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Andrew Schneider
Senior Public Health Correspondent
(July 21) -- Most Americans use about 10 personal care products each day. The toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, baby powder and other things that we routinely douse or slather on our bodies expose us to at least 100 different chemicals. Many of these, public health experts say, have been linked to adverse health effects like cancer, birth defects and learning disabilities.

There is nothing that the Food and Drug Administration can legally do about it.

But that may begin to change as two Democratic lawmakers -- Reps. Jan Schakowsky from Illinois and Edward Markey from Massachusetts -- introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 today. If passed, it will be the first meaningful effort to give the FDA the teeth, tools and mandate to protect consumers from harmful products that are used by almost everyone.

Under the current absence of oversight, it's legal for cosmetics companies to use virtually any ingredient with no pre-market safety assessment.

This has bothered many of FDA's risk experts and toxicologists, who say they're eager to have the authority to delve into the litany of potentially hazardous chemicals in these products.

"This law is absolutely needed and the authority it will give FDA is even more crucial now as many manufacturers are using nano-sized chemicals such as titanium dioxide in their cosmetic and health products," an FDA risk assessor told AOL News at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting in Chicago this week.

Some of what the legislation calls for includes:
Ingredients linked to cancer and birth defects being phased out of personal care products.
Health-based safety standards for all ingredients in cosmetics that includes protections for children and other vulnerable populations.
Required listing on product labels of all chemical ingredients in personal care products, including fragrances and contaminants.
Worker access to information about hazardous chemicals they may encounter in the manufacturing of personal care products.
Adequate funding and support of the FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors to pay for this oversight of the cosmetics industry.
Few other details were available Tuesday night, when legislative staffers were still hammering out the final language .

Many in the public health community hope that the legislation will prevent the cosmetic industry from hiding behind the overused and lobbyists-protected "confidential business information" exclusion, which has for decades allowed companies to refuse giving regulators information.

"The industry insists it has to have the confidential business information rule, otherwise they [competitors] will know what is in our products," explained Stephenie Hendrick, environmental health media coordinator working with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and other groups.

"The scientists at the companies already know what are in each others' products. It's only the public that's kept in the dark."

The FDA is already conducting studies on some components of sunscreen.

Paul Howard, director of the FDA's office of Scientific Coordination, told a room filled with attendees in a daylong conference on nanotechnology that the FDA is completing studies on the use of nano-sized titanium dioxide in sunscreens. For four weeks, pigs were slathered with sunscreen with differing sizes of nanoparticles.

This is important because of controversy over the safety of titanium dioxide in many sunscreen and personal care products. He told the scientists that the preliminary studies showed the nanoparticles did not penetrate the skin deep enough to be harmful, but quickly added that more studies were being conducted.

A Long Time Coming

In 1938, Congress passed the Federal Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Its provisions required new products to be shown safe before marketing. That pretty much never happened with cosmetics.

"This legislation would create a system that people think already exists -- one that requires companies to assess chemicals for safety and disclose all the ingredients in their products," Stacy Malkan, co-founder of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, told AOL News.

"We all put these products on our bodies, and all of us are exposed to the toxic chemicals that are commonly found in cosmetics," she added, and cited the carcinogens formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane, which are found in bath products and shampoos; phthalates in fragrances and the antibacterial agent triclosan.

Triclosan, which has become ubiquitous in scores of health care products, has a link to dioxin derivatives. That has raised concerns in several peer-reviewed animal studies that showed it can be highly carcinogenic and can weaken the immune system, decrease fertility, damage sex hormones and cause miscarriage and birth defects.

However, while the FDA says that triclosan is not currently known to be hazardous to humans, it nevertheless is doing studies on the health effects of the chemical. Its findings should be made public next spring.

Consumers Believe FDA Is Their Protector

Under the present law, FDA can't even begin to regulate cosmetics until they are already on store shelves, which means they can be sold to the pubic without safety testing of the product or its ingredients.

"Most people assume the FDA regulates cosmetics the same way it does food and drugs to ensure they are safe. In reality, cosmetics are one of the least-regulated consumer products on the market today," said Janet Nudelman, program director of the Breast Cancer Fund.

"When there are cancer-causing chemicals in baby shampoo and mercury in skin cream, you know the regulatory system is broken," she added

The Environmental Working Group has been studying cosmetics for years, and everywhere it has looked it has found hazardous or untested cosmetics ingredients.

Jane Houlihan, the group's vice president for research, said its testing has found that blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls from across the country were tainted with an average of 13 potential hormone-disrupting preservatives, plasticizers and other cosmetic chemicals.

Also, in umbilical cord blood from 10 newborn babies, synthetic musk fragrances were found to have crossed the mother's placenta to pollute the baby's body before birth, she added.

Houlihan called the proposed federal legislation "long overdue," saying it would finally close major gaps in the law, giving FDA real authority to ensure that personal care products sold in the U.S. meet a basic standard of safety.

The feelings on Capitol Hill are that this legislation will pass without much opposition. That's mainly because the trade association, in a letter to lawmakers last week, said it "plans to support legislation that would strengthen and modernize regulatory oversight of the industry and create a greater role for the FDA in assessing ingredient safety for personal care products."

That was seen as a smart move by the industry's Personal Care Products Council because the public is demanding more information on the safety of the products it uses.

Congress is already up to its neck in reforming EPA's dangerously antiquated Toxic Substances Control Act. Food safety legislation is moving through both the House and Senate and parties on all sides of the cosmetic safety battle knew that FDA's responsibility for personal safety products would be under the congressional microscope next.
Filed under: Nation, Science, Health

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What can you do?
Navigating store aisles can be difficult. Environmental Working Group researchers have evaluated hundreds of safety studies and thousands of ingredient labels to bring you our top recommendations for what not to buy.

Pick safer products

Over-the-counter drugs and personal care products
Buyer beware: Less common ingredients with significant health concerns
Ingredients derived from animals

Pick safer products:
Use EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to find safety scores for thousands of products.
Print our wallet guide [link]
Use fewer products. Buy only after reviewing ingredients.
Remember marketing claims like “dermatologist-tested,” “gentle” and “natural” could be ad hype.

Your body
Getting clean

No { triclocarban (bar soap) or triclosan (liquid soap) }

Yes { hand sanitizers with ethanol/ethyl alcohol }

Moisturizing

No { retinyl palmitate or retinol in daytime skin products }

Your Teeth
No { triclosan in toothpaste }

Your Lips
No { retinyl palmitate or retinol }

Your skin + the sun
Very few sunscreens provide adequate sun protection and are free of harmful ingredients.

No
SPF above 50
Retinyl palmitate
Aerosol spray and powder sunscreen
Oxybenzone
Insect repellent

Yes
Hats and shade in mid-day sun.
Zinc or Titanium are the best active ingredients, otherwise Avobenzone at 3%
SPF 30 for intense sun
Use a lot and reapply frequently

Your hair
No
Fragrance
PEGs, ceteareths and polyethylene
Parabens: propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl
DMDM hydantoin

Your nails
No
Formaldehyde or formalin in polish, hardeners or other nail products.
Toluene
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP).
Pregnant? Skip polish

Your kids
Kids are sensitive. Use few products and pick them carefully.

Diaper Cream
No Boric Acid

Baby Wipes
No 2-Bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (bronopol)

Toothpaste
LIMIT fluoride toothpaste for kids who might shallow it (none for kids under 2)

5 problem products:
Some categories of products have major safety concerns. Avoid them, particularly for children.

Hair straighteners : cancer, allergy, skin and scalp irritation, hair damage and hair loss

Loose powders: inhalation risk

Perfumes/fragrances: allergy concerns

Dark permanent hair dyes: linked to cancer

Skin lighteners: skin irritation and damage

Common ingredients with safety concerns:
“Fragrance“: This catch-all term can include hundreds of chemicals and trigger allergic reactions. Skip products that use the term “fragrance” in the list of ingredients and instead opt for those that list each fragrance ingredient.Ingredients can have harmful contaminants: Many common ingredients can contain impurities linked to cancer and other health concerns. Avoid these common ingredients where possible:

DMDM hydantoin,
Diazolidinyl urea,
Imidazolidinyl urea,
Ceteareth,
Polyethylene glycol and PEG
For a full list of ingredients with impurities concerns, check EWG’s Skin Deep database.

In depth: common ingredients to avoid
Benzalkonium chloride: Biocide, preservative and surfactant associated with severe skin, eye, and respiratory irritation and allergies, … read more benzalkonium chloride is a sensitizer especially dangerous for people with asthma or skin conditions like eczema. It is found in many household disinfectants and cleaning supplies. Regular use of products containing antimicrobials such as benzalkonium chloride could lead to development of resistant bacteria.

BHA: The National Toxicology Program classifies butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” … read more It can cause skin depigmentation. In animal studies, BHA produces liver damage and causes stomach cancers such as papillomas and carcinomas and interferes with normal reproductive system development and thyroid hormone levels. The European Union considers it unsafe in fragrance. It is found in food, food packaging, and personal care products sold in the U.S.

Coal tar hair dyes and other coal tar ingredients (including Aminophenol, Diaminobenzene, Phenylenediamine): Coal tar, a byproduct of coal processing, is a known human carcinogen… read more, according to the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Hair stylists and other professionals are exposed to these chemicals in hair dye almost daily. While FDA sanctions coal tar in specialty products such as dandruff and psoriasis shampoos, the long-term safety of these products has not been demonstrated.

DMDM hydantoin & bronopol (2-Bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol): Cosmetics preservatives that decompose and release formaldehyde… read more, which the International Agency on Research on Cancer lists as a known human carcinogen. The preservatives and their decomposition products, including formaldehyde, can trigger allergic reactions. About one-fifth of U.S. cosmetics and personal care products contain a chemical that releases formaldehyde. Not surprisingly, more Americans develop contact allergies to these ingredients than Europeans.

Formaldehyde: A potent preservative considered a known human carcinogen by the International Agency on Research on Cancer.… read more Formaldehyde, also an asthmagen, neurotoxicant and developmental toxicant, was once mixed into to many personal care products as antiseptic. This use has declined. But some hair straighteners are based on formaldehyde’s hair-stiffening action and release substantial amounts of the chemical. Many common preservatives also release formaldehyde into products (like DMDM hydantoin, quaternium, and urea compounds).

Fragrance: It may help sell products from face cream to laundry detergent, but do you know what’s in it? … read more Fragrances are in everything from shampoo to deodorant to lotion. Federal law doesn’t require companies to list on product labels any of the chemicals in their fragrance mixture. Recent research from EWG and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an average of 14 chemicals in 17 name brand fragrance products, none of them listed on the label. Fragrances can contain hormone disruptors and are among the top 5 allergens in the world. Our advice? Buy fragrance free.

Hydroquinone: A skin bleaching chemical that can cause a skin disease … read more called ochronosis, with blue-black lesions that in the worst cases become permanent black caviar-size bumps. In animal studies, hydroquinone has caused tumor development. The National Toxicology Program is conducting reproductive toxicity and dermal carcinogenicity studies of this chemical.

Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone: Preservatives, commonly used together in personal care products, among the most common irritants, sensitizers and causes of contact allergy … read more Lab studies on mammalian brain cells suggest that methylisothiazolinone may be neurotoxic.

Oxybenzone: Sunscreen agent and ultraviolet light absorber, found in nearly all Americans… read more, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In human epidemiological studies, oxybenzone has been linked to irritation, sensitization and allergies. A study of 404 New York City women in the third trimester of pregnancy associated higher maternal concentration of oxybenzone with a decreased birth weight among newborn baby girls but with greater birth weight in newborn boys. Studies on cells and laboratory animals indicate that oxybenzone and its metabolites may disrupt the hormone system.

Parabens (Propyl, Isopropyl, Butyl, and Isobutylparabens): Parabens are estrogen-mimicking preservatives, read more found in breast cancer tumors of 19 of 20 women studied. The CDC has detected parabens in virtually all Americans surveyed. According to the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, longer chain parabens like propyl and butyl paraben and their branched counterparts, isopropyl and isobutylparabens, may disrupt the endocrine system and cause reproductive and developmental disorders.

PEG/Ceteareth/Polyethylene compounds: These synthetic chemicals are frequently contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which the U.S. government considers a probably human carcinogen and which readily penetrates the skin. … read more Cosmetics makers could easily remove 1,4-dioxane from ingredients, but tests documenting its common presence in products show that they often don’t.

Petroleum distillates: Petroleum-extracted cosmetics ingredients, commonly found in mascara. … read more They may cause contact dermatitis and are often contaminated with cancer-causing impurities. They are produced in oil refineries at the same time as automobile fuel, heating oil and chemical feedstocks.

Phthalates: A growing number of studies link this chemical to male reproductive system disorders. Pregnant women should avoid nail polish containing dibutyl phathalate. Everyone should avoid products with “fragrance” indicating a chemical mixture that may contain phthalates.

Resorcinol: Common ingredient in hair color and bleaching products; skin irritant, toxic to the immune system and frequent cause of hair dye allergy. … read more In animal studies, resorcinol can disrupt normal thyroid function. The federal government regulates exposures to resorcinol in the workplace, but its use is not restricted in personal care products.

Retinyl palmitate and retinol (Vitamin A): Vitamin A is an essential nutrient, but excessive amounts can cause severe birth defects if women are exposed during pregnancy… read more New evidence shows that when applied to sun-exposed skin, for instance, in sunscreens, lip products and daytime moisturizers, these compounds can break down and produce toxic free radicals that can damage DNA and cause skin cancer. Recent date from the federal Food and Drug Administration indicate that when retinyl palmitate is applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, it speeds the development of skin tumors and lesions.
Toluene: Volatile petrochemical solvent and paint thinner and potent neurotoxicant that acts as an irritant, impairs breathing and causes nausea … read more A pregnant woman’s exposure to toluene vapors during pregnancy may impair fetal development. In human epidemiological and animal studies, toluene has been associated with toxicity to the immune system. Some evidence suggests a link to malignant lymphoma.

Triclosan & Triclocarban: Antimicrobial pesticides in liquid soap (triclosan) or soap bars (triclocarban), very toxic to the aquatic environment….read more often found as contaminants in people due to widespread use of antimicrobial cleaning products. Triclosan disrupts thyroid function and reproductive hormones. American Medical Association and the American Academy of Microbiology say that soap and water serves just as well to prevent spread of infections and reduce bacteria on the skin. Overuse may promote the development of bacterial resistance.

For babies and young children
Every day, children are exposed to an average of 27 personal care product ingredients that have not been found safe for developing bodies, according to an EWG national survey. An EWG review has found that 77 percent of ingredients in 1,700 children’s products have not been assessed for safety.

Children are not little adults. Pound for pound, kids are exposed to more contaminants in air, water, food, and personal care products than adults. Immature organ systems are often less capable of fending off chemical assaults. Subtle damage to developing bodies may lead to disease later in life.

Parents can make healthy choices by using fewer personal care products for their children, ignoring ad hype and following these tips:

Baby wipes
Avoid { 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (or Bronopol), DMDM hydantoin, fragrance }

Diaper cream
Avoid { BHA, boric acid, sodium borate, fragrance }

Sunscreen Infants under 6 months don’t belong in the sun and they shouldn’t wear sunscreen. For older babies and children, use protective clothing and sunscreen that provides good UVA and UVB protection. Use enough and reapply often. See general sunscreen guidelines and our sunscreen report for more information.

Toothpaste Use small amounts of fluoride-free toothpaste for children under 2, as recommended by the American Dental Association. See general toothpaste guidelines for more information.

Baby powder Skip it! Just like auto exhaust or secondhand smoke, tiny airborne particles can damage baby’s delicate, developing lungs.

Play makeup and nail polish Avoid when possible. A little goes a long way. Children should play dress-up with small amounts of safer products – and not every day.

For teens
Teens use cosmetics. Sometimes lots of them. From hair gels and straighteners to eye make-up, body wash and lotions. And then some! Knowing which ones are healthy — and which ones aren’t — is important. Why? EWG found that adolescent girls’ bodies are contaminated with chemicals commonly used in cosmetics and body care products. In fact, we detected 16 potentially toxic chemicals phthalates, triclosan, parabens, and musks in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls [http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens]. Studies link these chemicals to potential health effects including cancer and hormone disruption.

To make matters worse, teens may be particularly sensitive to exposures to hormone-disrupting chemicals, given the complex role they play during puberty – precisely when girls typically experiment with an increasing number and variety of body care products. When we surveyed them, our teen study participants reported using an average of 17 personal care products each day, 40 percent more than an adult woman.

Teens can easily make safer choices by reducing the number of body care products they use, viewing marketing claims with skepticism, always checking the ingredients for toxics (a good lifelong habit!), and following EWG guidelines to select safer products:

Acne products
Avoid { Fragrance, parabens, PEG/ceteareth/polyethylene, Tricolosan }

Perfume, cologne, and body spray
Avoid { Diethyl phthalate, Fragrance (on the list of ingredients), oxybenzone }

Sunscreen Use sunscreens with UVA and UVB protection and reapply often. See general sunscreen guidelines and our sunscreen report for more information.
Avoid tanning beds. Tanning booths expose the skin to 15 times more UV sun. The use of tanning beds before age 30 can cause a 75 percent increase in melanoma.

For women
The average woman uses 12 products containing 168 different ingredients daily. Many cosmetic chemicals are designed to penetrate into the skin’s inner layers, and they do. Consequently, some common cosmetic ingredients turn up in people’s bodies. Among them: industrial plasticizers called phthalates; parabens, which are preservatives; and persistent fragrance components like musk xylene.

Are levels found in our bodies causing biological damage? Only more research can say. Several studies have linked feminization of American baby boys to a common fragrance chemical called diethyl phthalate.

Product Type Buying Guidelines
Anti-aging products Avoid
alpha and beta hydroxy acids
lactic acid
glycolic acid
FDA-sponsored studies find UV-caused skin damage doubles for users of products with alpha hydroxy acid. Regular sunscreen application is the best way to avoid sun-damaged skin.

Hair dye

Minimize use of dark, permanent hair dyes. Many contain coal tar ingredients, including aminophenol, diaminobenzene, and phenylenediamine, linked to cancer.
Skin lighteners Avoid skin lighteners with hydroquinone. FDA warns that this skin-bleaching chemical can cause a skin disease called ochronosis, with “disfiguring and irreversible” blue-black lesions that in the worst cases become permanent, intensively black bumps the size of caviar all over the skin.

For men
The average man uses 6 products daily with 85 unique ingredients. Some ingredients are hormonally active; some of these are specifically linked to male reproductive system disorders. For instance, phthalates have been associated with altered hormone levels in men and boys and sperm damage.

Product Type Buying Guidelines
After shave Avoid
Fragrance
Oxybenzone
PEG/ceteareth/polyethylene
Parabens
Shaving cream Avoid
DMDM hydantoin
Fragrance
PEG/ceteareth/polyethylene
Triclosan
Sunscreen Wear sunscreen. Surveys show just 34 percent of men wear sun protection, compared to 78 percent of women. Men should wear sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection and reapply often. See general sunscreen guidelines and our sunscreen report for more information.
Over-the-counter drugs and personal care products
Certain personal care products fall under FDA definitions of both cosmetics and drugs. Examples include anti-dandruff shampoos, deodorants that are also antiperspirants, and moisturizers and makeup marketed with sun-protection claims. Some active ingredients in over-the-counter (OTC) products raise concerns for cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity. However, unlike non-drug cosmetics ingredients, OTC drugs generally must receive FDA authorization and offer a therapeutic benefit that would off-set potential toxicity risks. Some OTCs currently on the market were introduced before FDA initiated an OTC Drug Review in 1972; thus, they did not receive a specific approval from FDA.

Dandruff shampoos: Most of the active ingredients approved by the FDA for use in dandruff shampoos have significant safety concerns. Common dandruff control ingredients– selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, salicylic acid, and coal tar – are identified on the European or Californian list of carcinogens and/or reproductive toxicants. They can also cause minor to significant skin effects, including irritation, inflammation and photosensitivity. These products should sparingly and only be used as directed. Avoid using dandruff shampoo on children, especially to treat benign conditions like cradle cap and normal scalp flaking.

Antibiotic creams: Some topical antibiotics, such as neomycin sulfate may not be safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women or children. In research studies, certain antibiotics have been shown to cross the placenta, where they could pose a risk of adverse developmental defects to the fetus. Read label instructions and consult your physician to see if suitable alternatives are available for your antibiotic needs.

Antibacterial products (soaps, antiperspirants, toothpaste): Triclosan is one of the most common OTC antibacterial chemicals found in personal care products such as antibacterial soaps. However, triclosan-containing soaps are no more effective than plain soap and water. Triclosan is also very toxic to the environment and may disrupt hormonal function in people and other mammals.

Buyer beware
Several chemicals that occasionally crop up in personal care products have been linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, and a host of other health effects. Among them:

Lead: A neurotoxin in popular hair dye Grecian Formula 16 and other black hair dyes for men. Lead from hair dyes travels from hair to doorknobs, cabinets and other household items, where children can ingest it.

Methyl cellosolve (or methoxyethanol): Fragrance ingredient and solvent that is an irritant, neurotoxin, possible mutagen (may cause DNA mutations that could lead to cancer) and developmental toxicant. It should be barred from personal care products.

Mercury and mercury compounds: Mercury damages brain function. It is occasionally found in cosmetics as an impurity or even as an intentionally added ingredient. Over-the-counter drugs like ear and eye drops may contain mercury.

Nanoparticles: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles appear to be among the safer and more effective active ingredients in U.S.-marketed sunscreen creams because they do not penetrate the skin. Sprays and powders containing these nanoparticles should be avoided. Many other nanoparticles have received very little testing, yet they readily penetrate the skin and contaminate the body. Cosmetics manufacturers are not required to disclose the presence of nanoparticles in products. EWG analysis has found that one-third of all personal care products on the market contain ingredients now commercially available in nano forms.

Nitromethane: Anticorrosive agent found in a few aerosol hair sprays. The U.S. government considers it a probable human carcinogen.

Phenacetin: Component of some face and arm hair bleaching agents, a probable human carcinogen, according to the U.S. government.

Phenolphthalein: A few shampoos and texturizing products contain this chemical, a probable human carcinogen, according to the U.S. government.

Phthalates: A growing number of studies link this chemical to male reproductive system disorders. Pregnant women should avoid nail polish containing dibutyl phathalate. Everyone should avoid products with “fragrance” indicating a chemical mixture that may contain phthalates.

Placenta/Progesterone: Extracts from human and cow placenta are advertised as conditioning agents for skin and hair. Placental extracts in cosmetics may contain enough hormones to spur breast growth in toddlers, according to recent studies.

Ingredients derived from animals
Many consumers are asking manufacturers tough questions about ethical sourcing of their ingredients. Vegetarians, vegans, and people concerned about animal welfare frequently seek to avoid ingredients derived from animals. A number of animal-based substances are found in cosmetics. Some are fat-based and described as “tallow,” rendered beef or mutton fat. Mink oil and emu oil are rendered from those animals’ fat.

Essential Tips and Facts
See that long list of ingredients on the back of the bottle? Some probably aren't as safe as you'd hope.
1Top tips for safer products
2Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
3What's new in Skin Deep?
4Myths on cosmetic safety
5User's guide to Skin Deep

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SOME SCENT FREE FACILITIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND EVENTS -WHO IN USA AND OTHER PLACES OBJECT TO TOXIC PERFUMES AND FRAGRANCES. CHECK OUT THE LIST AND ADD YOUR FACILITY OR SCHOOL OR PLACE OF WORK TO THIS LIST.

National Toxic Encephalopathy Foundation, POB 29194, Las Vegas, NV 89126

            Personal communication from angel@mcs-global.org

Chemical Injury Information Network (CIIN) 

http://www.ciin.org/

The Chemical Sensitivity Foundation 

http://www.chemicalsensitivityfoundation.org/

Environmental Sensitivities Research Institute

http://www.esri.org/index.html

Global Recognition Campaign for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

http://www.mcs-global.org/

HEAL®—Human Ecology Action League 

http://members.aol.com/HEAL

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) committee (fragrance-free philosophy statement)

http://www.matcmadison.edu/match/employee/officeholders/

MCS Beacon of Hope

http://www.mcsbeaconofhope.com/

MCS NYC

http://www.mcsnyc.com/

MCS Referral & Resources

http://www.mcsrr.org/

Share, Care and Prayer, Inc. 

http://www.sharecareprayer.org/

Chemically Injured (CSSS) of Phoenix HEAL

http://www.geocities.com/phxheal

HEAL of Southern Arizona

http://www.healsoaz.org/

Environmental Health Network of California

http://www.rmeha.org/

Rocky Mountain Environmental Health Association

http://www.ehnca.org/

Ecological Health Organization

http://www.echomcsct.homestead.com/

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Chemical Sensitivity Coalition

of  Chicago (CFCCC)

http://www.mcshealthenviron.org/

Massachusetts Association for the Chemically Injured (MACI)

http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/maci/

Planet Thrive 

http://www.planetthrive.com/                       

Feminist Therapy Associates, El Cerrito, CA  (scent-free psychotherapist’s office)          

http://www.FeministTherapyAssociates.com

http://www.dragonflyvillage.com/jeannec56

Center for Disabilities Studies, University of Delaware, Wilmington, DE (scent-free)

http://www.serviceandinclusion.org/conf/RehobothRegForm.doc

INTERNATIONAL

MCS Canadian Sources

 http://www.mcscanadian.org/

University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada  (scent-free workplace)

http://www.ottawahospital.on.ca/ about/reports/access-res03-04-e.pdf

Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, ON, Canada (scent-free) “If you are sending flowers to someone in hospital, please ensure they are...”

http://www.kgh.on.ca/media/media_releases.asp

http://www.kgh.on.ca/media/media_releases/MR_05_july01.asp

Hotel Dieu, Kingston, ON, Canada (scent free work environment)  “... Patients who do come into the hospital wearing scented products will be...)

http://www.hoteldieu.com/scentfree.html

Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, ON, Canada

 (scent-free)  “Scented personal products like perfume, cologne, aftershave, scented deodorant, talc...”

http://www.osmh.on.ca/know.htm

Niagara-on-the-Lake Hospital, Niagara on the Lake, ON, Canada

 http://www.aahd.us/conferences/FlyerJul2005.pdf

Ontario Federation of Labour Allergy Alert, ON, Canada (scent free)

http://www.whsc.on.ca/Publications/hazardbulletins/summer2002/fragrances.htm

Adelaide Gay and Lesbian Cultural Festival, Nov, 4-27, 2005, Adelaide, South Australia (scent free)

            http://www.feast.org.au/2005/?article=news&view=news&id=10220624

3rd Western Nurse Leaders Forum, Power Through Leadership in Practice, Nov. 23 - 25, 2005, Westin Hotel, Edmonton, AB, Canada  (scent-free)

            http://www.buksa.com/conferences/NLF/Forum-AdvanceProgram.pdf

Special Seminar Joe Wong January 14-15, 2006

General Hospital, Toronto; Wellesley Hospital, Toronto; Lyndhurst Spinal

Hospital, Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada  “Scent Free Environment Policy: please, no perfume!”

http://www.afcinstitute.com/forms/ Special Seminar Joe Wong January 14-15, 2006 Brochure3.doc

Middlesex Hospital Alliance, Middlesex, ON, Canada (fragrance free facility)

http://www.mhalliance.on.ca/smgh/ jobs/JobPostingDetailsSMGH.aspx?ID=247

Leamington District Hospital, Leamington, ON, Canada (scent free)

http://www.leamingtonhospital.com/ for-your-information/patientinfo.htm

Grand River Hospital, Freeport Health Centre, Kitchener, ON, Canada

“Due to patient and staff allergies, fragrance-free products are strongly…”

http://www.grandriverhospital.on.ca/ patient/complex/pat-com-healthinfo.cfm

Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, ON, Canada (scent free)

            http://www.cheo.on.ca/english/4040.html

US

Maine Dept. of Labor, ME

http://www.safetyworksmaine.com/pdf/news_spring04.pdf.

The Department of the Interior, Guidance and Training on Greening Your Janitorial Business

            http://www.doi.gov/greening/sustain/trad.htm

CURE Childhood Cancer Cautions Parents on Increased Cancer Risk for Children From Gene-Damaging Chemicals, Monday October 3, 10:39 am ET

Recent EPA Announcement Says Children May Be More Vulnerable

ATLANTA, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- CURE Childhood Cancer wants to alert parents about the substantially greater risk of cancer to children versus adults from a variety of pollutants, based on a recent EPA environmental guidelines update.

(“Use fragrance-free fabric softeners and dryer static sheets when doing laundry, and avoid plug-in or other room fresheners.  Chemicals that make dryer sheets smell good are known poisons.”)

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051003/clm047.html?.v=22

Shutesbury, MA “…recommended, and the town agreed, that the annual town meeting would be scent-free with a separate area for people who forgot…”

http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/dda/subs/sub194.pdf

Ohio Governors Council on People with Disabilities, OH  “The Committee established a ‘scent free' environment for participants with disabilities attending the …”

http://www.gcpd.ohio.gov/Aug1503Mins.htm

Transportation and the 2005-06 California Budget, CA  “…please attend the meeting smoke and scent-free...”

http://www.sccrtc.org/packet/2005/0505/TPWagenda0505.htm

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Agenda: 3/8/2005, CA “… please attend the meeting smoke and scent free...”

http://www.sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/Govstream/

ORGANIZATIONS / OFFICES

US

American Public Health Association

            http://www.apha.org/meetings/access.htm - cs

Protection Advocacy Inc., Sacramento, CA “ PAI requests that employees (and applicants) refrain from wearing scented products (e.g. scented perfumes/colognes or lotions etc.) in all PAI locations. This includes an employee’s regular work site and other PAI offices, regional centers, state hospitals or other facilities.”

http://www.ndrn.org/jobs/CA_PATIENTS_RIGHTS_ADVOCAT.htm

National Institute of Building Sciences - Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Cleaner Air Rooms  “…be perfume and scent free (no hair spray, no mousse gels, lotions...”)

http://www.ieq.nibs.org/rooms/app_b.php

Artists with Disabilities Alliance

            http://www.angelfire.com/mn3/awda

Santa Cruz AA Boulder Creek Meetings, Santa Cruz, CA (fragrance free)

http://www.aasantacruz.org/schedule/BC.htm

Scent-free environmentally conscious office, Colorado Springs, CO

http://www.snowcrest.net/lassen/eident.html

Seattle Job Board, Seattle, WA (fragrance free office)

http://www.businesscareers.com/

INTERNATIONAL

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html

South Australian Task Force on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Response to The Environmental Public Health Crisis Of Chemical Injury, Port Adelaide, South Australia

            http://www.feast.org.au/2005/?article=news&view=news&id=10220624

GreenCampus  (appeal to the staff of the University of Ottawa for scent-free indoor spaces) Ottawa, ON, Canada

http://www.ie.uottawa.ca/English/ AboutIE/green campus description.pdf

The SGS Library at 1870 Lorne Street in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

http://www.saskgenealogy.com/general/sgs_library_hours.htm

Canadian Association of Electroneurophysiology Technologists, IWK Health Centre

Halifax, NS, Canada (scent free)

http://www.iwk.nshealth.ca/

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html

Canadian Hearing Society, London, ON, Canada  “…all visitors, consumers and clients to the London Office refrain from wearing perfume, cologne and scented lotions.”

http://www.chs.ca/offices/london/pdf/fall winter 2005.pdf

Australian Chemical Trauma Alliance Inc

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:rNjce6OQZIgJ:www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/dda/subs/sub194.rtf+scent-free+hospital&hl=en&client=opera

http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/dda/subs/sub194.rtf

Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists / Société canadienne des pharmaciens d'hôpitaux  “Smoke-Free, Scent Free”

http://www.cshp.ca/productsServices/cjhp/2004/february_e.asp

Application For Child Care Subsidy Brampton and Mississauga, ON, Canada

“…we request that you refrain from wearing scented...”

http://www.peelregion.ca/childcar/pdfs/subsidy-application.pdf

SCHOOLS with scent-free policy

US

Jefferson City Public School, MO

http://www.adaproject.org/FragranceFreePolicy.html

Shutesbury Elementary School, Shutesbury, MA (scent free)

http://www.shutesbury.k14.mass.edu/ parentguide/7SchoolProcedures.html

INTERNATIONAL

Healthy Schools Project Advisory Committee, Peel Region, ON, Canada

 “…scent-free strategies…”

http://www.pollutionprobe.org/Reports/schools append.pdf

Digby Regional High, Digby, NS, Canada  (scent-free school)

http://www.digbyregionalhigh.ednet.ns.ca/pages/administration.htm

Landmark East (International School for students with learning disabilities), Wolfville, NS, Canada (scent free school)

http://www.landmarkeast.org/pdffiles/ Student & Parent Handbook.pdf

Vernon Barford School, Edmonton, AB, Canada (scent free school)

http://www.vbarford.epsb.ca/

Meadowbrook Elementary School, Coquitlam, BC, Canada (scent free school)

http://www.meadowbrook.sd43.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/ E06761DB-5A09-400A-AD70-4F337A8F1B48/41747/News_sep_25_05.pdf

Northeast Kings, NS, Canada (scent-free school)

http://www.nkec.ednet.ns.ca/News.htm

Colby Village Elementary School, Halifax, NS, Canada  (scent free school)

http://www.colbyvillage.ednet.ns.ca/policies/scentfree.htm

UNIVERSITIES   US

Office of Career Services at Polytechnic University  (fragrance- free)

http://media.poly.edu/alumni/job_posting/job_display.cfm?volID=105&vol_num=25&vol_date=2005-01-01

University of Wisconsin-Stout, Student Health Services, W. Menomonie, WI  “Avoid fabric softeners and use scent-free detergents.”

http://www.uwstout.edu/studenthealth/ documents/BattlingDrySkin.doc

INTERNATIONAL

University of Calgary Scent Free Awareness Program, a joint health promotion project of University of Calgary Indoor Air Quality Committee, Calgary, AB, Canada

http://www.ucalgary.ca/scentfree/

University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada   “the 3rd floor of the University Center, will be designated a scent-free area...”

http://www.slcs.uoguelph.ca/csd/UofGCSDscentfreecampaign.cfm

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada  “Avoid using scented products; instead, use scent-free alternatives.”

http://www.utoronto.ca/safety/ScentsGuidelines.htm

University of Toronto School of  Social Work. (scent free guidelines)

http://www.socialwork.utoronto.ca/fsw/

McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada “Persons entering our facilities should be encouraged to use scent-free...”)

http://www.workingatmcmaster.ca/link. php?link=eohss:eohss-sa%20guidelines

Athabasca University, Calgary Learning Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada  (scent free)

http://www.athabascau.ca/html/depts/lrn_centres/clc.htm

Athabasca University, Edmonton Learning Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada (scent free)

http://www.athabascau.ca/html/depts/lrn_centres/elc/elc.htm

University of Prince Edward Island Occupational Health and Safety, PEI, Canada (“scent free on campus is voluntary…”) Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)

http://www.upei.ca/humanres/20Dec02.min.pdf

University of King's College, Halifax, NS, Canada (scent free)

http://www.ukings.ns.ca/kings_3483.html

University of Waterloo Campus Sustainability Assessment. Framework Guide, Waterloo, ON, Canada  “ Total square metres of scent-free indoor spaces…”

http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infowast/watgreen/projects/library/w04sustframework.pdf

University of Windsor, Faculty of Nursing, Windsor, ON, Canada  (make-up may be used conservatively, but must be scent-free)

http://www.athena.uwindsor.ca/units/nursing/nursing.nsf/0/c9e81bde10a1471a85256b960061d091?OpenDocument

BUSINESSES

US

Envirologics - Non toxic Design and Building.

 http://www.envirologics.com/

Environmental Depot - Non Toxic Building Materials and Home Improvement.    

             http://www.ed-austin.com/

Trattoria Nostrani Restaurant, Santa Fe, New Mexico (fragrance free environment)

http://www.trattorianostrani.com/reservations/

CyberWolf Inc., 1596 Pacheco, Suite 203 , Santa Fe, NM, 87505: ...

http://www.acumenbook.com/Home/howapply.cfm

Anderson Laboratories

http://www.andersonlaboratories.com/alweb30.htm

http://users.lmi.net/~wilworks/ehnlinx/donmix.htm

LODGING

US

Bed and Bagels of Tucson, Tucson, AZ (Saltillo tile floors, scent-free cosmetics, natural insecticides, no fresh paint or carpeting odors, cotton bed linens, a chlorine filter in the shower, non-allergenic cleaning products, and stainless steel cookware) “Bed and Bagel accommodates even those with the toughest of environmental and chemical sensitivities”

            http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

Garratt Mansion, Alameda, CA (certified by Alameda County as a green business, waste management, water, appliances, and cleaning supplies pass rigorous inspections, landscaping  redesigned for water conservation, pest control, and composting areas, drains flushed monthly with baking soda and vinegar, linens are line-dried,no potpourri, room deodorizers, and fragrance dryer sheets, most cleaning is done with microfiber cloths, vinegar and baking soda, cotton linens and robes, and choice of feather or hypo-allergenic pillows)

            http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

The Stone Lion Inn, Wellfleet, MA (low-allergen environment, scent and dye-free detergents for laundry and washing, unscented, all natural cleaning agents used for day-to-day cleaning, low concentration bleach-water mixture (mixed at the inn to avoid dyes & perfumes) for sanitizing toilets, down-alternative comforters and fiberfill pillows, wood floors, no wall-to-wall carpeting)

            http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htmCountry Life B&B, Saratoga Springs, NY (environmentally sensitive innkeeper, pillows and mattress covers are hypo-allergenic, all cleaning and laundry done with fragrance-free cleaning products utilizing vinegar, baking soda, and other natural products)

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

 Walnut Lawn B&B, Lancaster, PA (committed to maintaining a healthy, chemical-free environment, no strong-scented or aerosol cleaning products or room deodorizers, air-conditioning and HEPA filters in vacuum cleaners,  a portable HEPA room filter is also available, hormone-free eggs and milk from local farms served at breakfast with organic fruits in season)         

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

1807 Phoebe Pember House, Charleston, (allergy-sensitive innkeeper, organic soy-based detergents and fabric softeners, hardwood floors cleaned regularly with plain black tea, vinegar is the main cleaning staple, guests can request hypo-allergenic pillows)

            http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

Barclay Cottage, Virginia Beach, VA (hypo-allergenic mattress toppers and pillows, fragrance-free detergents used to clean all linens, no chemical softener additives, non-allergenic amenities including soaps and shampoos)

            http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

Holly Inn Gardens, Bainbridge Island, WA (ask for the allergy-free units, bedding and toweling washed in fragrance-free detergents, non-toxic cleaning products)            http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.htm

 White Pines Victorian Lodge, Sturgeon Bay, WI (chemically-sensitive innkeeper, no pesticides or herbicides, natural cotton linens washed with perfume and dye-free natural soap, cleaning is done with white vinegar, baking soda, sea salt, and organic cleaners, guest amenities are organic and natural products, facial and toilet tissue are certified recycled, guests are discouraged from using hair sprays, perfumes, candles, other chemically laden products)

http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Spring-05/asksandy.h

The Lily Pad Bed & Breakfast - Milford, Connecticut  “This is a smoke free environment, and one guest room is kept scent free for guests.”

http://www.bbonline.com/ct/lilypad/

Smoke-free, scent-free accommodations for those with MCS visiting the Syracuse,

New York  area

http://www.members.tripod.com/cparkh1001/Links.htm

INTERNATIONAL

Maitland Vacation Rentals Villa 4BR, 2 Bathrooms, Sleeps 10, Oceanfront, Close to Halifax, Shore Haven, Maitland, NS, Canada “…provide scent-free laundry and dishwasher soaps, all linens are free of scented fabric softener products.”

http://www.a1vacations.com/vacationbythesea/2/

http://www.perfectplaces.com/vacation-rentals/5002.htm

Environmental Bed Breakfast, Brampton, ON, Canada (fragrance-free) Centrally located for day-trips to Toronto, Niagara and Muskoka Regions

http://www.geocities.com/environmentalbb/

Nova Scotia Hotels, Inns, and Motels Business Directory Search Engine

“Elegant chemical and fragrance-free accommodations. Serving organic and locally…”

http://www.novascotiabusiness.ca/html/Nova_Scotia/

Scent-free accommodation on Digby Neck, NS, Canada

http://www.checkinnovascotia.com/ enewsletter/August2004_issue.htm

Downtown Digby, NS, Canada  (scent and smoke-free)

www.bbcanada.com/associations/novascotia/2004BB.pdf

 Waverley hotels and lodgings, 4-Star scent-free accommodations. Close to downtown Halifax, NS, Canada

http://www.ase.net/servlet/HotelList/ 607/44.78312/-63.60311/Waverley  

EscapeRental ­“…We also provide scent free laundry and dishwasher soaps and all of our linens are free of scented fabric softener...” Nearest Airport: Halifax International. ...

http://www.escaperental.com/viewproperty.asp?PropertyID=1580

Tennecape, NS, Canada Vacation Rentals - Oceanfront Retreat, 1 hour north of Halifax “We also provide scent free laundry and dishwasher soaps.”

http://www.krazymoose.com/kmns1026.asp

Halifax Nova Scotia - House - Sleeps: 10 (Halifax International Airport, 45 minutes Halifax 1 hour) “We also provide scent-free laundry and dishwasher soaps.”

http://www.vrbo.com/51518

Halifax Regional bed and breakfast directory (scent-free and smoke-free)

http://www.halifaxregional.worldweb.com/ WheretoStay/BedBreakfasts/

Chanterelle Country Inn and Cottages, Baddeck, Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, NS, Canada “A "Green" environment, using natural fibers, organic soaps, fragrance­free cleansers, solar space and water heat.”

http://www.canadaselect.com/NovaScotia/CapeBretonTrails/ChanterelleCountryInnandCottages.cfm

The King George Inn, Annapolis Royal, NS, Canada “… a scent- and smoke-free inn. “

http://www.area902.com/local/Nova_Scotia/ city/Annapolis_Royal/421

check out affiliates for chemical free nontoxic and options of fragrance free products and in dr mercolas web site -how to stay healthy -really valuable newsletter.