Scent Free

What is meant by “Scent Free”?

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Scent Free

When we talk about “scents”, we usually mean the smells or odours from cosmetics (perfume, make-up, shampoo, deodorant, etc.) or from other products such as air fresheners, cleaners, etc.

Unfortunately, there is no exact definition for “scent-free”, “fragrance-free” or “unscented”. Products labeled as “unscented” may actually contain ingredients that are used to mask or hide the smell of other ingredients. According to Health Canada, when labeling cosmetics, the following terms are used:

Fragrance Free or Unscented — This means that there have been no fragrances added to the cosmetic product, or that a masking agent has been added in order to hide the scents from the other ingredients in the cosmetic.

For questions and concerns, please contact Jill Symington.

 

Why Scent Free?

Products containing fragrance have been blamed for adversely affecting a person's health, some or all of the following symptoms are reported:

  • headaches
  • dizziness, lightheadedness
  • nausea
  • fatigue
  • weakness
  • insomnia
  • malaise
  • confusion
  • loss of appetite
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • numbness
  • upper respiratory symptoms
  • shortness of breath
  • difficulty with concentration
  • skin irritation

Allergic and asthmatic patients, as well as those with other conditions, report that certain odours, even in the smallest amounts, can trigger an attack.

The severity of these symptoms can vary. Some people report mild irritation while others are incapacitated and/or must give up many 'normal' activities in order to avoid exposure (such as going to public places).

 

Source: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html (accessed November 25, 2010)

 

Scent Free Operating Practice

1. PURPOSE

The College recognizes that exposure to products containing fragrances can trigger serious health reactions in individuals with asthma, allergies, migraines, or chemical sensitivities.

Further to the College’s Health and Safety Policy, Human Rights Policy and Accessibility and Accommodation Policy, the following guidelines, intended to reduce the use of products containing added fragrances, will be implemented in support of a safe and healthy learning and teaching environment.

2. DEFINITIONS

“Fragrance-free” in the context of these guidelines refers to measures taken to reduce the use of products containing fragrances.

“Unscented” products, in contrast to “fragrance-free” products, may contain fragrances used as masking agents.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

3.1 Individual members of the College community will avoid the use of the following products:

  • perfume, cologne, after shave;
  • personal care products containing fragrance, such as soaps, hand lotions, deodorants, hair products, body powders, sprays and lotions, makeup, shaving cream, sunscreen; and
  • laundry products containing fragrance, such as fabric softeners and laundry detergents.

3.2 Individual members of the College community will refrain from introducing the following products into College facilities:

  • air fresheners, room deodorizers, potpourri;
  • candles containing fragrances; and
  • personal care products containing fragrances.

3.3 Managers of College facilities who are responsible for custodial operations will implement a program to replace cleaning products containing fragrances with those that do not contain fragrance no later than the 2011 / 2012 fiscal year.

3.4 Managers of College facilities responsible for renovations and construction will provide building occupants with advanced notice (including schedules) of renovation, construction or other activities that may generate nuisance odours (e.g. paint, glue, etc.).

3.5 Notwithstanding the foregoing, should an individual require accommodations for a disability related to the exposures to fragrances, or other nuisance odours, his or her Manager, Dean or Director will make appropriate arrangements for accommodations, further to the College’s Human Rights Policy and Accessibility and Accommodation Policy.

3.6 Notices will be posted in public areas stating that the College is a fragrance-free community.  The notice will include a contact number for inquiries or concerns.  The notice will be:

Confederation College is a fragrance-free environment. 

Please do not use products containing fragrance while in our buildings.

3.7 These guidelines apply to all members of the College, including:

  • employees;
  • students;
  • volunteers;
  • patrons, clients, customers and lessees;
  • visitors; and
  • contractors.

3.8 All employment advertisements for the College will state that each facility is fragrance-free.

3.9 All rental and lease agreements will state that each facility is fragrance-free.

3.9 All service contracts will state that each facility is fragrance-free.

4. EDUCATION

The College will provide information on the website related to the health effects of fragrances and resources to assist staff, students and visitors to be fragrance free.

Download the practice (DOC. 67 KB)

FAQs about Scent-Free and Fragrance-Free

Retrieved on August 17, 2010, from Dalhousie University, Environmental Health and Safety Office website; http://environmentalhealthandsafetyoffice.dal.ca/radiatio_7451.html

You can adopt scent-free practices by avoiding perfumes, aftershaves, colognes and scented lotions, and opting for 'fragrance-free', 'scent-free' or 'unscented' versions of such personal care products as hand and body lotions, soaps, hair products and deodorants.  Many scent-free personal care products can be found at your local supermarket and pharmacy.  As well, there are a variety of special stores throughout the area.  (See the Products section of this web site for a listing of scent-free personal care products.)

While there is much that we do not understand about scented products, there is no doubt that these materials make some people unwell.

It is very real. It's well documented that the incidence of asthma is on the increase, especially in young people.  In fact, there are many environmental illnesses—illnesses that are triggered by things in our environment.  Among the best known are spring and late summer allergies to the pollen from flowers, grasses or trees.

It is also known that asthma and migraine headaches have multiple triggers, including chemical exposure. Asthma attacks can be set off by pollen, moulds, extreme cold, dust, and exposure to chemicals, including paint and perfume. Bright light, loud noise, foods such as chocolate, a change in barometric pressure, exposure to paint, and fragranced cleaning and personal care products can all trigger migraine attacks. So it is well known that exposure to materials in the environment can cause illness.

There are also people who suffer from sensitivity to multiple chemical triggers. This condition is now called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or MCS.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is an acquired illness characterized by severe reaction to exposures easily tolerated by most individuals. Common triggers include volatile organic compounds of the sort often found in paints, cleaning products, perfumes and fragranced personal care products, gasoline and similar products, as well as such naturally-occurring substances as citrus oils and turpenes in softwood. Reactions range from sinus congestion and watery eyes through more serious reactions such as temporary rashes, flu-like symptoms with headache, nausea, and muscle or joint pain, to debilitating reactions including migraine and asthma attack.

There are many theories about the cause of this illness, and at present there is much that we do not understand about the condition.  But while the research continues, the only reliable way to avoid painful and dangerous reactions is for the MCS sufferer to avoid as many triggers as possible.  While people with MCS are responsible for ensuring that their home environments are as free as possible from chemical triggers, they require the cooperation of others to make their classrooms, workplaces and recreational sites safe.

It may at first seem that asking people to use scent-free personal care products touches on a personal and private matter. But when the scents from these products affect the health and well-being of other people, it then goes beyond just being a matter of private concern.  The goal of this awareness campaign is not to target people personally or to criticize people's preferences.  Rather, it's to prevent real harm to real people.

Why should I adopt scent-free practices when there isn't anyone in my unit, classroom or residence who suffers from an allergy or sensitivity? The perfume I wear and the scented products I use aren't bothering anyone.

Do you know that for a fact?  Perhaps someone is suffering in silence. Or maybe you will come in contact with someone with a chemical sensitivity during the day—in the cafeteria, at the gym, in a meeting, at a concert, in the classroom, or in the library.   By putting all the responsibility for coming forward on the person who is at the most at risk of becoming ill, you increase their chances of having a reaction—they have to approach the person wearing a scent that triggers a reaction in them, in order to tell that person to refrain from wearing the scent.

This is not the likely consequence of adopting scent-free practices. The products section offers more than 100 alternatives to scented personal care products, from the most essential (soap, shampoo, deodorant), to the additional products we rely on to make us look good and feel good (body wash, hand cream, body lotion, hairspray, gel and more).

Going scent-free may not be as difficult as you think.  While specialty store items do tend to be a bit pricier, many of these items are of high quality, and are effective in smaller quantities than the scented products.  As a result, while the up-front cost may be higher, the cost-per-use can be comparable. 

But in addition to the specialty store products, many brand name personal care items come in 'scent-free', 'fragrance-free' or 'unscented' versions.  These are available at your local supermarket and pharmacies on the shelf next to their scented versions.  As well, some of the large chains have bulk or natural products sections which sell many specialty store items at a lower price.

The products section provides alternatives to scented personal care products that will appeal to all tastes, budgets and schedules. 

Of course, it is easy and cost-free to simply not wear unnecessary perfume or cologne at work or at school.

These terms are used in industry virtually without restrictions.  They may only mean that the product has less scent than the scented version of the same product from that manufacturer.  Therefore, these labels can offer no guarantee that a product won't trigger a reaction in someone who is chemically sensitive.  Nonetheless, choosing products with these labels is still safer than choosing the scented versions.  While it is possible that somebody could have a reaction to your personal care product even if you've taken all precautions to avoid this outcome, the important thing is that you realize this and are prepared to react in a positive way, should this situation ever arise.  For more on this, see How to Handle 'Scent-Sensitive Situations'.

Physicians and the general public often use these words differently. An allergy is a condition in which exposure to material prompts the body’s immune system to respond inappropriately. One can have a skin or a respiratory system allergy. For many people, the workings of the human immune system are a mystery and they sometimes report that they are “allergic to” something when they are adversely affected by something in their environment.

The situation regarding sensitivities is even more complicated. Some people have been coming forward to report that they are adversely affected by chemical exposures in their environment. There is much we do not understand about the problems that these people experience. Because they report a wide range of adverse impacts — often following exposures that most people tolerate without difficulty — many of the suggested names have included the terms “sensitivity” or “hypersensitivity”.

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