Fragrance Facts Fan Flames  
UPdate Fall 2002

The October 2002 issue of Flavour and Fragrance Journal contains an article by nurse and scent activist Betty Bridges, titled "Fragrance- Emerging Health and Environmental Concerns".   Apparently the article has created "quite a stir" and the next issue of the journal will carry an article with the opposing viewpoint. Flavour and Fragrance is a refereed journal addressing  issues of concern to the industry.

A few facts from the Bridges article:

- Perfume was found to be an environmental factor associated with the
development of asthma in children in the United Arab Emirates.

- An epidemiological study of bronchial asthma among children in Moscow found that children living near perfume factories had a higher incidence of asthma.

- In response to increasing skin allergies to fragrance materials, the
Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products of the European Commission has recommended that known skin sensitizers be listed on labels.

-In Japan, nitromusk compounds were banned in the early 1980s due to
environmental concerns, and some common sensitizers are prohibited from being used in fragrances. These measures have reduced allergies to common fragrance sensitizers in Japan.

- A study of scented products by the US Environmental Protection Agency concluded that scented products contained some materials that were of toxicological significance at low levels, and that further work and study were needed in this area.

Bridges has also recently posted a Fragrance Facts brochure which she is
making freely available for reproduction. It can be found at
http://www.fpinva.org/FFbrochure.htm