Lunny, Sarah, Nelson, Rebecca, and Steinemann, Anne (2017) Something in the air but not on the label: a call for increased regulatory ingredient disclosure for fragranced consumer products. University of New South Wales Law Journal, 40 (4). pp. 1366-1391.

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Abstract

[Extract] Between time devoted to the workplace and the home, Australians spend more than 90 per cent of their time indoors. Various legal instruments exist for the purpose of regulating the air we breathe when outdoors. However, the majority of exposure to hazardous air pollutants occurs indoors – and a main source of exposure is through common, fragranced consumer products such as cleaning products, laundry supplies, air fresheners, cosmetics, and personal care products. Fragranced products such as these are ubiquitous on supermarket shelves and in homes. However, recent research indicates that one-third of Australians report experiencing adverse effects such as respiratory problems, asthma attacks, migraine headaches and dermatological problems as a result of exposure to fragranced consumer products. These effects can be severe, resulting in significant losses in productivity as a result of adverse health effects. This is particularly concerning given that an estimated 98.5 percent of the Australian population is exposed to fragranced consumer products on at least a weekly basis, either through their own use, others’ use or both. Indeed, evidence suggests that more than two-thirds of Australians are unaware that fragranced products can emit hazardous air pollutants. Though some consumers might seek to ensure the safety of the products they buy by looking for fragranced products labelled as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’, research shows that emissions from these products pose similar health risks.

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