
      Reactive chemistry was studied by exposing constituents of three products to ozone, both
      in a bench-scale chamber and during simulated use. Prominent products of the
      reaction of terpenes with ozone included formaldehyde (a toxic air contaminant), hydroxyl
      radical, and secondary organic aerosol (a form of fine particulate matter). Incorporating
      the new experimental data, exposures were estimated for several simulated use
      scenarios. Under ordinary circumstances, exposures to 2-butoxyethanol, formaldehyde,
      and secondary organic aerosol are not expected to be as high as guideline values solely
      as a result of cleaning product or air freshener use. However, ordinary use could lead to
      exposure levels of similar magnitude as guideline values. Scenario model results
      suggest that exposure levels could exceed guideline values under exceptional yet plausible
      conditions, such as cleaning a large surface area in a small room. The results of this
      study provide important information for understanding the inhalation exposures to
      certain air pollutants that can result from the use of common household products.
      http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/abstracts/01-336.htm
      

    
    2007 . . . Show Us Your Secrets
    Fragrances hide toxic chemical ingredients
    Environmental Working Group
    http://www.ewg.org/issues/cosmetics/valentine/index.php

    April 2007 . . . Alternative Medicine
    Get the magazine on your newstand now! Read Stop Making Scents
    Is the olfactory onslaught of scented sprays, detergents, and lotions making you sick? AltMed clears the air on the hidden hazards of chemical-laden fragrances and helps you de-scents-itize your home.
    BY JILL SVERDLOV
    
    

  • Web ExclusiveãFight Perfume Pollution
    
    "As public awareness grows about super-scenting, more companies are providing safer products. Ask questions, do research, share information, and remember not to trust all labels. Most people would never knowingly douse their kids in benzene or dispense narcotics into their neighborhoods from their dryer vents. With full ingredient disclosure, educated consumers will be able to decide what they want to use on their bodies. ..."
    http://www.alternativemedicine.com/common/news/store_news.asp?StoreNewsID=13289&storeID=02AD61F001A74B5887D3BD11F6C28169
    
    This info includes FDA contact information to support EHN's Citizens' Petition 99P-1340. I hope folks take heed and take time to write to the FDA and to their congressional representative and senators. EHN is best pleased that Alt Med has provided this important information to the public! -- barb

     

  • Web ExclusiveãFragrances to Avoid
    
    "To avoid negative reactions, check labels for these potentially harmful ingredients. They are found in common products such as perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, bleach, air fresheners, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, soap, hairspray, shaving cream, aftershave, deodorants, nail polish remover, and more. ..."
    (This seems to be based, at least in part, upon the work of Julia Kendall. See above, Twenty Most....)
    http://www.alternativemedicine.com/common/news/store_news.asp?StoreNewsID=13290&storeID=02AD61F001A74B5887D3BD11F6C28169

    
    

  • Web ExclusiveãEuropean Commission¼s Banned Hair Dye Substances
    A list of chemicals . . . worth your viewing IF you choose to color your hair. -- barb
    http://www.alternativemedicine.com/common/news/store_news.asp?StoreNewsID=13292&storeID=02AD61F001A74B5887D3BD11F6C28169
    

     

  • BBC News
    
    Air Fresheners Can Make Mothers And Babies Ill 19/10/2004 "Air fresheners and aerosols can make babies and their mothers ill, research from the University of Bristol¼s Children of the 90s study has revealed. "A number of previous studies have shown that air fresheners and aerosols are responsible for high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the home. "Children of the 90s (ALSPAC), which has followed the health and development of 14,000 children since before birth, is the first study to investigate the effects of VOCs on infants. "The researchers found that frequent use of air fresheners and aerosols during pregnancy and early childhood was associated with higher levels of diarrhoea, earache and other symptoms in infants, as well as headaches and depression in mothers. ..." http://www.alspac.bris.ac.uk/press/air_fresheners.shtml

     

    • Air Fresheners Really Air Polluters
      Dean Edell (aka Dr. Dean); July 01, 1998
      "DEAN EDELL, M.D. Breathe in, breathe out. What you're supposed to breathe is plain
      ole fresh air, not pollution - but not perfume either. So why do so many of us turn to
      air fresheners to freshen what is already fresh? Lots of folks put them in their kitchen,
      in their bath, and all over the house. Many even put them in their cars. ...
      
      "First of all, researchers say what air fresheners don't do, is improve air quality. In fact,
      fresheners don't even make odors disappear, they just make the nose less sensitive
      to bad smells by masking one smell with the other....
      
      "Depending on the brand, fresheners can release camphor, alcohol, limonene and others
      which might be harmful when vaporized and breathed. Some contain more toxic
      chemicals like paradichlorobenzene - also used as a moth repellent - which is now so
      common it now turns up in trace amounts in almost all blood samples. 'But the real
      potential for harm is to people with asthma and other breathing problems. Experts say
      anyone with respiratory problems may want to avoid most air fresheners. Best
      advice? Try a little baking soda in the cat box or garbage can, otherwise maybe open a
      window and let the fresh air in' [Emphasis added.]
      
      „END NOTE The experts add, clean indoor air should not smell of anything. If it has a
      chronic stale, musty or strange smell, it could indicate a problem. „
      http://www.healthcentral.com/DrDean/DeanFullTextTopics.cfm?ID=1192
      
      OR: http://web.archive.org/web/19990825051050/http://www.healthcentral.com/DrDean/DeanFullTextTopics.cfm?ID=1192

      Are Household Chemicals Connected To The Rise In Asthma?
      23/12/2004
      "Frequent use of household cleaning products and other chemicals in the home could be
      linked to cases of asthma among Britain¼s children.

      "A new study of respiratory health among young children has shown a clear connection
      between breathing problems and their mothers¼ use of a range of common products
      such as bleach, paint stripper and carpet cleaners. ..."
      And, I ask, do the women who use scented household products also used scented personal care
      products? Some of the products made for infants and children are so scented, the infant is in a
      chemical warfare zone constantly. And if that mother also uses highly scented detergents and
      fabric softeners, her children are guaranteed to be breathing and absorbing toxic fragrance
      chemicals. -- barb
      http://www.alspac.bris.ac.uk/press/household_chemicals.shtml

      PDF file: http://www.alspac.bris.ac.uk/press/pdf/household_chemicals.pdf

       

    
    July 27, 2006--
    Folks, what have we been saying all along???? Well, lookie here. Of course, they say
    MAY, and we say WILL, but what they hey, this is at least some recognition of the polluting effects
    and health damage associated with synthetically scented products. Air "freshener," my kiester! -- barb
    .
    Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function New research shows that a chemical compound found in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products, may be harmful to the lungs. Human population studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, found that exposure to a volatile organic compound (VOC), called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB) may cause modest reductions in lung function. NIH News
    http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/airfreshener.htm

     

• Allergy, Sensitivity & Environmental Health Association (ASEHA)
  http://www.asehaqld.org.au/

   

  • Fragrance, Perfume, Scent Page
    http://www.asehaqld.org.au/Fragrances_Perfumes/Fragrance%20Page.htm

     

  • About Fragrances: Did you know ää. Fragrances can make you ill
    Written by Dorothy M. Bowes for ASEHA Qld Inc 2004
    http://www.asehaqld.org.au/Leaflets/about_fragrances.htm

     

  
  
• Alternet
  http://www.alternet.org/
  • Chemical Soup and Federal Loopholes
    By Kelly Hearn, AlterNet. Posted March 11, 2005.
    Toxic cosmetics ingredients were recently banned in the European Union. Here in the
    U.S., the $35 billion cosmetics industry is fighting a similar ban tooth and nail.
    "..."After three decades of extensive studies [on] carcinogens and reproductive toxins, the
    EU banned two phthalates and those are the two that I am proposing to ban," Chu
    said in a recent telephone interview. 'It is outrageous that American women aren't
    give the same protections that European women are. How can a whole continent of
    women be protected yet Americans ignore this?'

    "Chu says she would also like to make companies list any phthalates on product labels
    but has set aside that politically more difficult task (the industry argues that rejigging its
    labeling process presents huge economic burdens and could infringe on trade secrets).
    
    "During last year's legislative session, Chu's original bill (AB 2012), would have prohibited
    phthalates and forced cosmetics manufacturers to disclose to state officials any
    hazardous chemicals on their products. That bill failed to pass the Assembly Health
    Committee after intense industry opposition.
    
    " 'They probably spent millions lobbying against it,' says Chu. 'They flew people in from
    New York and spent days and days lobbying members.' Supporters of the bill,
    ranging from the United Food and Commercial Workers to the Breast Cancer Fund
    were no match.
    
    "This time round, the cosmetics industry plans to mount the same kind of campaign. ..."
    And I'm old enough to know that there is nothing new under the sun regarding the fragrance
    industry. They flew in top guns when residents of Oakland and Berkeley sought fragrance-free
    language for civic meeting notices. They fear mongered drops in business for local merchants, but I can gurantee that as not every one has stopped smoking and drinking, not everyone will stop using the toxins in fragrances -- and trust me, there are more toxins to worry about than just phthalates. Even though a study indicates that fragrances affect the brain in the way that alcohol and tobacco do. -- barb
    http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/21468/

     

• American 'Beauty'
  A march through time with what was known when about fragrances
  Compiled and written by Barb Wilkie, June 2004
  
  November 2004 . . . Coming sometime summer of 2005, if all goes well. -- . . . And, as if I put a curse on myself with that hopeful thought, all didn't go well. I was marked with time by a nephrologist who proclaimed I'd be on diaylysis or have a kidney transplant -- NO! -- or be dead in a year. I saw him on July 26, 2005 and I've not been back. For starters, that entire section at Kaiser Oakland was heavily perfumed and that is shared space with pulmonary! Secondly, the doctor offered no hope. I've since learned of a Dr. Mackenzie Walser of Johns Hopkins, who has published a book and has a website -- http://www.copingwithkidneydisease.com/ -- and he feels that one can arrest the progression of kidney failure through diet and supplements. You may follow my journey by visiting Kidney Disease on EHN's page K.
  
  http://www/ehnlinx/fragtime.htm
  

  
  Asthma -- 1986
  Why, oh why did John Wodatch not look at this work before making his landmark decision that
  hospital staff had the right to futher poison patients, when he ruled February 1995 that it
  was a "personal choice" to wear perfumes? Frankly, my personal choice is to not breathe the
  toxins volatilizing from someone else's chosen scents, benignly labeled "fragrance" but are
  really petrochemically derived poisons. OF course the industry says they are fine . . . the industry
  includes the pharmaceuticals that they then can push so folks feel a little better for a little while. -- barb
  See http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/tal605.txt
  
  "Effects of Odors in Asthma"
  Chang Shim, MD and M. Henry Williams, Jr., MD,
  Pulmonary Division, Department of Medicine,
  Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx NY,
  The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 80, January 1986.
  In that study they "carefully distinguished between unpleasant emotional reaction to the odors and respiratory symptoms." In conclusion they wrote: "From a practical standpoint, sensitive asthmatic patients should be advised to eliminate odors from their environment as much as possible. They usually have done so on their own."

  We have. But, in a scented workplace, in healthcare facilities . . . anywhere, we must breathe the air polluted by the superfluous fragrance chemicals used by others. -- barb http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3079951&dopt=Abstract

   

• CNS Story: FRAGRANCE Dec-15-2004 (860 words)
  "Parishioners breathe easier in Seattle church's 'fragrance-free' zone"
  By Terry McGuire; Catholic News Service
  http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0406858.htm

   

• Co-op America -- "The Ugly Side of Cosmetics"
  http://www.coopamerica.org/

   

• The Detroit News
  "Tuesday, May 24, 2005
  "Radio DJ wins $10.6 million in stink over perfume
  WYCD personality claims she was fired after co-worker's scent made her sick."
  By David Shepardson / The Detroit News
  "DETROIT -- A former top-ranked radio host, who claims she was sickened by a
  colleague's use of a perfume described as "romantic, sensual, emotional," won
  $10.6 million in a federal court lawsuit Monday.

  "Erin Weber, who was on the air at WYCD-FM (99.5), contends in her suit that she was
  fired in 2001 after she complained about being exposed to Tresor perfume, which sells for
  $45.50 a bottle and is described by Lancome as a combination of ingredients such as
  rose and lilac. She said she was sickened by the fumes, a condition that began when
  a co-worker exposed her to spilled nail-polish remover in the country music station's
  Southfield studio.

  "The perfume was worn, her suit said, by another radio personality, Linda Lee, whose
  legal surname is Bullock. ...

  "... In a May 2001 e-mail to the station manager, presented as evidence, Weber said Lee's
  perfume caused her to lose her voice and that Lee intentionally walked by her at the
  Downtown Detroit Hoedown -- a popular annual country music festival. "Linda
  nearly brushed past me and a cloud of perfume trailed behind me," Weber wrote.

  " 'To have brought the perfume with her suggests forward planning. This appears
  to be a premeditated attack which was entirely unprovoked by me in anyway,' Weber
  wrote. 'Please tell me what steps you plan to take to ensure my safety.' ..."
  

  And, this is the story of millions of us, including yours truly . . . except I couldn't even hope
  to sue as no lawyer I met wanted to take the case of a government worker. I couldn't even get
  CalPERS disability. I had to take early retirement, which was far less monthly income.

  I would like to think that EHN's petition of the US FDA, with the analyses of several modern
  fragrances played a crucial part in this case, but I dream on. So far, that petition, filed with the FDA
  back on May 11, 1999, has netted no information from the Food and Drug Administration to the
  public about the harmful chemicals disguised by advertising hype as benign fragrances.-- barb
  http://www.detnews.com/2005/business/0505/24/A01-191461.htm

  
  

  Now, for an interesting look at JUSTICE . . . there is little for the perfume poisoned! -- barb
  Great Lakes ADA & Accessible IT Center
  A Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center
  800-949-4232 (V/TTY)
  ADA Update: 15 Years Later
  John Wodatch, Chief-Disability Rights Section, U.S. Department of Justice;
  Sharon Rennert, Attorney Advisor, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  July 19, 2005
  Note, the oblique reference to "Mary" is really Mary Lamielle, NCEHS.
  Caller: Hi Sharon. Hi John. I wanted to know if there were a recent charges or complaints
  that EEOC or DOJ regarding chemical sensitivity and the implications if any of the 10
  million dollar verdict with regard to the radio personality in the Midwest injured by
  chemicals, and then the issue of discrimination revolving around perfumes. Thank you.
  
  John Wodatch: Sharon, you want me to go first?
  
  Sharon Rennert: Sure.
  
  John Wodatch: I think we have not had a large number of new complaints dealing with
  multiple chemical sensitivity – We obviously take some of those. I think Mary,
  who has dealt with us in the past on these issues, knows they are difficult for us to advance in terms of insuring that we have proof in individual cases, but oftentimes, the
  kind of accommodations that are needed, especially in the courtroom settings, or other settings to enable people who have extreme sensitivity to the chemical environment,
  whether it be carpeting, or perfume, there are ways to deal with that that are easy
  to accomplish, but it's still an area where I think our record is spotty and where we are at
  the beginning of this matter – I have to admit, I'm not familiar with the
  judgment that you are talking about in the Midwest involving a radio personality though.
  
  Caller: Okay.
  
  John Wodatch: I don't know if Sharon is or not.

  Sharon Rennert: No. Like you John. I'm not familiar. In terms of EEOC, I don't think that we've had any particular increase in the past few months, year, like John was saying, in terms of cases of multiple chemical sensitivity. I don't have exact numbers. This has always been percentage wise a relatively small amount of our ADA case load. In terms of the employment issues, EEOC has taken the position that as a legal matter, employers are not required to ban the use of perfumes, either using could cologne, perfumes, perfumes that can be found in shampoos and soaps, many other things that we think is going beyond what the ADA would require. Chemicals involved in say cleaning agents is a different story, and there employers may well have to see about using a different kind of chemical, or you know if not throughout a building, looking around where the person may work. These are very difficult cases. Depending on the number of chemicals involved, the sensitivity, what the person does, what may be feasible to be done in terms of kinds of accommodations here. So individuals themselves in terms of dealing with kind of on multiple levels, if you will, about, number one, you know trying to see if you can gain certainly some cooperation as part of the problem tends to be the perfumes that may be showing up in people's use of shampoos and soaps, etcetera. But then really brain storming over what other things an employer may be able to do, in terms of relocating where somebody works, and better controlling the immediate environment. It may be about working at home if that is feasible, and in many jobs, that just won't be. It can be though, if someone is working on site, can we use things like phones and computers so that if somebody cannot join others in meetings doesn't mean you can't participate, but you just may have to do it through phones, through computers other ways of trying to get to have the person with the disability still involved.

  Caller: Thank you. I wanted to let both of you know, — there's access board project that's just finished, www.indoorenvironmentalquality.org that I think will add data to sort of what do we do in these circumstances. But thank you both for your response.

  Peter Berg: Thanks for the question. Can we have our next question please Operator?
  http://www.adagreatlakes.org/ProgramsAndServices/AudioConferencing/Archives/FY2005/default.asp?Category=5&Session=10

   

  Note: the reference to NIBS Indoor Environmental Quality website above is faulty.
  Save yourself frustration and go to IEQ Indoor Environmental Quality at
  http://ieq.nibs.org/.
  
  From there, you can go to Fragrance-free at http://ieq.nibs.org/rooms/cu_fragrance.php and read:
  Fragrance-Free
  Prohibit fragrance-emitting devices (FEDS), air fresheners, deodorizers, and similar
  products. Recommend that no fragranced, citrus-and/or pine-based products be
  used in cleaning or maintaining the room, path of travel, and restrooms. Any persons
  with perfume, cologne, aftershave, as well as fragranced personal careand laundry
  products, would be prohibited from using the room.
  (See Fragrance-Free Policy, Operations and Maintenance Report)

  Fragrance-Free Policy
  It is recommended that a fragrance-free policy include prohibition of fragrance-
  emitting devices (FEDS) and sprays; use of fragrance-free maintenance, laundry, paper
  and other products; restrictions on perfume, cologne, and other scented personal care
  products used by employees, visitors, and other occupants; and prohibitions on use
  of potpourri and burning incense and scented candles.

  An important first step is educating staff and others about the need for and benefits of
  reducing or eliminating the use of fragranced products.
  Oh, yes, but just try to get recalcitrant, perfume-using management staff to agree!!!! -- barb
  http://ieq.nibs.org/om/gr_policies.php

   

  Disease from Fragrances: Info for Doctors and Patients
  There is far more information available than meets your eye here, but this should give a clue to
  adverse health events suffered as the result of EXPOSURE to fragrances. Exposure means not
  only by the body of the user, but by the bodies of all others within breathing distance of these
  volatilizing, lingering on the ambient air, toxins. I hope NEPHROLOGISTS read this list.
  
  WHY is it that doctors' officies, healthcare facilities and hospitals, like the Kaiser system, continue
  to be scented? Is it so they have more patients for whom they can prescribe drugs? -- barb wilkie
  
  Asthma -- Instead of laying claim to the word
  " UNEXPLAINED" for soaring rates, L@@K at FRAGRANCES!
  
  
  • "Effects of Odors in Asthma"
    Chang Shim, MD and M. Henry Williams, Jr., MD,
    Pulmonary Division, Department of Medicine,
    Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx NY,
    The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 80, January 1986.
    In that study they "carefully distinguished between unpleasant emotional reaction to the odors and respiratory symptoms." In conclusion they wrote: "From a practical standpoint, sensitive asthmatic patients should be advised to eliminate odors from their environment as much as possible. They usually have done so on their own." We have. But, in a scented workplace we must breathe the air polluted by the superfluous fragrance chemicals of others. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3079951&dopt=Abstract

     

  • [IOM] Study Finds Strong Evidence That Exposure to Some Indoor Substances
    Can Lead to or Worsen Asthma
    Date: Jan. 19, 2000
    Contacts: Neil Tickner, Media Relations Officer
    Jennifer Cavendish, Media Relations Assistant
    (202) 334-2138; e-mail news@nas.edu
    "...Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies finds strong, causal evidence
    linking common indoor substances to the development or worsening of asthma
    symptoms in susceptible people. ...
    ...For biologic or chemical contaminants that could worsen asthma symptoms, limited or
    suggestive evidence exists regarding exposure to material shed by domestic birds; certain
    types of pneumonia and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV); secondhand tobacco smoke
    in older children and adults; formaldehyde fumes from furniture and building
    materials; and fragrances in personal care and household products.[Emphasis
    added.] The committee found limited evidence of an association between the development
    of asthma in infants and their exposure to RSV and material shed by cockroaches. ..."
    http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=9610

     

  • Scented Products as Sources of VOCs: Implications for Susceptible Populations Ý
    Paper # 995; Presented at the 2005 AWMA Conference and Exhibition; June 2005
    Betty Bridges
    http://www.fpinva.org/AWMA2005.htm

     

  Cardiovascular
  The Ecologist
  • BEHIND THE LABEL: PERFUME
    "What's in your perfume bottle? Pat Thomas dissects the
    ingredients of Eternity by Calvin Klein, uncovering a sweet smelling
    array of carcinogens, neurotoxins and hormone disruptors. "
    It looks like you'll have to purchase this issue of The Ecologist. -- barb
    http://www.theecologist.org/current_issue.html

     

  • Home Sickness
    Walker
  Edie Newsroom
  
  Consumers should boycott toxic perfumes (published on 18-Feb-2005)
  "Concerns over high levels of chemical contamination in perfumes was highlighted this
  year as Valentine's Day was also designated as Chemical Awareness Day.
  
  "This Valentine's Day, environmental groups were urging lovers not to buy each other
  perfume or aftershave, stating that phthalates, a group of chemicals that adversely affect
  sperm counts, and artificial musks were proven to be present in virtually all perfumes. ..."
  Consumers should boycott toxic perfumes
  Source: www.edie.net

   

  The Ecologist
  Read The Lable: Fragrances
  We are enamoured of fragrances, and virtually every aspect of our lives is touched by a fragranced product. But is it a touch too much?
  Pat Thomas reports; Date:01/09/2006
  http://www.theecologist.org/archive_detail.asp?content_id=676

  EHANS (The Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia)
  http://www.environmentalhealth.ca

   

  • SCENTS
    http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/scents.html

     

    • Fragrance Facts Fan Flames
      UPdate Fall 2002
      http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/fall02fan.html

       

    • The Harmful Effects of Scented Products
      By Robin Barrett; Healthy Homes Consulting
      UPdate Winter 1994-1995
      "Currently, the Canadian government prohibits the use of three substances: chloroform,
      estrogenic substances, and mercury. It also requires products to be „safe for their
      intended usage¾, but the government seldom does any investigation to verify that a
      product is in fact safe.1 There are many lists of the different health effects individuals
      have to scented products. ..."
      http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/w9495harmful.html

       

    • Petition questions perfume safety
      UPdate Summer 2002
      "The Environmental Health Network (EHN) of California wants the perfume "Eternity"
      by Calvin Klein to carry a label "Warning - the safety of this product has not been
      tested." The EHN is petitioning the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require
      the labeling. Their petition claims that many of the substances in Eternity have known
      adverse effects on health. So far, over 1,200 people have written to the FDA to support
      the petition.
      http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/summer02safety.html

       

• Environmental Health Network's FDA Citizens' Petition, 99P-1340
  EHN - http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm

  FPIN - http://www.fpinva.org/petition99P1340.htm

   

• Environmental Health Perspectives
  For more information, search EHP for fragrance or perfume. -- barb
  
  • December 1998 Article
    Scents & Sensitivity
    By Brandy E. Fisher
    http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1998/106-12/focus.html

     

  • July 1999 Correspondence:
    Fragrances and Health
    By Betty Bridges, RN
    Fragranced Products Information Network
    Amelia, Virginia
    http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1999/107-7/correspondence.html

     

  • December 1999 Article
    Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment:
    Agents of Subtle Change?
    By Christian G. Daughton1 and Thomas A. Ternes2
    1Environmental Sciences Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORD/NERL,
    Las Vegas, Nevada USA;
    2ESWE-Institute for Water Research and Water Technology, Wiesbaden-Schierstein, Germany
    http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/1999/suppl-6/907-938daughton/daughton-full.html

    About fragrance and flavor chemicals, a thread appearing in EHP:
    

    • April 2004 Correspondence:
      Grand Rounds in Environmental Medicine: Information on MCS Needed
      By Barb Wilkie
      Environmental Health Network
      Larkspur, California
      http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/112-5/correspondence.html

       

    • June 2004 Correspondence:
      Toxicity of Fragrances
      By Luke Curtis
      University of Illinois at Chicago
      School of Public Health
      Wilmette, Illinois
      "I appreciated Barb Wilkie's (2004) important letter on the need to do more research on
      health effects of artificial fragrance and flavor products. ..."
      http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/112-8/correspondence.html

       

      For your erudition . . . FDA Citizens' Petitions
      
      
      • EHN's of May 11, 1999, Docket Number 99P-1340 is still open. Please write!
        Analyses of popular perfumes and contact information is available, starting at
        http://www.ehnca.org/ FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm

        Analysis of Eternity Eau de Parfum by Calvin Klein can be found at

        • EWG petitions FDA, June 2004
          Support Cosmetic labeling petition, Docket Number 2004P-0266
          http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/

           

        • Chronology of Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Content
          February 2007 - EWG NEWS RELEASE:
          "Fragrances Hide Toxic Chemical Ingredients -- A major loophole in federal
          law allows fragrance manufacturers to hide potentially hazardous chemicals in
          product scents, including substances linked to allergies, birth defects, and even
          cancer. ..."
          http://www.ewg.org/issues/siteindex/issues.php?issueid=5005

           

        • Poisoned Cosmetics, Not Too Pretty
          Environmental Working Group's Phthalates Facts
          http://www.nottoopretty.org/
          
          
        • Show us your secrets
          Who makes sure fragrances are safe?
          " ... The FDA, the agency responsible for overseeing product safety, does not
          systematically review the safety of fragrances. The FDA cannot require that
          fragrances be tested for safety before they are sold. Instead, the fragrance
          industry regulates itself, through their trade association, the International
          Fragrance Association, which funds and conducts safety assessments for
          fragrance ingredients. This self-regulating scheme has led to the widespread
          use of chemicals in fragrances that raise concerns when it comes to our health: ..."
          http://www.ewg.org/issues/cosmetics/valentine/index.php

           

         

      The Coastal Post - May 1999
      Do Fabric Softeners Cause Crib Death?
      By Carol Sterrit
      http://www.coastalpost.com/99/5/4.htm

       

    • Nov. 2004 Correspondence:
      More Recent Studies on Fragrances
      "In response to Curtis (2004), I would like to cite more recent studies by researchers at
      the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM) that address the health and
      environmental effects of fragrances. "
      By Ladd W. Smith
      Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc.
      Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
      E-mail: ehp@rifm.org
      http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/112-15/correspondence.html

       

    
    October 2004 article:
    The Association between Asthma and Allergic Symptoms in Children
    and Phthalates in House Dust: A Nested Case-Control Study
    Carl-Gustaf Bornehag, et.al.
    Phthalates are commonly used in fragrance manufacture to make the
    fragrance last. I had only sporadic bouts of short-lived, chemical-induced asthma attacks until
    the proliferation of perfumed products in my former workplace. That started in the late 1970s.
    picked up momentum in the '80s and went hogwild in the '90s. It was in the late 70s or very
    early 80s that my asthma was first diagnosed. Becuase I coughed, never wheezed, mainstream
    medical doctors were clueless, until somewhere it was written that coughing was a sign of asthma.
    The attacks became more severe and lengthened . . . and progressed to chronic bronchitis. Out
    of that toxic workplace for six years and I again have fewer asthma episodes, but perfumes are
    still a terrible trigger for me for asthma, sinus headaches, migraines and other neurological
    reactions. Besides, they can set off pain in my tumor. It all depends on the particular chemical soup
    I am forced to breathe. What are those toxins doing to the body of the wearer?
    By the way, while current literature runs to warnings about phthalates, don't forget about
    musks, coumarins and the other 3,000 to 5,000 chemicals used to make a "scent." -- barb
    http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2004/7187/7187.html

    January 2005
    "A Whiff of Danger: Synthetic Musks May Encourage Toxic Bioaccumulation"
    Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 113, Number 1
    http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2005/113-1/ss.html#awhi

    and http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2005/113-1/ss.html

     

  • Nitromusk and Polycyclic Musk Compounds as Long-Term Inhibitors of
    Cellular Xenobiotic Defense Systems Mediated by Multidrug Transporters
    Till Luckenbach and David Epel
    Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
    http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/7301/abstract.html

     

    • Common household fragrances may be harming aquatic wildlife, study finds - 30 Oct 2004
      "Those fragrant soaps and shampoos we casually rinse down the drain may be causing
      long-term damage to aquatic wildlife downstream by interfering with the animals'
      natural ability to eliminate toxins from their system, according to a new Stanford
      University study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ..."
      
      "...The study also has implications for human health. 'People have these same transporters
      in the blood-brain barrier, the placenta and the intestines,' Luckenbach explained.
      'Perhaps exposure to chemical fragrances could compromise the transporters, making
      it easier for pollutants to enter the brain, for example.'..."
      Also see EHN's section on POPs, General Links, page P. -- barb
      http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=15643

       

    
    
  • Fragranced Products Information Network
    By Betty Bridges, RN
    
    Two of many works on FPIN . . .
    
    • Fragrances by Design - Materials that quickly get into the air
      http://www.fpinva.org

       

    • Fragrance: Emerging Health and Environmental Concerns
      Fragrance: emerging health and environmental concerns; pages 361-371
      Flavour and Fragrance Journal
      Volume 17, Issue 5, 2002.
      Published Online: 16 Apr 2002
      http://www.fpinva.org/FragranceReview.htm

       

  • EU Business
    Environment group raises stink over perfumes- 10/02/2005
    Excerpted . . .
    "The Greenpeace environment group said Thursday that several perfumes and toilet
    waters are health-threatening because of persistent chemicals used in their manufacture.
    
    "It said virtually all of the 36 well-known brands it tested contained phthalate esters and
    synthetic musk, two chemicals that "can enter the body and may cause unwanted
    health impacts" such as hormonal malfunctions.
    
    "It added that the long-term effects of such exposure are not known. ..."
    http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/050210203715.y5kjnx9z

     

  • GreenPeace UK
    After we learned of the toxins in fragrances tested for EHN's 1999 FDA petition, I began
    trying to interest GreenPeace USA about the findings. I got no where. However, I was pleased to
    learn that circa 2000, GreenPeace UK began analyzing perfumes also and put their findings
    up on their site under their The Chemical Home [/House]. -- barb
    http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/chemicalhouse.cfm?producttypeid=5 And for a write-up, see
    The chemical home
    15 October 2003
    http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/Products/Toxics/chemicalhouse.cfm

     

    • Everything you didn't want to know about sex...
      Greenpeace report reveals the impact of toxic chemicals on reproductive health
      02 May 2006 "Amsterdam, International íŸÓ Falling sperm counts, rising infertility and genital
      abnormalities in babies could all result from exposure to hazardous man-made chemicals
      used in perfumes, carpets, electronics, clothing and a host of other consumer goods,
      a Greenpeace report released today has revealed [1].
      
      The report, íŸÚFragile: Our reproductive health and chemical exposureíŸÙ, collates the
      findings of a number of peer-reviewed scientific studies of recent years. Together, the
      studies show for the first time a comprehensive picture of an increase in reproductive
      health disorders, mirroring the rising presence in our lives of man-made chemicals.
      
      Sperm counts have fallen by 50% in 50 years, infertility among couples has more than
      doubled in industrialised countries since the 1960s, while testicular cancer has become
      increasingly common. The male-female birth ratio has changed dramatically in some areas and birth defects of the reproductive system are increasingly noted in baby boys.
      
      ퟙThe growing body of scientific evidence indicating links between exposure to man-
      made chemicals and damage to our reproductive systems is extremely disturbing.
      Greenpeace is calling for any chemical that can potentially harm humans in this way to be
      removed from use wherever a safer alternative is available,ퟘ said Dr David Santillo
      of Greenpeace InternationalíŸÙs Science Unit, one of the reportíŸÙs authors. ..."
      
      Add to this respiratory damage, neurological adverse events, fragrance toxins storing in
      adipose tissue, unexplained cancers, etc., can it be so hard to understand premature kidney
      failure????Come now, Kaiser nephrologists! -- barb
      http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/Fragile
      
      
    HEAL (Human Ecology Action League, Inc.):® Your health matters
    http://members.aol.com/HEALNatnl/

     

    Fragrance and Health by Louise Kosta explores what is known about fragrance and health -- and separates fact from fiction. Learn who is susceptible to adverse effects from fragrance, why they are susceptible, where they experience harmful fragrance exposures, and what harmful properties fragrance material may have. Almost 200 pages packed with information about fragrance, its materials and their health effects. Tables, references and much, much more.

    HEAL also has a small card asking others to refrain from using fragrance.
    http://members.aol.com/HEALNatnl/#fragrancebook

     

  • The Hearld
    IF JULIA KENDALL COULD HAVE LIVED TO SEE THIS!!
    http://ehnca.org/www/ehnhompg/kendall.htm

    A problem not to be sniffed at By GINNY CLARK; June 15 2005 " It's just a squirt of scent to you, but for others it is hell. Now with new awareness of perfume allergy, Scots sufferers are hoping a change in the law will help" ...
    "... What to watch for
    "There was a time when potential allergens in scent were simply listed as "perfume".
    Now a change in European law means there are 26 which have to be listed individually
    if the concentration is higher than 0.001% for leave-on products (deodorants etc) and
    0.01% for rinse-off products (shampoo etc). ..." (list follows)
    When will the good ole US of A's FDA follow suit? Certainly, EHN's Citizens' Petition
    99P-1340 filed with the FDA May 11, 1999 was about just this!!!!! At the very least we plead
    with the FDA that they require their warning on labels of all fragrances released to market without
    substantiation of safety. That's the least our government agency charged with protecting public
    health can do. -- barb
    http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/41175-print.shtml

     

  • The Independent - Online Edition -- UK
    
    • Trouble in the air - 09 November 2004
      "First it was smoking, now US cities are banning artificial fragrances in public places.
      But, as Kate Hilpern discovers, our love of perfumes really could be making us sick"
      
      "... For some people, second-hand scent is more serious than second-hand smoke, says
      to Lindsay McManus of Allergy UK. The onset of symptoms are quicker and can be
      debilitating, she explains. 'Whilst some people might get a mild headache from getting
      a whiff of perfume from someone walking down the street, others may be very ill
      for several days.'
      
      "She reports that a growing number of helpline calls are from sufferers of 'fragrance
      sensitivity', with symptoms including dizziness, fatigue, rashes, hives, watery eyes, sore
      throat and chest tightness. Fragrance sensitivity has even been blamed for learning
      disabilities and depression. 'Normally the blood expels anything toxic,' explains
      McManus. 'With fragrance-sensitive people this may not happen and it can affect the
      nervous system.'

      ".... Since WEN [Women's Environmental Network] implemented its fragrance-free
      office-policy a year ago, she says, staff have reported an absence of headaches, streaming
      eyes and tightness of the chest, as well as having a clearer head. ..." [Emphasis added.]
      http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=580858

       

      Betty Bridges (www.fpinva.org) was interviewed for this article. It's a good read, but ...
      There is something you should know regarding this line: "Santa Cruz in California has
      banned fragrances from public meetings, whilst neighbouring Marin County boasts a growing
      number of restaurants with fragrance-free sections."
      One, there is a big difference between "banning" fragrances and making a courteous request that
      people be courteous about not wearing scented products to public meetings. What Santa Cruz
      really states is: " The City of Santa Cruz does not discriminate against persons with disabilities.
      Out of consideration for people with chemical sensitivities, we ask that you attend fragrance free.
      ..." You can find out more by visiting EHN's page, Take Heart!
      http://ehnca.org/www/ehnhompg/takheart.htm#Cities
      
      Secondly, my work for EHN and one of my doctors, takes me to Marin County. I have yet to find
      a restaurant that truly has "fragrance-free sections." I know that Julia Kendall had worked on
      that topic and I believe she had had one or two where she could eat without being put in grave
      danger, but we lost Julia in 1997 and I don't know of anyone living in Marin County who put
      as much time and energy into fragrance education as Julia did. But, because of Julia's efforts,
      I can request seating 'as free of fragrances as is possible' and I'm not laughed out of the place. -- barb
      

       

    • US study links more than 200 diseases to pollution
      By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor; 14 November 2004
      "Pollution has been linked to about 200 different diseases, ranging from cerebral palsy to
      testicular atrophy, as well as more than 37 kinds of cancer, startling US research shows.
      
      "The study, which the authors say probably underestimates the full toll of the
      contamination, will focus attention on the need for information on the tens of
      thousands of chemicals routinely released into the environment.
      
      "But Britain has weakened the proposed European Union regulations to provide safety
      information on the substances at the behest of the US government. ..."
      http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=582743

       

      Alas, commonly used consumer products are not included in this article, as it discusses the
      pollutants that are out there. Out there in the air and water, where folks feel as though they can do
      nothing but complain. But, WE can start protecting ourselves, our family, our colleagues and
      our environment, by switching to safer products.

      Purchase pesticide-free products, petrochemical-free detergents, truly fragrance-free products for
      personal care and for cleaning and maintenance projects. You can also purchase safer carpets,
      paints, furnishings. The products are available. Remember, by definition, if you are trying to
      do green cleaning, and personal care I might add, the product "MUST NOT CONTAIN
      PETROCHEMICAL-DERIVED FRAGRANCES," as stated by the US Dept. of the Interior.
      http://www.doi.gov/greening/sustain/trad.html

      If WE the people worldwide look for and purchase safer products, starting with those truly free of
      fragrance as currently concocted, the industry will move. I assure you that for years, we the
      already chemically injured, have been told repeatedly that our requests for safer products, our
      pleas to put burden of proof for safety of modern petrochemical-derived consumer products on
      the industry, would "impact industry," would be "burdensome to industry," that we are
      trying to "bring industry down." ... NO! We are trying to get industry to make safer products.
      Grow new industries if the old won't change! Isn't it supposed to be a FAIR market?
      
      It can be done. The alternative and organic markets are growing! And if mainstream industry
      does not make safer products and the people don't start buying safer products, I suggest Powell,
      Blair, Chirac and the public, think about the economic burden in dealing with chronic
      disabliing diseases. Already, health care costs in the States have soared out of sight, not to mention
      the trauma to families affected by environmentally caused diseases and premature deaths.
      
      Remember, every manufactured scent is one of Dr. Schettler's "chemical milieus" that our
      bodies converse with 24 hours around the clock, seven days a week. -- barb
      

       

    IOMA - Safety Director's Report; Copyright October 2004
    Banning Fragrances: Smart Health Policy or 'Scents-orship'?
    This is a pay-per-view article. -- barb
    "Dear Safety Director: For the second time this year an employee has come into our office
    to stridently complain about a coworker¼s 'excessive' use of fragrance, which she
    insists is making her ill. The employee believes that, for the health and well being of all
    staff, our organization should implement a 'fragrance-free' workplace policy. We need to
    know: Is there a real health issue here? If so, what are other companies doing about it?
    Please advise. Signed: The Human Resources Dept."
    http://www.ioma.com/pub/SADR/2004_10/1588780-1.html

     

  • Kaiser Permanente
    Fragrance-free Workplace Policy
    "To help promote a healthier and more enjoyable work place, the management team
    and space committee have put together a department policy regarding the use of fragrant
    products. ..."
    Well, this is a bit of a crock, based on my personal experiences, including Nov. 2004 -- barb
    http://www.internalmemos.com/memos/memodetails.php?memo_id=2361

     

  • Los Angeles Times
    
    • Nov. 4, 2004 -- On scent, we've barely scratched the surface
      By Steven Barrie-Anthony
      Betty Bridges (www.fpinva.org)was interviewed for this article.
      Supposedly the Times will print my letter to the editor, week of Nov. 8, 2004. Download
      this article for your files now, while it is still available without charge. -- barb
      http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/home/la-hm-scents4nov04,1,4521225.story

      Printer friendly: http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/home/la-hm-scents4nov04,1,3458951,print.story

       

    • Mar. 9, 2003 -- Chemicals in Home a Big Smog Source
      By Gary Polakovic
      "Cleansers, cosmetics and other products pump 100 tons of pollutants daily into the
      Southland's air, ranking second to tailpipe emissions, studies show.
      
      "Ordinary household products such as cleansers, cosmetics and paints are now the Los
      Angeles region's second-leading source of air pollution, after auto tailpipe emissions, air
      quality officials say. ...
      
      "...The offending items include detergents, cleaning compounds, glues, polishes, floor
      finishes, cosmetics, perfume, antiperspirants, rubbing alcohol, room fresheners, car wax,
      paint and lawn care products. ..."
      Folks, think for a second about how many of these products contain synthetic scents. They are
      made to volatilize; they don't need any propellants. They become one with the air we all breathe. -- barb
      http://www.mindfully.org/Air/2003/Home-Chemicals-Smog9mar03.htm

       

    • Oct. 27, 1996 --CHILDHOOD ASTHMA: TOUCHED BY THE TRAUMA
      'Her Asthma Is Just Like a Job . . . 24 Hours a Day, Seven Days a Week'
      "Rochelle Hasson has worn a constant path to the emergency room. ...
      "... Her latest attack came when she smelled perfume at a movie theater. 'I was breathing
      real hard and tried taking inhalers, but it didn't work,' Rochelle said. 'So the ambulance
      had to come get me. They told me if my mother hadn't called the ambulance and got me
      to the hospital, I would have died.' ..."
      Where it had been:
      http://www.latimes.com/HOME/NEWS/SCIENCE/REPORTS/ASTHMA/rochelle.htm

       

      Note: In this series of articles, the question, WHY?, was posed one way or another.

      Good grief, they have the answer right here in the words given above . . . PERFUME.

      Now, I'm not saying that perfume is the only cause of asthma, and other chronic diseases such as
      headaches and cancers, but it is a gross dereliction of duty to not look to these petrochemical-
      derived concoctions! A look at the timeline of proliferation of perfumed products, the direct
      advertising to consumers by the pharmaceutical industry AND the fact that mainstream medical
      doctors ignore the air polluting capabilities of fragrances, I believe warrant scrutiny. Not to look
      at the role played by fragrances is despicable. -- barb
      
      

  • Medical News Today
    
    • Chemical Sensitivities and Perfume - 19 Jun 2004
      Taken from the work of June Russell at http://www.jrussellshealth.com.
      You can begin to substantiate claims of chemicals in fragrances by going to EHN's Citizens'
      Petition. See FDA Petition - Docket Number 99P-1340 (with analyses, FDA contact information
      and complementary information) at http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm, or by
      visiting the site of Betty Bridges, RN at http://www.fpinva.org/petition99P1340.htm -- barb
      
      "Fragrances are now used in almost every cleaning, laundry, and personal-care product
      on the market. Since people have been using perfumes for hundreds of years. It's
      reasonable to wonder why the problem of using scents has surfaced only recently.
      
      "Until the 20th century, perfumes were made from natural ingredients derived directly
      from plants and animals, and as fragrances became cheaper and more widespread,
      they also became more synthetic.
      
      "The National Academy of Sciences reports that 95% of the chemicals used in fragrances
      today are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, including known toxins
      capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic
      reactions.
      
      "We have been brainwashed by the industry to feel we must cover up our natural scents
      with toxic chemicals. Many of the same chemicals in perfumes are the same chemicals
      that are in cigarette smoke. ..."
      http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/newssearch.php?newsid=9682

       

    • Common household fragrances may be harming aquatic wildlife, study finds - 30 Oct 2004
      "Those fragrant soaps and shampoos we casually rinse down the drain may be causing
      long-term damage to aquatic wildlife downstream by interfering with the animals'
      natural ability to eliminate toxins from their system, according to a new Stanford
      University study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ..."
      
      "...The study also has implications for human health. 'People have these same transporters
      in the blood-brain barrier, the placenta and the intestines,' Luckenbach explained.
      'Perhaps exposure to chemical fragrances could compromise the transporters, making
      it easier for pollutants to enter the brain, for example.'..."
      Also see EHN's section on POPs, General Links, page P. -- barb
      http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/newssearch.php?newsid=15643

       

    
    
  • Multiple Chemical Sensitivity . . . "The disability that cannot say its name out loud."
    
    • DEFINING CHEMICAL INJURY: A Diagnostic Protocol and Profile of
      Chemically Injured Civilians, Industrial Workers and Gulf War Veterans
      G. Heuser, M.D.,Ph.D., P. Axelrod, and S. Heuser, M.A.
      "... Patients should be encouraged to list what appear to be "allergic" or "sensitive"
      reactions to chemical substances, which were previously not experienced as harmful.
      These include chemicals such as gasoline, fumes and perfumes, household cleaners and
      other chemicals in everyday use. Reactions to these chemicals may include skin rashes,
      hives, eye and throat irritations, sinus problems, nausea, dizziness, and flu-like
      symptoms. These may have developed during the initial chemical exposure but may
      also recur when a patient has become chemically sensitive and now reacts to even low
      amounts of a given chemical or chemical mixture. This reaction to low level exposure is
      called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) [Cullen, 1987]. If not carefully evaluated,
      MCS patients will easily be misdiagnosed as suffering from somatization disorder,
      post-traumatic stress disorder or other psychiatric labels. ..."
      http://www.iicph.org/docs/ipph_Defining_Chemical_Injury.htm

      Definition of Disabling MCS/EI used by Ecology House Inc.
      http://www.consultclarity.com/eh/mcsdef.html

       

    • Government and Medical Science Finally Recognize
      Crippling Effects of MCS (in Canada)
      "...Nevertheless, the reality is that when a person carries an
      MCS diagnosis, the competing interests of insurance
      companies, employers, and government programs often
      erect seemingly insurmountable barriers for the applicant.
      Furthermore, not only is MCS a new disease, but it is
      caused by substances upon which industrialized
      economies depend. ..."
      By Helke Ferrie
      http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/node/view/112
      
      
    NIBS - National Institute of Building Sciences
    IEQ Indoor Environmental Quality Project
    http://ieq.nibs.org/intro.php

     

    • Designated Cleaner Air Rooms
      http://ieq.nibs.org/rooms/

       

    • Fragrance-Free
      "Prohibit fragrance-emitting devices (FEDS), air fresheners, deodorizers, and similar
      products. Recommend that no fragranced, citrus-and/or pine-based products be used in
      cleaning or maintaining the room, path of travel, and restrooms. Any persons with
      perfume, cologne, aftershave, as well as fragranced personal care and laundry
      products, would be prohibited from using the room.
      (See Fragrance-Free Policy, Operations and Maintenance Report)"
      http://ieq.nibs.org/rooms/cu_fragrance.php

      Fragrance-Free Policy
      It is recommended that a fragrance-free policy include prohibition of fragrance-emitting
      devices (FEDS) and sprays; use of fragrance-free maintenance, laundry, paper and
      other products; restrictions on perfume, cologne, and other scented personal care
      products used by employees, visitors, and other occupants; and prohibitions on use
      of potpourri and burning incense and scented candles.
      
      An important first step is educating staff and others about the need for and benefits of
      reducing or eliminating the use of fragranced products.
      Resources
      No Scents Makes Sense brochure, Lung Association of New Brunswick (a PDF file)
      Guidelines on Wearing Scented Products and We Share the Air posters,
      University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, ,(under 12. Hygiene).
      See "Steps for Implementing a Scent-free Policy in the Workplace" in Additional Resources. http://ieq.nibs.org/om/gr_policies.php

    • Guidelines on Wearing Scented Products
      http://www.safetyoffice.uwaterloo.ca/hspm/hygiene/scent/scent_guidelines.htm

       

    • Additional Resources
      "... Fragrance: This is an air pollutant that is intended to give the false impression that air is clean. Truly clean air has no smell. Fragrance formulas can contain benzene, toluene, styrene, and formaldehyde, along with other ingredients. Fragrance chemicals can enter the body through the lungs, skin, and nasal passageways. They can affect the brain and nervous system in a matter of seconds, either by their presence in the brain or via stimulation of olfactory nerves. Avoid all products that list fragrance as an ingredient or have a fragrant odor. Be aware that even if "fragrance" is not listed as an ingredient, fragrance chemicals may have been added to a product for another purpose, or claimed to be added for another purpose &ndash[sic] such as an anti-microbial stabilizer, blending agent, or enhancer. http://ieq.nibs.org/om/resources.php
  • Neurotoxins in fragrances
    This EHN section includes info from Neurotoxins: At Home and the Workplace
    (Report by the Committee on Science and Technology. U.S. House of Representatives,
    Sept. 16, 1986) [Report 99-827]
    http://ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/n.htm#Neuro

     

  • Our Stolen Future
    
    • What the nose knows - Think twice before buying a loved one perfume, cologne
      By Francesca Lyman; MSNBC; 12 February 2003
      Excerpted: „ 'Only drugs are pre-tested,' says an FDA spokesperson. 'Cosmetics are
      treated less strictly.'

      "Essentially, protection lies in the hands of the fragrance industry. Glenn Roberts,
      spokesperson for the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, an industry-sponsored
      group that does voluntary testing of chemicals, says safety is insured in a four-step process.
      " 'First, we have a long history of cosmetics ingredients use to go on; additionally, EPA
      requires safety testing for any new chemicals; RIFM does it¼s own safety testing of
      chemicals; and many fragrance and cosmetics companies do their own testing,' says Roberts."

      Either Roberts doesn't know what he is talking about, or he is dissembling, but the EPA has not
      required safety testing for new fragrance chemicals and RIFM has not studied fragrance
      chemicals for effects upon inhalation or absorption, nor for neurotoxicity, nor carcinogenic effects,
      nor systemic effects, nor for effects upon daily exposures to perfumes used by others. The
      industry's primary focus has been for dermatological (skin) effects upon the user, and you can bet
      your last dollar that they didn't test on people who had eczema or other skin reactions.
      See new (posted Nov. 2004) RIFM document below. -- barb
      http://www.msnbc.com/news/YOURENVIRONMENTH_Front.asp

       

    • New Questions About Common Chemicals
      Environmental and health groups are pushing to restrict the use of phthalates -
      compounds used in cosmetics, toys and medical devices
      By David Kohn, a freelance writer; Newsday; March 4, 2003
      http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Commentary/News/2003/2003-0304-Newsday-phthalates.htm

       

    • Pediatricians call for more action on phthalates
      By Keith Mulvihill; Reuters Health; 4 June 2003
      http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Commentary/News/2003/2003-0604-RH-pedphthalates.htm

       

    • Phthalate Monoester Levels in the Urine of Young Children
      Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 68:309‚314.
      Brock, JW, SP Caudill, MJ Silva, LL Needham, and ED Hilborn. 2002
      " ... The types of phthalates detected suggest that exposure is via consumer products such
      as fragrance-containing soaps, shampoos and perfumes, as well as nail polish and
      beauty products. The presence of MEHP indicates that another route of exposure was
      via DEHP-containing toys. ..."
      Folks, if the health of your future generations and the health of this planet, not to mention your
      own health, is important to you, look for safer, fragrance-free products. The already chemically
      injured successfully clean, cook, garden, live, without use of petrochemical-derived flavors and
      fragrances or pesticides. YOU can too! Copy us, we've shown the way. -- barb
      http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/phthalates/2002-0401brocketal.htm

       

    
    
  • Perfume 2000: From a Perfumer's Point of View
    Errors compound!
    A statement I made -- and stand by, for at least one time it was observed by two friends, one of
    whom was disbelieving until we caught up with the perfume-ladened individuals that had been a
    block ahead of us -- is seen as a pull quote in block letters. It is meant to demean, as industry
    apologists are wont to do. But if they face reality eventually, they will learn they should have paid
    attention to the harbingers, not tried to stultify them/us. While trying to make the already
    chemically sensitized individual look ridiculous, they show just how stupid they can be. Time will tell.

    Now, it is true that I have stated -- as do many, many already chemically injured, fragrance-
    sensitized people -- that I have reacted to perfume that was block away, it is not true that I am from
    Marin County, nor is my name spelled so. That particular time, it was perfume, but so often for so
    many, it is those horrid, dangerous fabric softener chemicals that waft upon ambient air for blocks.

    Now how did Jean-Pierre Subrenat come up with his article? He took his information from Michael
    Fumento who did not do any personal research whatsoever for his article appearing in a
    right-wing magazine on April Fools' Day, 2000, The American Spectator. I
    researched the fact that no one mentioned in his article had been contacted for personal input. He
    just gathered information from the web, presenting it out of context, to degrade as he best
    could. He makes money. We volunteer to make a safer and healthier world for others, including the
    creatures with whom we share this planet. -- barb
    http://www.perfume2000.com/magazine/Sep2000/magazine5.asp

    For my Fumento rebuttal, seeMichael Fumento's Senselessness About Scents
    http://ehnca.org/www/ehnhompg/wilke.htm

     

  • Pregnancy and fragrance toxins
    See EHN's page P/Pregnancy
    http://ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/p.htm#Pregnancy

    PubMed
    

    • Determination of musks and other fragrance compounds at ng/L levels using
      CLSA (closed loop stripping analysis) and GC/MS detection.
      "... All samples contained differents musks at ng/l levels with the polycyclic musks
      Galaxolide and Tonalide and both fragrances, Amberonne and Acetyl cedrene, being the
      most abundant. These results suggest the importance of studying and controlling the
      presence of these ubiquitous environmental compounds in water systems."
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15497838

       

    • National prevalence of asthma and chemical hypersensitivity:
      an examination of potential overlap.
      Caress SM, Steinemann AC.
      State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, USA. scaress@westga.edu
      OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the linkage between asthma
      and chemical hypersensitivity. METHODS: The authors conducted a population study
      with a random sample of 1057 geographically weighted cases to determine the
      prevalence of both asthma and chemical hypersensitivity in the American population
      and to explore their co-occurrence. RESULTS: A total of 14.1% of the respondents
      reported being diagnosed with asthma and 11.2% reported a hypersensitivity to
      chemicals. Of those with asthma, 27.2% also reported being hypersensitive to chemicals
      and 7.4% reported also being diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS).
      Of those diagnosed with MCS, 42% reported also being diagnosed with asthma.
      Additionally, 29.7% of those with asthma said air fresheners caused breathing difficulties,
      and 37.2% found scented products irritating. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate
      that there is significant overlap between some forms of asthma and chemical
      hypersensitivity.
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15891531&query_hl=7&itool=pubmed_docsum

       

    • Occupational acute anaphylactic reaction to assault by perfume spray in the face.
      by Lessenger JE.; PubMed
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11314921&dopt=Abstract

       

    • The premonitory symptoms (prodrome): a tertiary care study of 893 migraineurs.
      Kelman, L.; Headache. 2004 Oct;44(9):865-72.
      Perfume can trigger migraines. I know that to be the case for me, but since I am no longer
      gainfully employed -- not subjected to other people's perfumes! -- I seldom get migraines now. -- barb
      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15447695

       

    
    Dr. Doris Rapp
    TOXIC PERSONAL CARE - PRODUCTS YOU USE DAILY:
    "Your shampoo, toothpaste, hair sprays and dyes, underarm deodorants, body lotions,
    creams, perfume, lipstick, bubble bath, shaving preparations, aftershave, deodorants,
    scented soaps, fingernail polish and polish removers all can contain substances that
    can make you sick. So many people developed asthma from scented perfume strips in
    magazines, for example, that many advertisers discontinued them. Remember, what
    you put on your skin can go directly into your body. [As also written by Dr. Richard
    Conrad to the FDA, in support of EHN's FDA Citizens' Petition, docket number 99P-1340.]

    "There is little supervision of the cosmetics industry. The FDA does not require
    manufacturers to register their products or to file safety data on the ingredients used.
    There is nothing stopping them from putting a number of toxic chemicals in their
    products. One perfume, for example, can contain over 200 chemicals. ..."
    http://www.drrapp.com/alerts.html

    RIFM RESPIRATORY SAFETY PROGRAM - INDOOR AIR QUALITY
    The fragrance industry tells us that fragrances do not clean the air. What they don't elaborate
    upon is that line about producing no smell at all. They use chemicals to deaden your olfactory
    senses. The chemicals are there to adversely affect one's body whether or not you can smell
    them. I personally find that dangerous and despicable. -- barb
    http://www.rifm.org/WHITE%20PAPER%20IAQ%20DIsola%20v2%2004082004.htm

    RMP Annual Monitoring Results 2002
    http://www.sfei.org/rmp/
    SF Estuary Institute
    5.0 MONITORING NEW TRACE ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS IN 2002
    Daniel R. Oros
    "5.1 Background
    "There are several classes of environmental organic contaminants that are currently not
    a focus of regulatory activity but are clearly drawing attention as potential threats to
    aquatic life in the San Francisco Estuary and elsewhere. These new organic contaminants
    of concern include a wide variety of persistent and non-persistent chemicals that either
    have potential to adversely affect natural endocrine system functions (e.g., development,
    growth, and reproduction) depending on exposure, induce toxicity depending on dosage
    and bioavailability, and/or bioaccumulate in marine biota (e.g., planktivorous fish, crabs,
    and bivalves) and biomagnify in higher food chain consumers (e.g., predatory fish, birds,
    marine mammals, and humans). Several examples of these emerging contaminants
    include personal care products (e.g., musk fragrance compounds), flame retardants
    (e.g., polybrominated diphenyl ethers), plasticizers (e.g., phthalates), and surfactants
    (e.g., p-nonylphenol).
    Here, phthalates are given as plasticizers, but they are also used in fragrances to make the scent
    last on the ambient air. While attention is paid to phthalates role as plasticiizers, people continue
    to merrily apply them to their bodies as part and parcel of all of their scented products. -- barb
    http://www.sfei.org/rmp/2002/2002_05_NEWANALYTES.pdf

    
    Fragrances cannot clean the air.
    What have the already chemically injured been saying? We've said, fragrances cannot clean.
    Fragrances and perfume don't clean your body. They don't clean your home. They don't clean the
    air. Fragrances can and do pollute the air, your body, the bodies of untold others and the water.
    Fragrances pollute people, the air, and the aqualtic and wildlife with whom we share this planet.
    If you are thinking green, says the US Dept. of the Interior, you must find products that do not
    contain petrochemical-derived fragrances. Read the label and if it says, "Fragrance," put it back
    and look for another product. Plenty exist. Once you become chemically injured, you'll be
    having to use the safer products anyway. May as well start early and save yourself and your family
    the various aspects of environmentally caused illnesses, which include asthma and cancers. -- barb
    
    

  • DOI's Traditional Versus 'Green' Cleaning Products "Must not contain petrochemical-derived fragrances."
    http://www.doi.gov/greening/sustain/trad.html

     

  • RIFM RESPIRATORY SAFETY PROGRAM INDOOR AIR QUALITY
    It's about time we hear this from the industry:
    "... Fragrance products may give the air a more pleasant smell (or no smell at all),
    but they cannot clean the air." [Emphasis added.]
    More pleasant smell is in the body of the beholder, and believe me, if you smell fragrances, you
    are inhaling fragrance chemicals and they are becoming part of your body . . . even through your eyes.
    We've been inhaling increasing quantities of petrochemical-dervied fragrances for three
    decades and only now RFIM begins a safety program. Will they look at effects upon the very young,
    including fetuses; the already ill, and our elderly? Or, will they test only on healthy people who
    can still wear fragrances without any yet-obvious health effects? -- barb
    http://www.rifm.org/WHITE%20PAPER%20IAQ%20DIsola%20v2%2004082004.htm

     

  • THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
    "Scent-Sensitive Nurse Sues LDS"
    BY MICHAEL VIGH; Tuesday, October 15, 2002
    "LDS Hospital nurse Susan Bell says she suffered for more than a year from daily
    headaches, eye irritation, swelling of her face and lips and other symptoms because
    her co-workers doused themselves in perfume or cologne.
    
    "Bell, 57, says she became the office laughingstock for supervisors and colleagues,
    some of whom continued to bathe in their perfumes even after she told them it made
    her sick. She worked at the hospital for more than a decade before she took a disability
    leave in March 2001.
    
    "Last week, the Eagle Mountain woman filed a lawsuit against the hospital in U.S. District
    Court, claiming supervisors failed to adequately accommodate her and enforce their
    own policy prohibiting the wearing of heavy perfumes.
    
    "I have allergic and severe reactions to fragrances and paints," Bell said in a statement to
    the Utah Labor Commission's anti-discrimination division. "I complained to my
    supervisors . . . and they promised to fix the problem, yet no action was taken and every
    day I was sick at work.' ...

    " ... Annette Green, [former] executive director of the Fragrance Foundation in New York,
    has said the restrictions are much ado about nothing, arguing perfume does not
    pollute the air and does not contain carcinogens, as cigarettes do."
    [Emphasis added as I wonder, who is kidding whom? Analyses prove Green WRONG! -- barb]
    http://www.sltrib.com/2002/oct/10152002/utah/7273.htm
    
    
    

  • San Francisco Chronicle
    
    GREAT NEWS!
    
    • New law on disclosure for cosmetics
      Chronicle Staff Report; Sunday, October 9, 2005
      Sacramento -- Over the objections of dozens of cosmetics manufacturers, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation that will require the makers of beauty products to disclose product ingredients that could cause cancer.
      BUT, he refused to sign the bio-monitoring bill, regurgitating the chemical industry's line. -- barb
      http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/09/BAGH3F4QJN1.DTL

      Printer friendly:
      http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/09/BAGH3F4QJN1.DTL&type=printable

      
      

    • Success Smells Sweet to 'Phantom's' Vroman
      By JERRY CARROLL, Chronicle Staff Writer; Thursday, December 12, 1996
      "The San Francisco company of the enormously popular 'Phantom of the Opera' marks
      its third anniversary and its 1,260th performance at the Curran Theatre today,
      pleasant enough milestones. But the actors are bracing for one not so nice, the annual
      New Year's Eve performance.
      
      "The house is always packed that night, and therein lies the problem. 'Everyone dresses
      up big time,' said Lisa Vroman, who plays the virginal Christine in the Andrew Lloyd
      Webber musical. 'And everyone wears a different scent.' Some really pour it on.

      "As the play unfolds, body heat in the theater builds and, as it unleashes powerful waves
      of perfume and cologne, the term 'the smell of the crowd' takes on new meaning for
      folks on the stage. By the time the action has moved to the roof of the Paris Opera
      House at the end of Act 1, co-star Franc D'Ambrosio, playing the Phantom, buries his face
      against the fumes as he waits to reveal himself in the nest of gilded nudes high above
      the footlights.
      
      " 'Individually,' said Vroman, 'the scents might be nice, but in combination you literally
      gag. Some people are allergic and it wreaks havoc with sinuses. Sometimes I can't get
      my breath. So on behalf of the company, I beg people to go easy on the scent.' ..."
      So, folks, have a care for the air. If you want to hear a great performance, leave the scented
      products for your own enjoyment in your own home, among consenting, non-pregnant adults!
      We ALL are stakeholders when it comes to breathing. -- barb
      http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1996/12/12/DD15845.DTL

      Printer friendly:
      http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1996/12/12/DD15845.DTL&type=printable

       

  • Science News
    
    • A Whiff of Danger
      Registered subscribers only
      That is IF you also have a newer computer, which will allow you to get to the story. -- barb
      Ý(3/19/2005) Synthetic fragrance chemicals can inhibit the activity of molecules that cells depend on
      to eject harmful substances.
      Hey folks, how about this as a clue to those of us who have MCS????

      I have always said it was the proliferation of modern, petrochemical-derived perfumes, worn by my
      colleagues in my former, highly polluted workplace that was the cause of my MCS. Before that,
      I had lived most of my life with chemical induced asthma . . . not that that was diagnosed at age
      five by any means. But the medical industry did learn about it by the time I hit my 40s and a
      doctor said, "IF you have had this type of coughing since you were five, then you have had
      chemical-induced asthma since you were five." That, by the bye was when a chemical pall settled
      over south St. Louis from a "refinery mishap," as my mother had stated. -- barb
      Search: http://www.sciencenews.org/

       

    • Lemon-scented products spawn pollutants
      Janet Raloff
      Week of Dec.Ý9,Ý2000; Vol. 158, No. 24 , p. 375
      
      "While prepping for holiday guests, many hosts will deploy cleaners and air fresheners
      that impart a pleasant lemon or pine scent. Though they can mask stale smells, their
      fragrant ingredientsãunder certain conditionsãmay also be a rich source of indoor
      pollution, a study finds. ..."
      http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20001209/fob7.asp

       

    • My Own Bad Air Day
      Ben Harder
      Week of Jan.Ý3,Ý2004; Vol. 165, No. 1 , p. 4
      A new study suggests that most people inhale substantially more organic contaminants,
      including cancer-causing benzene, than is indicated by standard environmental risk
      assessments based on outdoor measurements.
      http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040103/fob3.asp

       

    • Stung Lung: Volatile chemical may cut respiratory capacity Ý
      Registered subscribers only
      That is IF you also have a newer computer, which will allow you to get to the story. -- barb
      (8/5/2006)
      Para-dichlorobenzene, a chemical in some air fresheners and pest-control products, may
      slightly impair lung function in millions of people.
      Search: http://www.sciencenews.org/

       

  • Sebastopol Toxics Education Program (STEP)
    The Next STEP: Index to Past Issues
    Perfume Dreams
    By Patricia Dines; November 2004
    Click out to Fragrances, toxics in - IV/6 to download a PDF file. I'm in great company
    in this article. Ms. Dines interviewed Lynn Lawson and Betty Bridges. -- barb
    STEP Index:
    http://www.healthyworld.org/STEPIndex.html

    Perfume Dreams - Direct link to the PDF file:
    http://www.ci.sebastopol.ca.us/pdfs/programs/step/stepvol4no6.pdf

    
    

• Sierra Magazine
  The Hidden Life Of ... Laundry
  By Chris Borris; Sierra Magazine; Sept. 2002 . . . "Ah, clean! Fresh-smelling towels, chubby-cheeked cherubs snuggling into soft blankets
  that have been lovingly bathed in chlorine, benzene, formaldehyde . . . what?! That¼s
  not part of the image, but it is the reality for the 99.8 percent of Americans who use
  common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers. Plus
  doing our laundry burns through hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil and sends
  millions of pounds of chlorine into our air and water each year.
  
  "But we don¼t have to put our healthãor the environmentãat risk to get our clothes
  brighter and whiter. Recipes for homemade greener cleaners abound, and nontoxic,
  eco-friendly laundry products are no longer rare. Looking for the best of the conventional
  brands, on the other hand, isn¼t always easy. Cleaning-product ingredients are considered
  "trade secrets," so manufacturers aren¼t required to list all of them on the label.
  
  "(Environmentally friendly brands often do list ingredients, since they have nothing
  to hide.) ..."
  http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200209/hidden.asp

  Printer Friendly: http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200209/hidden_printable.asp

   

• Stanford
  Household fragrances may be harming aquatic wildlife, study finds
  BY MARK SHWARTZ; Stanford Report, October 29, 2004
  "... The study also has implications for human health. "People have these same
  transporters in the blood-brain barrier, the placenta and the intestines," Luckenbach
  explained. "Perhaps exposure to chemical fragrances could compromise the transporters,
  making it easier for pollutants to enter the brain, for example." ..."
  Now, where is Dr. Dean Edell and his claim that people are somatizing their chemical injury? -- barb
  http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2004/november3/Perfume-1103.html

  The State -- South Carolina
  COSMETIC WARNINGS MULLED
  By DAVID GOLDSTEIN; Sat, Mar. 12, 2005
  "FDA considers labels for personal-care products
  "WASHINGTON -- Imagine reaching for a tube of lipstick or a can of shaving cream and
  finding this label: 'Warning -- The safety of this product has not been determined.' ..."
  This is about the work of the EWG, not EHN's petition, but hey, news is news. -- barb
  http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/11117085.htm

  Printer friendly:.
  http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/11117085.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

   

• Studies Link Class of Chemicals to Certain Medical Risks
  Feb 10, 2004 3:54PM Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News ‚
  " A group of common chemicals found in indoor air, some perfumes and plastic tubing
  used in hospitals may be more prevalent and dangerous than previously thought -- with
  pregnant women and infants especially at risk, new studies say.

  "New research on the substances, called phthalates (pronounced THAL-aytes), finds that
  at least one type can disrupt the human hormone system -- putting pregnant women
  at risk for delivering premature babies, damaging sperm in some men, and harming
  reproductive systems of children.

  "Recent studies also refute the notion that humans are only exposed to phthalates orally;
  the studies have established that indoor exposure to the chemical is more widespread
  than previously thought and that modest levels of some phthalates can be harmful. ..."
  Actually, phthalates are commonly found in perfumes and fragrances because they
  help make that scent last on the ambient air. Consider for a moment, all those fragrance
  products you use and are subjected to from those used by others. -- barb
  http://www.leas.ca/News/phthalates.htm

   

• Workers' Health and Safety Centre
  Fragrances: a no-non-scents approach
  http://www.whsc.on.ca/Publications/hazardbulletins/summer2002/fragrances.htm

  -- end articles about fragrances / fragrance chemicals --

  
  Cancer - Cosmetics Connection?
  http://ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/c.htm#Connection

  Chronology of Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Content
  February 2007 - EWG NEWS RELEASE:
  

  "Fragrances Hide Toxic Chemical Ingredients -- A major loophole
  in federal law allows fragrance manufacturers to hide potentially hazardous
  chemicals in product scents, including substances linked to allergies, birth defects,
  and even cancer. ..."
  http://www.ewg.org/issues/siteindex/issues.php?issueid=5005

   

• Citizens' Petition before the FDA -- 99P-1340
  Replete with perfume analyses. Write to the FDA about your adverse reactions or the
  adverse reactions of family members. -- barb
  On EHN's site: http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm

  On FPIN's site: http://www.fpinva.org/petition99P1340.htm

   

• Cosmetic / Personal Care Packaging
  FACES & PLACES
  "John Bailey, former director of FDA's Office of Applied Research and Safety
  Assessment, has joined the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association
  (CTFA; Washington, DC) as director, cosmetic chemistry. Among Bailey's
  responsibilities will be providing support on cosmetic regulatory matters to
  CTFA staff and association members."
  Do you think we have a little bit of the ol' governmental revolving door? -- barb
  http://www.cpcpkg.com/02/03/businessbeat.html

   

• Dept. of the Interior
  Traditional Versus 'Green' Cleaning Products
  "Must not contain petrochemical-derived fragrances."
  http://www.doi.gov/greening/sustain/trad.html

   

• Dr. Mercola's, Do Environmental Chemicals Harm Humans?
  "... exposure to chemicals may pose the greatest threat to pregnant women,
  which then may affect the health of the fetus later in life. ..."
  http://mercola.com/2004/mar/6/environmental_chemicals.htm

   

• Dr. Doris J. Rapp's, TOXIC PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS YOU USE DAILY
  http://www.drrapp.com/alerts.html

   

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cannot even beg for safety!
  The FDA cannot require pre-market testing and it does not test. Any word from industry
  to FDA about related injuries from fragrance/cosmetic products is strictly voluntarily released
  information. The industry voluntarily recalls harmful products . . . the FDA is forbidden to
  institute recalls, without first proving cause in a court of law. The FDA can do one thing toward
  informing the public, yet it does NOT do it. The FDA has a requirement for a warning
  message on labels of products released to market without substantiation of safety, but it does not
  enforce it's own regulation. That alert would read: "WARNING: The safety of this product
  has not been determined." -- barb
  FDA Authority Over Cosmetics
  http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-206.html

   

• Fragrance Foundation Inc.
  
  • "Scent circle"
    The fragrance industry states you should not exceed your "scent circle." Yet, toxic chemicals
    are used in the manufacture of their scent so it wafts further and lasts longer on the ambient
    air. To wear and use fragrances means you pollute the air beyond your arm's length. And you
    pollute your body and the bodies of others. You also pollute the water downstream and the air
    in remote areas. -- barb
    Fragrance Tips
    http://www.fragrance.org/feature_feattips.html

     

  
  Do you think "safe and wholesome" best describes our modern petrochemical-derived fragrances? -- barb

  Fragrance Materials Association of the United States
  "Providing the public with safe and wholesome fragrances and fragrance ingredients."
  http://www.fmafragrance.org/

  Safe and wholesome fragrances and ingredients, anyone? Frankly, I don't know how the
  fragrance industry defines safe or wholesome, but according to my American Heritage
  Dictionary the definitions are:
  

  SAFE:
  1. Secure from danger, harm, or evil.
  2. Free from danger or injury; unhurt.
  3. Free from risk; sure.
  4. Affording protection.
  
  WHOLESOME:
  1. Conducive to sound health or well-being; salutary.
  2. Promoting mental, moral, or social health.
  3. Enjoying or marked by physical, mental, or moral soundness; healthy.
  
  Now see some excerpts from the National Academy of Science presentation before the
  99th US Congress, way back in 1986, regarding the neurotoxicity of fragrance chemicals.
  Neurotoxins: At Home and the Workplace
  http://ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/n.htm#Neurotoxins

   

  FMA Mission Statement and Critical Objectives
  Lest you wonder why we haven't been successful with the FDA Petition or SNIFF in our
  meager attempts to protect public health, check these gems . . . and more. -- barb
  
  • "... Proactively engage in the development of international, federal and state laws ..."
    
  • "... Take action to preserve self-regulation in the face of legislative and regulatory initiatives ..."
    
  • "... Seek legislative and regulatory relief from burdensome laws and regulations ..."
  • "... Ensure the safety of our products by supporting RIFM and IFRA
    
  • Take action to protect proprietary information from legislative, regulatory and related initiatives ..."
  http://www.fmafragrance.org/sub_pages/gi_missionstatement.html

  Want some good, solid information on fragrances and the industry? Visit:
  
  

• Fragrance Products Information Network
  Betty Bridges, RN
  http://www.fpinva.org

   

• The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
  Common Indoor Air Pollutants
  NIEHS lists fragrance products and pesticides uncer VOCs (volatile orgranic compounds). -- barb
  http://www.niehs.nih.gov/external/faq/indoor.htm

   

• Scent-Sensitive Nurse Sues LDS
  BY MICHAEL VIGH; THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE; Tuesday, October 15, 2002
  "Annette Green, [former] executive director of the Fragrance Foundation in New York,
  has said the restrictions are much ado about nothing, arguing perfume does not
  pollute the air and does not contain carcinogens, as cigarettes do."
  [Emphasis added as I wonder, who is kidding whom? FDA have you seen this article?]
  http://web.archive.org/web/20021108134652/http://www.sltrib.com/2002/oct/10152002/utah/7273.htm

  formerly at http://www.sltrib.com/2002/oct/10152002/utah/7273.htm
  
  Visit the rest of EHN's website after seeing the rest of this section.
  Then think before you purchase. The health you save may be your own. -- barb