Feature stories
When no scents makes sense
Being near a scented product - perfume, scented candles, or even scented laundry detergent - makes some people sick. 30 percent of Canadians, including people with and without existing lung conditions, report strong scents adversely affect their health.
Fragrances are all around, not just in perfumes and colognes. They’re found in laundry and cleaning products, personal care products, air fresheners and scented candles, even in cat litters and trash bags. What you may not realize is that these fragrances don't come from natural plants and flowers. They come from petroleum chemicals.
There are over eighty thousand petrochemicals in use around us every day. More than five thousand fragrance chemicals are used in personal care products alone. Manufacturers are not required to list the specific chemicals in their fragrances because they've convinced legislators and government agencies that these ingredients are trade secrets.
A short list of chemical overload symptoms can include headaches, nausea, pain, and fatigue; depression, anxiety, irritability or mood swings; difficulty sleeping, concentrating or remembering things; difficulty breathing or swallowing, or frequent asthma attacks.
What’s in a fragrance?
The problem with scented products is not so much the smell itself as the chemicals that produce the smell.
Today's perfume is not made from flowers but from toxic chemicals. Just one perfume can contain more than 500 chemicals. A common ingredient in scents is toluene. Toluene triggers asthma attacks and is known to cause asthma in previously healthy people. The only safe assumption about scented products is that they contain numerous toxic chemicals, which constantly vaporize into the air and attach themselves to hair, clothing, and surroundings.
Does "unscented" or "fragrance-free" really mean there is no fragrance?
Although "unscented” and “fragrance free” seem to denote products devoid of toxic scents and chemicals, these labels are deceptive. This creates confusion for well-meaning people who are trying to eliminate chemicals for their own protection or to keep from making chemically sensitive friends sick.
"Unscented" is a misnomer -- it does not mean "without chemical fragrances." If an item is labeled "unscented," it may contain a masking fragrance (which is a chemical fragrance designed to "block" the smells of other chemicals in the product) and additional toxic chemicals.
“ Fragrance free" is a good term that usually means what it says, but it doesn't always mean "free of questionable chemicals." It typically denotes products that are safe for the chemically sensitive, but there are large exceptions, particularly amongst conventional brands.
What can you do about scented products?
With people becoming more and more aware of the adverse health effects created by scented products, public and workplace policies are being developed. Similarly to second hand smoke, over-scenting the air is increasingly seen as impinging on the rights of others to breathe unscented air.
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Respect the scent-free policies at your work, school, in the hospital etc.
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Use scent-free products when available
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Keep your home and office well ventilated
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If scent-free policies are not in place, work with the institution to develop scent-free policies
For information on how to create and implement scent-free policies, contact the BC Lung Association at 1-800-665-5864.