[FPIN] FW: Catching whiff of a scent ban (fwd)

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Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:38:40 -0400

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Subject: [FPIN] FW: Catching whiff of a scent ban

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May 27, 2006

Catching whiff of a scent ban

City looking to curtail fake fragrances

By DEREK PUDDICOMBE, OTTAWA SUN

First pesticides and now perfumes.

Next week the city will begin the debate on whether or not to ban people

from wearing perfumes and colognes, or other artificial fragrances in

city buildings, community centres, sports facilities and on OC and Para

Transpo buses, including light-rail transit.

The city's health, recreation and social services committee will kick

start the discussion June 1, when it introduces a report that recommends

the creation of a scent-free environment in the nation's capital.

It's aim is to protect those who have strong allergies to scents.

HOSPITAL AN EXAMPLE

" The origin is, there are people who become disabled because of these

fragrances, " said Bay Coun. Cullen.

Cullen said the city won't begin the discussion at the point where it

will look at a total ban, but will start small with a public education

program.

He said the campaign, which would have to have consent from council,

would be more " persuasive than prohibitive " and that the committee is

looking at the Ottawa Hospital as a role model.

The hospital already encourages its employees to limit, if not

completely refrain from, wearing artificial scents.

" It (the city's policy) won't be as stringent as to send someone home, "

Cullen said.

PHASED IN APPROACH

The city's environmental advisory committee -- which originated the

report -- is not singling out perfumes and cologne, but is also

including scented soaps, deodorants, hairsprays, cosmetics, household

and industrial cleaning products, and numerous body fragrance products.

While a ban hasn't been ruled out, a phased in approach is considered to

be easier to implement at first before moving to a " mandatory program. "

But although there seems to be some support from health, recreation and

social services committee members, city staff have refused to give the

go ahead because there's no money to launch such a campaign.

SIGNS COSTLY

The report indicates that to plaster signs on every OC Transpo transit

vehicle for one year would cost taxpayers $87,000, and another $10,000

to print and install 2,000 signs in about 400 municipal buildings.

The report suggests that everyone should have a safe and healthy

environment in which to live and work, but " people are reluctant to tell

co-workers or colleagues that their perfumes are making them sick. "

And that's why Cullen says it's important to educate people first rather

than simply throwing a bylaw at them.

" It starts with changing attitudes first, " he said.

derek.puddicombe@...

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2006/05/27/1600216-sun.htm

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Ottawa debates banning perfumes

Scents blamed for asthma attacks, allergic reactions

Studies show an estimated one to two per cent of the population have

skin allergies to chemicals used to make scents.

Photograph by : Redman/National Post

Jake Rupert, CanWest News Service

Published: Tuesday, May 30, 2006

OTTAWA - City of Ottawa politicians will begin debate this week on a

program to get people to stop using perfume, scented soaps, cleaners,

and deodorants -- and possibly ban them altogether in public places.

Backers of the program say more and more people are becoming allergic to

the chemicals used to make scents, and that the chemicals are known to

trigger

<http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_condition_info_details.asp?dise

ase_id=137 & channel_id=139 & relation_id=10827 & rot=2> asthma attacks.

Under the proposal made by a citizens' committee on the environment, a

public education program aimed at getting people to voluntarily stop

using the scents would be followed by a mandatory ban in all city

buildings, on transit, and at sports and community centres.

The third, and most controversial, phase would be a city-wide bylaw

banning scents in all public places, like Ottawa's smoking bylaw. This

would include bars, restaurants, malls, and all work places.

The citizens' committee provided no timetable for bringing in the three

phases.

City staff examined the issue and say they are open to starting an

information campaign among municipal employees, and switching cleaning

products to the unscented type.

But they are urging municipal politicians to reject all the citizens'

committee's proposals dealing with the public.

" A public awareness program is not supported ... at this time, and there

is presently no budget to support such a campaign, " says a report by

city staff going to politicians.

According to staff, a public advertising campaign on buses alone would

cost about $87,000 per year with signs for the city's roughly 400

municipal buildings being about $10,000 just to produce.

A small price to pay for people's health, according to the citizens'

committee.

" Everyone should have safe and healthy places in which to live and

work, " says the citizens' committee report. " People have the right to

breathe clean air and not to be exposed to chemical fragrances causing

unnecessary health problems. "

The committee points to a 1999 survey of Canadians that found 2.5

million people suffer from

<http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_condition_info_details.asp?dise

ase_id=137 & channel_id=139 & relation_id=10827 & rot=2> asthma. Two other

studies show that fragrances can trigger attacks in 72% of people who

have asthma.

Other studies show an estimated one to two per cent of the population

have skin allergies to chemicals used to make scents, and that many of

the chemicals used to make the fragrances are toxic substances.

Exposure to these chemicals causes some people rashes,

<http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_condition_info_details.asp?dise

ase_id=70 & channel_id=139 & relation_id=10827 & rot=2> hives, dermatitis and

<http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_condition_info_details.asp?dise

ase_id=157 & channel_id=139 & relation_id=10827 & rot=2> eczema, the citizen's

committee report says, and banning the fragrances has multiple positive

effects.

" A scent-free program can contribute to the wellness of people, reducing

sick time and providing a healthy work environment, " the report says.

" Such a program will help reduced illness and discomfort and among

sensitive people that are suffering from scent allergies or asthma. "

However, the citizens' committee recommends the city only bring in the

first two phases of its plan for now: the public awareness campaign

followed by bans at city-owned property.

For several reasons, including enforcement questions, the committee is

recommending municipal politicians hold off on any law banning scents in

public places for now.

" Strong reactions are expected from the fragrance industry and people

that want to use scented products, " the report says. " In addition, some

people will wave the individual freedom banner. At this time, this

approach [a law against scents] is not recommended. "

If Ottawa passed a law against scents, it would be the first place in

Canada to do so. However, anti-scent public campaigns are under way in

Nova Scotia and the City of Halifax.

The universities of Toronto and Calgary, the Kingston General Hospital,

and some federal buildings in Ottawa-Gatineau have also adopted programs

designed to get people to use less perfumed products.

The city's health committee will debate the plan and hear expert

opinions on it on Thursday. Any recommendation passed by the committee

would need full council approval or the committee could reject the

proposal outright.

© National Post 2006

Posted by:

L’Association pour la santé environnementale les hypersensibilités et

les allergies du Québec- AEHAQ

The Allergy and Environmental Health Association of Quebec - AEHAQ

<http://www.aeha-quebec.ca/> www.aeha-quebec.ca

For information on the health effects of fragrances, Please visit:

http://www.fpinva.org