If you experience health effects from fragrances in common consumer products, you’re not alone.
Professor Anne Steinemann—a world expert on environmental pollutants, air quality and health effects—has found that more than one-third of Americans report health problems—from asthma attacks to migraine headaches—when exposed to common consumer products that contain fragrances, such as air fresheners, cleaning supplies, laundry products, scented candles, cologne, and personal care products.
The study also found that fragranced products may affect profits, with more than 20% of respondents entering a business, but leaving as quickly as possible if they smell air fresheners or some fragranced product. More than twice as many customers would choose hotels and airplanes without fragranced air than with fragranced air.
In the workplace, over 15% of the population lost workdays or a job due to fragranced product exposure. Over 50% of Americans surveyed would prefer fragrance-free workplaces. And over 50% would prefer that health care facilities and professionals were fragrance-free.
When exposed to fragrance products, 34.7% of Americans suffer adverse health effects, such as breathing difficulties, headaches, dizziness, rashes, congestion, seizures, nausea, and a range of other physical problems. For half of these individuals, effects are potentially disabling, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“This is a huge problem; it’s an epidemic,” says Professor Steinemann.
Professor Steinemann is especially concerned with involuntary exposure to fragranced products, or what she calls “secondhand scents.”
MEDIA RELEASE: Fragranced Products: Risks for People and Profits?
FULL ARTICLE: Fragrance consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions
