fragrances are untested #tradesecrets and often #endocrinedisruptors:
summary:
. Marilee Nelson 2015 gave some great resources
on the issue of toxic secret fragrances
that I explore here.
Dr.Mercola 2015:
The average fragrance product contained
14 chemicals that were not disclosed on the label
-- protected as “trade secrets”;
Fragrances commonly contain parabens, and phthalates,
that may cause hormone disruption,
reproductive problems, or possibly cancer.
ewg 2010:
Fragrance secrecy is legal due to a giant loophole
in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973,
which requires companies to list cosmetics ingredients
on the product labels but explicitly exempts fragrance.
By taking advantage of this loophole,
the cosmetics industry has kept the public in the dark
about the 3,100 ingredients in fragrance,
even those that present potential health risks
or build up in people's bodies.
Samuel S. Epstein 2010:
-- Author of 2009 Toxic Beauty, and 2005 Cancer-Gate
and promoter of CancerPreventionCoalition.
. "the FDA has direct authority under the terms of the
1938 Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act
to regulate toxic ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products.
However, seven decades later, it has still failed to do so."
. they are politically overwhelmed by lobbyists:
"the International Fragrance Association (IFRA),
an international trade organization of over 100
perfume and fragrance manufacturers,
representing 15 regions including the US, Europe,
South America, Australia and the Far East.
The primary objectives of IFRA are to
protect the self-regulatory practices
and policies of the industry
by the development of a Code of
Practices and safety guidelines.
However, these include maintaining the
“trade secret” status of perfume and fragrance ingredients,
and pre-empting international legislative
labeling and safety initiatives."
. their safety testing is minimal and incomplete,
doing only short-term testing,
[when endocrine disruption and cancer prevention
may require long-term testing].
E - The Environmental Magazine:
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics,
a coalition seeking transparency about
chemicals in cosmetics,
commissioned independent laboratory tests
that revealed 38 secret chemicals
in 17 leading fragrances.
EWG, which analyzed the Campaign’s data, said:
“Among them are chemicals associated with
hormone disruption and allergic reactions,
and many substances that have not been assessed for safety
in personal care products.”
some of the undisclosed ingredients are
chemicals “with troubling hazardous properties
or with a propensity to accumulate in human tissues.”
Examples include diethyl phthalate,
a chemical found in 97 percent of Americans
and linked to sperm damage
in human epidemiological studies,
and musk ketone, which concentrates in
human fat tissue and breast milk.
. EWG claimed the industry abuses the
labelling exemption for fragrances
so that anything they want to keep secret
is listed as a fragrance.
safecosmetics 2015:
. the Environmental Working Group (EWG) 2002,
for "Coming Clean" and "Health Care Without Harm"
tested 72 personal care products for the presence of
phthalates, a set of plasticizing chemicals
linked to birth defects, asthma, early puberty
and decreased sperm count.
More than 70% of the products tested
– including top-selling shampoos, deodorants and fragrances –
contained at least one phthalate,
and many of the products contained multiple phthalates.
ewg 2008:
. phthalates can interfere with hormones in the body,
posing potential risks to the reproductive
and thyroid systems (Duty 2003, 2004, 2005;
Swan 2005; Main 2006; Hauser 2007; Huang 2007; Meeker 2007).
Preliminary studies also link phthalates to
diabetes risk and asthma (Bornehag 2004; Stahlhut 2007;
Jaakkola 2008; Kolarik 2008).
Phthalates are detected in nearly every American,
from babies to adults (CDC 2005).
According to a large national survey conducted by CDC,
levels of phthalates in some U.S. women of childbearing age
exceed the government's safe levels (Kohn 2000).
Phthalates are widespread contaminants in the environment
and in wildlife as well (Kolpin 2002; Rudel 2003).
Nitro- and polycyclic musks are artificial chemicals
used for decades in "fragrance" mixtures
added to everyday products.
Animal studies indicate musks may disrupt the
hormone (endocrine) system (Seinen 1999; Schreurs 2004),
and may disturb a natural defense
the body uses to protect itself from toxic chemicals
(Luckenbach 2005). Laboratory studies
also link some musks to cancer
(Maekawa 1990; Apostolidis 2002).
Musks can accumulate in fat and build up in the human body,
and have been detected in people’s breast milk, fat, and blood
(Rimkus 1996; Liebl 2000; TNO 2004, 2005;
Hutter 2005; Lignell 2008).
Phthalates: Cell studies show phthalates can
replace estradiol on estrogen receptor sites (CERHR 2000).
A study of female rats indicates
one phthalate can reduce levels of estradiol
in the body (CERHR 2000).
Musks: Cell studies show some musks produce weak estrogenic
(Seinen 1999; Bitsch 2002; Gomez 2005)
and anti-estrogenic effects (Schreurs 2005a, 2005b).
Fish studies show certain musks produce
anti-estrogenic effects (Schreurs 2004).
Cell studies show metabolites of musks
produce estrogenic effects (Chou 1999).
Phthalates: Baby boys consuming
breast milk high in some phthalates
tend to have altered body levels of
both luteinizing hormone and ratios of
luteinizing hormone to testosterone (Main 2006).
Animal studies show phthalates can reduce
testosterone levels in the body (Lottrup 2006).
Musks: Male lab animals treated with certain parabens
show reduced levels of testosterone
and increased incidence of reproductive system problems
(Oishi 2001, 2002a, 2002b).
Musks: A study of women with
gynecological and endocrine dysfunction
indicates women with high levels of musk ketone
are more likely to have altered levels of
androstenedione in their bodies (Eisenhardt 2001);
and those with high levels of some musks
are more likely to have altered levels of
androstanediol-glucuronide in their bodies (Eisenhardt 2001).
Phthalates: Men highly exposed to certain phthalates
may show altered body levels of inhibin B (Duty 2005).
Phthalates: Baby boys consuming
breast milk high in certain phthalates
typically have altered body levels of
sex-hormone binding globulin (Main 2006).
Phthalates: Men highly exposed to certain phthalates
typically show altered levels of
T3 in their bodies (Meeker 2007).
Phthalates: Pregnant women highly exposed to certain phthalates
typically have altered levels of T4 in their bodies (Huang 2007).
Men highly exposed to certain phthalates
tend to have altered levels of T4 in their bodies (Meeker 2007).
Lynn Tondat Ruggeri, Ph.D:
Up to 95% of chemicals used in fragrances
... include VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
. chemicals including VOCs have
direct, quick access to the brain
through the nasal passages. [Brain Res 1995]
Drug companies developing intranasal drugs
are required to use strict FDA guidelines
to prove safety with full ingredient disclosure
while industries that make fragrances
(with a 75-95% VOC content)
are self-regulated, not required to do
any safety testing or to reveal any ingredients.
Environmental Defense database.
Fragrance and Health.
[Human Ecology Action League 1998]
Acute toxic effects of fragrance products.
[Arch Environ Health 1998];
Scents and sensitivity.
[Environ Health Perspect. 1998]
Fragrance: Emerging health & environmental concerns.
[Flavour & Fragrance J 2002]
Fragrances and health.
[Environ Health Perspect 1999]
Dr. Anne C. Steinemann 2010:
Fragranced consumer products are pervasive in society.
Relatively little is known about the composition of these products,
due to lack of prior study, complexity of formulations,
and limitations and protections on ingredient disclosure
in the U.S. We investigated volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
emitted from 25 common fragranced consumer products
—laundry products, personal care products, cleaning supplies, and air fresheners—
using headspace analysis with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).
Our analysis found 133 different VOCs
emitted from the 25 products,
with an average of 17 VOCs per product.
Of these 133 VOCs, 24 are classified as
toxic or hazardous under U.S. federal laws,
and each product emitted at least one of these compounds.
. an “unscented” or “fragrance-free” product
may be a fragranced product, with the addition of
a “masking fragrance” to cover the scent.
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