Fragrance Free!
Important for anyone who likes to breathe!
Links to helpful resources are below.
Do you remember when smoking cigarettes was accepted and allowed? In the workplace, airplanes, restaurants - ?! Seems unimaginable today. Slowly the public learned of the dangers of smoking - of directly inhaling, and of second-hand smoke. Then it was revealed that tobacco companies had known of the dangers of smoking for a good long time, but continued to manufacture and market tobacco products, making as much money as they could for as long as they could. Similarly, paint companies increased marketing efforts of lead-based paint when doctors began to question the effects of lead-based paint on children's health (see "Lead Wars," Markowitz and Rosner: "Thoroughly researched and clearly written, this book does an excellent job of illustrating the problem society encounters when science and industry face off over likely harm versus economic benefit."—Library Journal). The same thing is going on now with chemical companies that make fragrances and fragranced products. Toxic fragrances (that are unnecessary to the effectiveness of the products they are used in) are heavily marketed even though there are known associated health and environmental dangers. For your own and your family’s protection, and to help protect the environment, stay away from any product with the word “fragrance” or "parfum" in its ingredients list. And remember that the word "natural" is not regulated and has zero meaning in food and personal care products.
From a study by Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs: Emissions and exposures from fragranced consumer products, such as air fresheners and cleaning supplies, have been associated with health problems and societal impacts. This study of fragranced consumer products in four countries (U. S., Australia, United Kingdom, and Sweden) shows that 32.2% of adults report fragrance sensitivity as adverse health effects from fragranced consumer products. For instance, 17.4% report health problems from air fresheners or deodorizers, and 15.7% from being in a room cleaned with scented products. Commonly reported health problems include respiratory difficulties (16.7%), mucosal symptoms (13.2%), migraine headaches (12.6%), skin rashes (9.1%), and asthma attacks (7.0%). For 9.5% of the population, the severity of health effects can be considered disabling. Further, 9.0% of the population have lost workdays or lost a job in the past year due to illness from fragranced product exposure in the workplace. A majority of people in the study would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, hotels, and airplanes were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. The study highlights a concern for public health and societal well-being, as well as an approach to reduce risks and costs: reduce exposure to fragranced products.
Another study from Steinemann shows that scented laundry products emit hazardous chemicals through dryer vents. Findings, published online in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, show that air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contains hazardous chemicals, including two that are classified as carcinogens. “This is an interesting source of pollution because emissions from dryer vents are essentially unregulated and unmonitored,” said Steinemann. “If they're coming out of a smokestack or tail pipe, they're regulated, but if they're coming out of a dryer vent, they're not.”
Essential oils are smell-good alternatives to potentially harmful products. Besides having an uplifting effect, essential oils have other therapeutic properties. For instance, bergamot and neroli ease anxiety, marjoram and cypress aid circulation, eucalyptus and hyssop support lung function, ginger helps with indigestion, peppermint, basil, and rosemary bring mental clarity, oregano and geranium both fight MRSA. I've included a couple of sites that sell quality essential oils and offer information about the benefits of individual essential oils in the list of resources below.
Here is a quick shopping list, most available on Amazon: Canus Unscented Goat Milk Bar Soap, Everyone Lotion, Acure shampoo, Crystal Deodorant, Ecover dish soap. Dropps (order online here: https://www.dropps.com/) has ecologically friendly packaging for all its products: laundry pods, liquid soap, dishwasher soap, and more.
RESOURCES
Environmental Working Group maintains regularly updated lists of products - the good, the bad, and the extremely bad. An EWG article: What is Fragrance? Article on fragranced products
University of Washington article on Dryer Vent Pollution
Women's Voices for the Earth also does great work and has lots of helpful information.
Essential oils: Stillpoint
Essential oils: Aromatics
Mother Jones: Is Fragrance Making Us Sick?
Think Before You Stink.
Wishing you Happy and Healthy Breathing!
Kate