- Research: fragranced products
While the popular take on the article below had the catchy title of “Fresh Scent May Hide Toxic Secret”, the title of the research itself is pretty telling, too, as titles for peer-reviewed research go: “Fragranced consumer products and undisclosed ingredients”. It’s the undisclosed part that really captures your attention, of course.
A pithy quote from the abstract: “First, no law in the U.S. requires disclosure of all chemical ingredients in consumer products or in fragrances. Second, in these six products, nearly 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified, but none of the VOCs were listed on any product label, and one was listed on one MSDS. Third, of these identified VOCs, ten are regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, with three (acetaldehyde, chloromethane, and 1,4-dioxane) classified as Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs).”
I can’t resist repeating the incredible: in the six products tested, nearly 100 VOCs were identified. Out of that 100, ten were regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws. Three were classified as hazardous air pollutants. And yet none, none, were listed on any product label. Take that to your political representatives and tell them to get the EPA/DEQ/Ministry of the Environment to act on this. But first, tell your loved ones…
The author of the article, Anne C. Steinemann, Ph.D., is Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Professor of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. Dr. Steinemann specializes in environmental impact assessment and regulatory policy, water resources management, hazard prediction and mitigation, and health effects of pollutants, combining expertise in engineering, economics, policy, and public health. She received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, in addition to university and national teaching awards. Dr. Steinemann has investigated more than 100 sick buildings to identify pollutant sources, reduce exposures, and improve occupants’ health. She conducted the first national epidemiological study of chemical sensitivity, its causes and symptoms related to exposures, and its overlaps with asthma. Dr. Steinemann has directed more than $8 million of funded research, and serves as adviser to agencies and industries on environmental issues. Among her recent publications are the textbooks Microeconomics for Public Decisions (South-Western, 2005) and Exposure Analysis (CRC Press, 2007).
We are grateful to her for the permission to publish her article.
“Fragranced consumer products and undisclosed ingredients”
Citation: Steinemann AC, Fragranced consumer products and undisclosed ingredients, Environ Impact Asses Rev (2008), doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2008.05.002
