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Eternity

Missin' in action: FDA's
"WARNING: The safety of this product has not been determined."


package back

FDA Warning Label
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-206.html

Analysis Summary: Eternity eau de parfum
http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/analysis.htm

See package front
http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/eterfrpg.htm




FDA's COSMETIC LABELING GUIDE
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-lab3.html

Let's take a gander at the words of Scented Products Education and Information Association of Canada (SPEIAC) in their ad published following their press conference (http://www.ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/aaprbb.htm) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 20, 2000 -- "COMMON SENSE ABOUT SCENTS." See http://www.scentedproducts.on.ca/hdnad.jpg

The ad states in part: "The composition of perfumes hasn't changed much in hundreds of years. They contain primarily water and alcohol -- of the same type and purity we drink in beverages -- as well as essential fragrance oils." Do notice that line about water and alcohol. Remember that when you read and further investigate the information below. We do not drink denatured alcohol. Do we really think the industry will pay the excise taxes to use "drinking alcohol"? But more importantly, SPEIAC and the industry in general, always assures us that their products are safe.

In this ad, they flat out state:

"Fragrance formulations do not contain toxic ingredients such as carcinogens or neurotoxins."

EXXXXCCCCUUUUUSSSSEEEE me!

To learn the TRUTH about chemicals used to manufacture synthetic fragrances, please visit

  • Perfumers World and their "Materials Used In Perfumery"
    http://www.perfumersworld.com/chems/material.htm


  • Acetaldehyde Chemical Backgrounder
    From the National Safety Council
    Acetaldehyde is just one commonly used flavors and fragrance ingredient
    "Health effects:

    "Acetaldehyde is a substance which may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen, according to the Seventh Annual Report on Carcinogens, National Toxicology Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is also classified in EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to be a known or suspected carcinogen. When ingested or inhaled, acetaldehyde can irritate the eye, nose, and throat; cause conjunctivitis, coughing, central nervous system depression, eye and skin burns, dermatitis, and delayed pulmonary edema." [Emphasis added.]
    http://www.nsc.org/library/chemical/Acetalde.htm

    Fragrances also contain synthetic musks, which bioaccumulate, coumarin, which is an anticoagulant, and phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors. To learn more about these chemicals, please visit

    Also notice SPEIAC's statement about everyone's "scent circle" -- "about an arm's length ... " They are not alone in giving that advice, see "Fragrance Tips" by The Fragrance Foundation®, Inc. http://www.fragrance.org/feature_tip_content.html

    With the modern formulation of synthetic scents, that advice only looks good on paper -- or, on a computer monitor. Reality dictates that the fragrances waft unbidden well beyond an arm's length AND they last. Air currents move. And synthetic scents linger. They are created to last. They do so, long after an odorovector has left an area. Not only that, the chemicals cling to the body, hair and clothing of those near by ... not to mention, the furnishings, carpets, and the fabric-lined elevators and modern office moduler construction components. And scents cling to money . . . but that's another book!

    Then, think some more about that "arm's length." Do you have it when a nurse is drawing your blood? Or, how about when your doctor is examining you? Do you have it on crowded transit? In a crowded elevator? How about in school? In your workplace? In your place of worship? In the theater? The movies? On a plane? . . . An arm's length? Preposterous. It's just an industry public relations campaign gimmick.

    But if a perfume or scented product user is not to exceed his or her "scent circle," shouldn't we then have a "scent-FREE circle" so that we can claim our arm's length of fragrance-free space? Of course, we would still be caught by the fact that often one cannot claim an arm's length of space, plus chemicals don't recognize boundaries. Not even those declared by the fragrance industry. We are back to that word: PREPOSTEROUS!

    So, what to do? Public venues should be fragrance-free. It is not a matter of preference, it is a matter of health.

    Health of untold numbers of people who live with asthma and other upper and lower respiratory disorders, cancers, migraines and other headaches, ADD, Autisim, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, CFIDS, MCS, GWS, . . . The list is seemingly endless, but then so too are the inadequately-tested chemicals used to make synthetically scented products.

    Fragrances, which are manufactured to be smelled, have not been thoroughly tested for adverse effects upon inhalation. Nor for their neurotoxic effects (adversely affecting your brain and central nervous system). Nor for teratogenic effects (adversely affecting embryonic and fetal development). Nor have fragrances been adequately tested for systemic effects, nor for effects over long-term exposure, nor for adverse effects to skin, respiratory systems, body organs at secondary and tertiary levels of exposure. That is, for adverse effects on all of the people who do not care to use scented products, or for health reasons, have been told by their astute doctors to do the impossible: AVOID FRAGRANCES.

    The fragrance industry is not regulated by any government agency. Indeed, the fragmentation of what little government oversite that exists has helped create these products that have been released to market with no knowledge of the extent of their adverse effects upon users and people with whom the user comes in contact.

    Fragmentation of government oversite? Yes, the FDA is considered the agency over fragrances in cosmetics; the EPA is the agency concerned with air quality vs. air pollution, yet for years it buried the evidence that perfume adversely affects IAQ in buildings and schools (I know for I wrote the EPA many times over); the CPSC is the agency concerned with fragrances in products such as detergents and fabric softeners. There is no one agency that regulates the fragrance industry. Indeed, none of these agencies, charged with protecting public health, regulate the fragrance industry as it is self-regulated, with only a voluntary program in place for the FDA's collection of information. Now, you tell me who is being served. I say it is not the public.

      (Sources: Consumer Products Safety Commission - http://www.cpsc.gov/
      E-Mail comments to "Information Center" Info@cpsc.gov
      Your CPSC wants to hear from you about fabric softeners polluting neighborhood air -- air you and your children must breathe. If you -- or family members -- have adverse reactions to fabric softeners, tell that to the CPSC.

      Environmental Protection Agency - Indoor Air Quality - http://www.epa.gov/iaq/
      Search for "perfume" and you'll find that the EPA has finally begun to identify "perfume" as an asthma trigger and as a VOC (volatile organic compound) indoor air pollutant in their "FUNDAMENTALS OF IAQ IN BUILDINGS" at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/i-beam_html/ch1-fund.htm.

      Food and Drug Administration http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-206.html

    Now, let's visit National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and their Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards -- http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/pgdstart.html -- and look up denatured alcohol.

    Ethyl alcohol - CAS # 64-17-5

      Synonyms & Trade Names: Alcohol, Cologne spirit, Ethanol, EtOH, Grain alcohol

      Exposure Routes: inhalation, ingestion, skin and/or eye contact

      Symptoms: irritation eyes, skin, nose; headache, drowsiness, fatigue, narcosis; cough; liver damage; anemia; reproductive, teratogenic effects

      Target Organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system, liver, blood, reproductive system"

    Or, we can look up the couple of chemicals listed on the label above, on Material Data Saftey Sheets (MSDS):
    • Alcohol Denatured
      MSDS from Aldrich; read "Health Hazard Data." -- barb
      http://www.uiowa.edu/~chemsafe/MSDS/Ethanol.html

    • ALCOHOL DENATURED
      MSDS from Cornell; read "Health Hazard Data." -- barb
      http://MSDS.PDC.CORNELL.EDU/msds/siri/msds/h/q192/q412.html

    • Denatured Alcohol - JT Baker
      "POISON! DANGER! VAPOR HARMFUL. MAY BE FATAL OR CAUSE BLINDNESS IF SWALLOWED. CANNOT BE MADE NONPOISONOUS. HARMFUL IF INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH SKIN. FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOR. AFFECTS CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. CAUSES IRRITATION TO SKIN, EYES AND RESPIRATORY TRACT. MAY AFFECT LIVER, BLOOD, KIDNEYS, GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. ...

      "Inhalation: Causes irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath. Prolonged exposures to high concentration may cause drowsiness, loss of appetite, and inability to concentrate. ...

      "Chronic Exposure: Prolonged skin contact causes drying and cracking of skin. May affect the nervous system, liver, kidneys, blood, g.i. tract and reproductive system. ..."

      Well folks, lets see what our medical and government experts have to say about our claims of "brain fog" and other central nervous system disorders now. A common ingredient, the one that the industry states is the "type and purity we drink in beverages" causes an "inability to concentrate," not to mention other damage to health. Let's make those cognitive connections, folks. Use products judiciously. Demand safe products proved safe BEFORE marketing. Write to the FDA! -- barb
      http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/A2028.htm

    • Denatured Alcohol Regulations - Canada
      http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/laws/E-14/CRC-c568/text.html

    • TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS
      PART 20--DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF DENATURED ALCOHOL AND RUM - PDF files
      Code of Federal Regulations
      http://www4.law.cornell.edu/cfr/27p20.htm#start

    • Benzophenone
      MSDS from Cornell; read "Health Hazard Data"
      http://MSDS.PDC.CORNELL.EDU/msds/siri/msds/h/q410/q325.html


    To learn of more chemicals in this product, and their adverse effects please see
    Analysis Summary
    http://ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/analysis.htm


    Visit the still timely, February 7, 2000 Press Release, issued jointly by
    Cancer Prevention Coalition http://www.preventcancer.com
    Environmental Health Network
    http://www.ehnca.org


    The fragrance industry admits in February 2002 that it has just begun to test for effects upon inhalation after first assuring us that, "Products are thoroughly tested before being marketed to assure their health and safety."
      "Scents and sensitivities
      What to know before buying a
      Valentine's Day perfume"

      By Francesca Lyman; Feb. 6, 2002; MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR

      "In response to the perceived problems of fragrances in the air, [Glenn] Roberts [with Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM)] says that his industry group has begun the first study to examine fragrance inhalation. 'We're spending a lot of money on this,' he says, 'to understand the systemic effects of fragrances on organs and nervous system, what happens when fragrances are inhaled.' "
      http://www.msnbc.com/news/702445.asp

     

    NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) and their Common Indoor Air Pollutants
    Fragrances (and pesticides, which are also scented so you don't object to inhaling the couple of toxins you are allowed to know about via labeling) are recognized as VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs). -- barb
    http://www.niehs.nih.gov/external/faq/indoor.htm


    And to see the chemical industry's point of view on MCS, visit
    THE CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION'S
    ENVIRONMENTAL ILLNESS BRIEFING PAPER
    http://www.ehnca.org/www/books/cmaeibri.htm


    Assurances by fragrance industry that their products are safe

      Chronological order:
    • Some say a popular perfume is a health danger!!
      Judith Sanderson, Teacher, Culver City High
      Write-up following EHN-Cancer Prevention Coalition press release,
      "Perfume: Cupid's Arrow or Poison Dart?," Feb. 7, 2000 (just below)

      "After contacting Calvin Klein for a response to the petition
      that the group filled with the FDA the company had this
      statement: 'All of Calvin Klein's products meet or exceed the
      requirement of the Federal Public Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act.' "
      http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s=58076

    • Scented Products Education and Information Association of Canada (SPEIAC)
      Ad published following their press conference
      (http://www.ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/aaprbb.htm) in
      Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 20, 2000
      "COMMON SENSE ABOUT SCENTS."
      In this ad, you are assured that:
      • All fragrance ingredients have been tested for safety.
        The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials is an international independent body dedicated to evaluating fragrance ingredient safety.

      • Fragrance ingredients are tested to the same standards that apply to consumer goods like food.

      • The composition of perfumes hasnžt changed much in hundreds of years. They contain primarily water and alcohol -- of the same type and purity we drink in beverages -- as well as essential fragrance oils.

      • Fragrance formulations do not contain toxic ingredients such as carcinogens or neurotoxins.*

      • Perfumes and scented personal care products are regulated by Health Canada.

      • The safety of an ingredient does not depend on whether it is natural or synthetic. For example, almost half of the ingredients no longer used in fragrances are naturals that caused skin irritation.
      http://www.scentedproducts.on.ca/hdnad.jpg

        Now let's check a couple of sources other than the fragrance industry's ads and public relations campaigns.
        Acetaldehyde Chemical Backgrounder
        From the National Safety Council
        Acetaldehyde is just one commonly used flavors and fragrance ingredient
        "Health effects:

        "Acetaldehyde is a substance which may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen, according to the Seventh Annual Report on Carcinogens, National Toxicology Program, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is also classified in EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) to be a known or suspected carcinogen. When ingested or inhaled, acetaldehyde can irritate the eye, nose, and throat; cause conjunctivitis, coughing, central nervous system depression, eye and skin burns, dermatitis, and delayed pulmonary edema." [Emphasis added.]
        http://www.nsc.org/library/chemical/Acetalde.htm

      * Raw Materials of Perfumery
      Check out the two right-hand columns in this table . . .
      http://www.perfumersworld.com/chems/material.htm


  • Scents and sensitivities
    What to know before buying a Valentinežs Day perfume

    By Francesca Lyman; Feb. 6, 2002; MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR
    http://www.msnbc.com/news/702445.asp

      Notice the duplicity, as first we learn . . .

      "Products are thoroughly tested before being marketed to assure their health and safety, says Glenn Roberts, spokesperson for the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, an industry-sponsored group that does testing of chemicals. "

      And then, further along we find:

      "In response to the perceived problems of fragrances in the air, Roberts says that his industry group has begun the first study to examine fragrance inhalation. 'Wežre spending a lot of money on this,' he says, 'to understand the systemic effects of fragrances on organs and nervous system, what happens when fragrances are inhaled.' "

      Emphasis added. How can the industry lay claim to thorough testing before marketing and not test for effects upon inhalation, not check for systemic effects, nor for effects following long-term exposures, nor for effects at the second- and third-hand levels of exposures? I have never used perfume and yet, perfumes used by others in my former workplace -- very heavy scents, heavily applied -- robbed my of my health and vitality . . . and my career. Do notice the industry's dollars whine! The price the already-injured person has paid is beyond measure. Too many have paid the ultimate price: Premature death.

    July 10, 2002: Again, following release of information on phthalates found in fragrances by NotTooPretty.org, the industry assures reporters who in turn assure the public that fragrance products are safe; phthalates are safe. But, synthetic scents are not safe for me at secondary and tertiary levels of exposure. . . and I am but one of millions of people adversely affected by these inadequately- tested-before-marketing products. Remember, the FDA does not require pre-market testing of fragrances! See FDA Authority Over Cosmetics
    http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-206.html

    Following is an excerpt from the latest article in which assurances are given. I don't have a link to provide to this article.

    I wish our mainstream medical and government experts would stop using the word "UNEXPLAINED" when queried about the skyrocketing rates of chronic illnesses and premature deaths, and start seriously looking into the toxic chemicals which the public applies daily to their bodies, and releases into the ambient air for all others to breathe as well.-- barb

      July 10, 2002: Groups Seek Ban on the Use Of Phthalates in Cosmetics
      By JILL CARROLL, Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

      "... The cosmetics industry said it believes phthalates in cosmetics pose no problems. "There is no public-health concern [relating to] its use in cosmetics," said Gerald McEwen, vice president of science for the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association. "We think they are safe as we are using them in our products."

      Last Updated: July 10, 2002: Phthalates and Your Health
      "When perfume fragrances are dissolved in either DEP or DMP, they evaporate more slowly, making the scent linger longer. "
      http://www.phthalates.org/yourhealth/personal_care.html

        I'll say, fragrances have been made to last longer. Longer by weeks, months, YEARS!

        Yes, years. I've put magazines with leaking scent strips in a plastic bag, in the garage, and have forgotten about them. Many years later, having forgotten about it, I've started having a fragrance reaction without really smelling fragrance, until I happen to work my way nearer to the plastic bag and, by George! the damn leaking scent strips are still leaking . . . and that's not even supposed to have gone through the mail.
        (See EHN's section on postal information at http://ehnca.org/www/ehnlinx/p.htm#Postal)

        Now we learn we can thank the hormone disrupting phthalates for that longer lasting scent. Of course, the fragrance industry has begun informing their consumers to be "respectful" and to remember their "scent circle" -- an arm's length -- with products that can't respect a boundary. Wunderbar! -- barb


     
    Go to photo of the front of Eternity packaging.

    Return to FDA Petition, contact info and index
    http://www.ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm


    Return to FDA Petition Statement
    http://ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/fdapetit.htm


    Visit the Analysis Forward and Summary
    http://ehnca.org/www/FDApetition/analyfor.htm

    Do you wish more information about synthetic fragrances and the industry? Visit the Fragranced Products Information Networkby Betty Bridges, RN. http://www.fpinva.org

    -- barb



    Digital camera work by

    (Any problems you may find with the image are strictly my own, not those of Canterbury! -- barb)

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