Groups End Federal Air Freshener Lawsuit

[Guest guest]

Groups End Federal Air Freshener Lawsuit and

Prepare for Next Phase of Safety Campaign

http://afhh.org/res/res_pubs/alert_dec08.pdf

Excerpts:

Under pressure from a coalition of environment and health

groups, the seven largest air freshener manufacturers have

disclosed their products´ ingredients to the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA). The coalition of groups dropped a legal

case regarding the issue against the EPA on December 11 and

now plan to pressure the agency to evaluate the safety of the

ingredients individually and in combination with each other.

[snip]

While EPA received the complete list of ingredients, public

versions contained many redactions under company confidential

business information claims. Even with the redacted version of

the data, however, several hazardous chemicals are listed as air

freshener ingredients. These chemicals include formaldehyde (a

carcinogen and irritant deliberately generated as preservative),

benzene compounds (benzene is a genotoxic carcinogen),

naphthalene (a carcinogen), and other chemicals whose safety is

questionable.

[snip]

The coalition of groups is now attempting to use the Freedom of

Information Act to challenge the companies´ confidentiality claims

and hope to make more ingredient information available publicly.

Industry groups are also planning a new ingredient disclosure

program for 2010, but say they will continue to keep many

ingredients secret including those in their dyes, preservatives and

fragrances.

The original petition, EPA´s response, as well as all other public

submissions from the Air Freshener Manufacturers are available

at

http://www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/pubs/petitions.htm#petition1.

The submission from the fragrance houses is available at

http://www.fmafragrance.org/sub_pages/airfreshener_list.html.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

[Guest guest]

Well holy crap. No wonder this stuff bothers most of us so much. Now how they

can keep this stuff on the market regardless of how they label it, is beyond

me??

Chris...

From: Carl E. Grimes <grimes@...>

Subject: [] Groups End Federal Air Freshener Lawsuit

Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 4:36 PM

Groups End Federal Air Freshener Lawsuit and

Prepare for Next Phase of Safety Campaign

http://afhh. org/res/res_ pubs/alert_ dec08.pdf

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately, if the amount, or the percentage, is less than the

legal limit, it is legal. If labeling laws don't require them on the

label, then they don't list the ingrediants. Getting them to reveal is

just the first step. Next is to change the legal limits for notification,

labeling and then use. Industry will push for " definitive " science to

prove harm. We should push for the Precautionary Principle:

" When an activity raises threats of harm to human health

or the environment, precautionary measures should be

taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not

fully established scientifically. In this context the

proponent of an activity, rather than the public, should

bear the burden of proof. The process of applying the

precautionary principle must be open, informed and

democratic and must include potentially affected parties.

It must also involve an examination of the full range of

alternatives, including no action. " - Wingspread

Statement on the Precautionary Principle, Jan. 1998

http://www.sehn.org/precaution.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingspread_Declaration

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

>

> Well holy crap. No wonder this stuff bothers most of us so much. Now how they

can keep this stuff on the

> market regardless of how they label it, is beyond me??

>

> Chris...

>

>

>

> From: Carl E. Grimes <grimes@...>

> Subject: [] Groups End Federal Air Freshener Lawsuit

> groups (DOT) com

> Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 4:36 PM

>

>

> Groups End Federal Air Freshener Lawsuit and

>

> Prepare for Next Phase of Safety Campaign

>

> http://afhh. org/res/res_ pubs/alert_ dec08.pdf

>

>