[Pharmwaste] Toxic spritz? EU sniffs at everyday chemicals
Tenace, Laurie
Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us
Thu, 28 Apr 2005 10:11:35 -0400
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http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/04/27/news/perfume.php
=20
=20
Toxic spritz? EU sniffs at everyday chemicals
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
<http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3DBy%20Elisabeth%20Rosenthal=
&sort=3D
swishrank> International Herald Tribune
=20
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2005
=20
<http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishrank> When a =
small
Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured high levels =
of
chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the world's =
most
popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And they did.=20
=20
Commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace, and published under =
the
alarmist subtitle "L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women =
and men
may be spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume
Manufacturers Association reacted immediately with a terse statement =
blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of perfumes."=20
=20
The angry exchange illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate =
that
goes far beyond perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark =
legislation
that would require companies for the first time to study and report on =
the
safety of the hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer =
goods
- from cars and computers to beauty products.=20
=20
The legislation, known as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval =
of
Chemicals, which is expected to be adopted by early next year, will
dramatically change the way Europe regulates household chemicals - and =
may
also vastly improve understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of
low-level chemicals in the backdrop of contemporary life.=20
=20
"There was growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- =
ease,
but really the biggest concern was the general lack of overall =
information,"
said Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it is."=20
=20
The European commissioner for en- vironmental affairs, Stavros Dimas, =
noted
this week that legislation is the only way to force all companies to pay
attention to chemical safety. These firms should be prepared "to preempt
scares and scandals by replacing dangerous substances up front," he =
said.=20
=20
Chemicals developed since 1981 have already had to undergo intensive =
scrutiny
in Europe. Older, widely used compounds - like some of the ingredients =
in
perfume, flame retardants and hair dyes - have been less widely studied. =
As
scientists struggle to explain rises in diseases like breast cancer and =
brain
tumors, as well as declining male fertility rates, many wonder if =
low-level
exposure to certain substances may hold the key.=20
=20
For its report, Greenpeace had the Dutch chemistry lab TNO Environment =
and
Geosciences analyze a "random selection" of 36 perfumes for the presence =
of
two groups of chemicals: phthalates and synthetic musks. The results =
showed,
for example, that Calvin Klein's Eternity for Women contained 2.2 =
percent by
weight of the chemical diethyl phthalate. Jean-Paul Gaultier's perfume =
Le
Male was more than 6 percent synthetic musk. The White Musk from The =
Body
Shop, which trumpets its eco-friendliness, contained nearly 10 percent
synthetic musk.=20
=20
There is no direct evidence that the phthalates or synthetic musks pose =
a
risk to human health. But much remains unknown, and there are recent =
indica-
tions that these chemicals may not be innocuous. It is unclear, for =
example,
how much of these compounds is absorbed through the skin and how =
dangerous
such doses are to humans.=20
=20
Animal models are providing emerging evidence of potential danger. =
According
to extensive research in the past decade, phthalates interfere with the
development of male fetuses. Synthetic musks inhibit a newly discovered
enzyme system that keeps other toxins out of cells.=20
=20
The French perfume manufacturers noted in their statement that "many
scientific authorities have confirmed that these compounds are safe =
under the
conditions used in perfumes."=20
=20
"Consumers can continue to use them in total confidence," the statement
added. However, some companies are already hedging bets. The Body Shop =
has
stopped using phthalates and synthetic musks in new product development =
"as a
precaution," said Shelley Simmonds, a company spokeswoman, and is =
attempting
to find other ingredients to substitute in established brands.=20
=20
On a broader front, resistance to the Reach legislation has been fierce.
Chemical manufacturers argue that the costs of safety testing on =
hundreds of
thousands of chemicals would be pro- hibitive; consumer product =
companies
fear a huge rise in prices of raw materi- als and finished products.=20
=20
Opponents of the legislation say that many of the products that would =
come
under scrutiny have been in use for de- cades and that deleterious =
health ef-
fects would long have become obvious. Under current European and U.S.
regulations, consumer products are put on the market, then withdrawn if =
evi-
dence later arises that they contain a substance harmful to heath.=20
=20
Now Europe is poised to adopt what legislators and environmentalists =
like to
call the "precautionary principle," demanding extensive study before
chemicals are approved for use. "We know that we have an exposure =
problem and
that there are potential risks," said Helen PerIvier of Greenpeace in
Brussels.=20
=20
Phthalates, which are widely used in a variety of industries, can now be
found at low levels in almost all human blood samples from =
industrialized
countries. These compounds are used to make plastics pliable, as in
intravenous tubing or bags for intravenous medicine. They are also used =
to
make the scent of perfumes evaporate more slowly.=20
=20
Two years ago, a U.S. expert panel convened to study the emerging data =
said
it was "highly concerned" about phthalate exposure in hospitalized =
infants.
But the panel said it had "minimal concern" about the levels of =
phthalates to
which adults are normally exposed. Concern has increased a bit since =
then,
said Robert Kavlock, a scientist at the United States' National =
Institutes of
Health who was on the panel.=20
=20
Analysis of phthalate levels in blood and urine in the general =
population are
higher than scientists had anticipated, and are especially higher in =
women of
childbearing age, he said.=20
=20
That is of particular concern because scientists have now found that the =
most
potent effect of phthalates, at relatively low doses, is to interfere =
with
the sexual development of male fetuses.=20
=20
"I don't think that the levels in personal care products should be a =
health
concern," Kavlock said. "On the other hand, pregnant women are told to =
avoid
unnecessary exposures. And you don't have to wear perfume."=20
=20
Also, as scientists turn their attention to compounds spread in the
environment, they are finding subtle but consequential health effects.
Scientists in Croatia and the United States have found that the =
synthetic
musks disrupt a system used by many animals to keep toxins out of cells.
Although this early research is on mussels, virtually all creatures,
including humans, use similar transport systems to keep foreign =
chemicals at
bay.=20
=20
"There are all these personal care products that have never been con- =
sidered
dangerous because they do O.K. on conventional toxicity tests," said =
Tvertko
Smitar of the Ecotoxicology Lab in Zagreb. "But this could be a new kind =
of
hazardous chemical. They could be quite dangerous to the environment and
human health. So they should be tested more."=20
=20
In collaboration with researchers at Stanford University in California, =
his
lab is planning further study on the effects of synthetic musks in =
humans.=20
=20
"There is lots of work in Europe to suggest that these chemicals in =
person-
al products don't just go down the drain," said David Epel of Stanford. =
"Some
stay in the body. They get into the environment and hang around in low
levels. And the question is, what ef- fects does that have?"=20
=20
The Reach proposal does not prohibit the use of such compounds, merely =
says
they should be studied and registered. If health risks are found, the
producer must seek authorization from EU authorities to distribute the
product and provide a plan to minimize the potential danger. There is
currently no proposal to mandate the replacement of questionable =
compounds
with provably safer alternatives.=20
=20
"Most substances will turn out to be fine," Slingenberg of the European
environment directorate said. "Some will not. But then at least we will =
know
what we're up against."=20
=20
=20
<http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishrank> When a =
small
Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured high levels =
of
chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the world's =
most
popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And they did.=20
=20
Commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace, and published under =
the
alarmist subtitle "L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women =
and men
may be spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume
Manufacturers Association reacted immediately with a terse statement =
blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of perfumes."=20
=20
The angry exchange illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate =
that
goes far beyond perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark =
legislation
that would require companies for the first time to study and report on =
the
safety of the hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer =
goods
- from cars and computers to beauty products.=20
=20
The legislation, known as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval =
of
Chemicals, which is expected to be adopted by early next year, will
dramatically change the way Europe regulates household chemicals - and =
may
also vastly improve understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of
low-level chemicals in the backdrop of contemporary life.=20
=20
"There was growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- =
ease,
but really the biggest concern was the general lack of overall =
information,"
said Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it is."=20
=20
The European commissioner for en- vironmental affairs, Stavros Dimas, =
noted
this week that legislation is the only way to force all companies to pay
attention to chemical safety. These firms should be prepared "to preempt
scares and scandals by replacing dangerous substances up front," he =
said.=20
=20
Chemicals developed since 1981 have already had to undergo intensive =
scrutiny
in Europe. Older, widely used compounds - like some of the ingredients =
in
perfume, flame retardants and hair dyes - have been less widely studied. =
As
scientists struggle to explain rises in diseases like breast cancer and =
brain
tumors, as well as declining male fertility rates, many wonder if =
low-level
exposure to certain substances may hold the key.=20
=20
For its report, Greenpeace had the Dutch chemistry lab TNO Environment =
and
Geosciences analyze a "random selection" of 36 perfumes for the presence =
of
two groups of chemicals: phthalates and synthetic musks. The results =
showed,
for example, that Calvin Klein's Eternity for Women contained 2.2 =
percent by
weight of the chemical diethyl phthalate. Jean-Paul Gaultier's perfume =
Le
Male was more than 6 percent synthetic musk. The White Musk from The =
Body
Shop, which trumpets its eco-friendliness, contained nearly 10 percent
synthetic musk.=20
=20
There is no direct evidence that the phthalates or synthetic musks pose =
a
risk to human health. But much remains unknown, and there are recent =
indica-
tions that these chemicals may not be innocuous. It is unclear, for =
example,
how much of these compounds is absorbed through the skin and how =
dangerous
such doses are to humans.=20
=20
Animal models are providing emerging evidence of potential danger. =
According
to extensive research in the past decade, phthalates interfere with the
development of male fetuses. Synthetic musks inhibit a newly discovered
enzyme system that keeps other toxins out of cells.=20
=20
The French perfume manufacturers noted in their statement that "many
scientific authorities have confirmed that these compounds are safe =
under the
conditions used in perfumes."=20
=20
"Consumers can continue to use them in total confidence," the statement
added. However, some companies are already hedging bets. The Body Shop =
has
stopped using phthalates and synthetic musks in new product development =
"as a
precaution," said Shelley Simmonds, a company spokeswoman, and is =
attempting
to find other ingredients to substitute in established brands.=20
=20
On a broader front, resistance to the Reach legislation has been fierce.
Chemical manufacturers argue that the costs of safety testing on =
hundreds of
thousands of chemicals would be pro- hibitive; consumer product =
companies
fear a huge rise in prices of raw materi- als and finished products.=20
=20
Opponents of the legislation say that many of the products that would =
come
under scrutiny have been in use for de- cades and that deleterious =
health ef-
fects would long have become obvious. Under current European and U.S.
regulations, consumer products are put on the market, then withdrawn if =
evi-
dence later arises that they contain a substance harmful to heath.=20
=20
Now Europe is poised to adopt what legislators and environmentalists =
like to
call the "precautionary principle," demanding extensive study before
chemicals are approved for use. "We know that we have an exposure =
problem and
that there are potential risks," said Helen PerIvier of Greenpeace in
Brussels.=20
=20
Phthalates, which are widely used in a variety of industries, can now be
found at low levels in almost all human blood samples from =
industrialized
countries. These compounds are used to make plastics pliable, as in
intravenous tubing or bags for intravenous medicine. They are also used =
to
make the scent of perfumes evaporate more slowly.=20
=20
Two years ago, a U.S. expert panel convened to study the emerging data =
said
it was "highly concerned" about phthalate exposure in hospitalized =
infants.
But the panel said it had "minimal concern" about the levels of =
phthalates to
which adults are normally exposed. Concern has increased a bit since =
then,
said Robert Kavlock, a scientist at the United States' National =
Institutes of
Health who was on the panel.=20
=20
Analysis of phthalate levels in blood and urine in the general =
population are
higher than scientists had anticipated, and are especially higher in =
women of
childbearing age, he said.=20
=20
That is of particular concern because scientists have now found that the =
most
potent effect of phthalates, at relatively low doses, is to interfere =
with
the sexual development of male fetuses.=20
=20
"I don't think that the levels in personal care products should be a =
health
concern," Kavlock said. "On the other hand, pregnant women are told to =
avoid
unnecessary exposures. And you don't have to wear perfume."=20
=20
Also, as scientists turn their attention to compounds spread in the
environment, they are finding subtle but consequential health effects.
Scientists in Croatia and the United States have found that the =
synthetic
musks disrupt a system used by many animals to keep toxins out of cells.
Although this early research is on mussels, virtually all creatures,
including humans, use similar transport systems to keep foreign =
chemicals at
bay.=20
=20
"There are all these personal care products that have never been con- =
sidered
dangerous because they do O.K. on conventional toxicity tests," said =
Tvertko
Smitar of the Ecotoxicology Lab in Zagreb. "But this could be a new kind =
of
hazardous chemical. They could be quite dangerous to the environment and
human health. So they should be tested more."=20
=20
In collaboration with researchers at Stanford University in California, =
his
lab is planning further study on the effects of synthetic musks in =
humans.=20
=20
"There is lots of work in Europe to suggest that these chemicals in =
person-
al products don't just go down the drain," said David Epel of Stanford. =
"Some
stay in the body. They get into the environment and hang around in low
levels. And the question is, what ef- fects does that have?"=20
=20
The Reach proposal does not prohibit the use of such compounds, merely =
says
they should be studied and registered. If health risks are found, the
producer must seek authorization from EU authorities to distribute the
product and provide a plan to minimize the potential danger. There is
currently no proposal to mandate the replacement of questionable =
compounds
with provably safer alternatives.=20
=20
"Most substances will turn out to be fine," Slingenberg of the European
environment directorate said. "Some will not. But then at least we will =
know
what we're up against."=20
=20
=20
<http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishrank> When a =
small
Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured high levels =
of
chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the world's =
most
popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And they did.=20
=20
Commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace, and published under =
the
alarmist subtitle "L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women =
and men
may be spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume
Manufacturers Association reacted immediately with a terse statement =
blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of perfumes."=20
=20
The angry exchange illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate =
that
goes far beyond perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark =
legislation
that would require companies for the first time to study and report on =
the
safety of the hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer =
goods
- from cars and computers to beauty products.=20
=20
The legislation, known as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval =
of
Chemicals, which is expected to be adopted by early next year, will
dramatically change the way Europe regulates household chemicals - and =
may
also vastly improve understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of
low-level chemicals in the backdrop of contemporary life.=20
=20
"There was growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- =
ease,
but really the biggest concern was the general lack of overall =
information,"
said Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it is."=20
=20
The European commissioner for en- vironmental affairs, Stavros Dimas, =
noted
this week that legislation is the only way to force all companies to pay
attention to chemical safety. These firms should be prepared "to preempt
scares and scandals by replacing dangerous substances up front," he =
said.=20
=20
Chemicals developed since 1981 have already had to undergo intensive =
scrutiny
in Europe. Older, widely used compounds - like some of the ingredients =
in
perfume, flame retardants and hair dyes - have been less widely studied. =
As
scientists struggle to explain rises in diseases like breast cancer and =
brain
tumors, as well as declining male fertility rates, many wonder if =
low-level
exposure to certain substances may hold the key.=20
=20
For its report, Greenpeace had the Dutch chemistry lab TNO Environment =
and
Geosciences analyze a "random selection" of 36 perfumes for the presence =
of
two groups of chemicals: phthalates and synthetic musks. The results =
showed,
for example, that Calvin Klein's Eternity for Women contained 2.2 =
percent by
weight of the chemical diethyl phthalate. Jean-Paul Gaultier's perfume =
Le
Male was more than 6 percent synthetic musk. The White Musk from The =
Body
Shop, which trumpets its eco-friendliness, contained nearly 10 percent
synthetic musk.=20
=20
There is no direct evidence that the phthalates or synthetic musks pose =
a
risk to human health. But much remains unknown, and there are recent =
indica-
tions that these chemicals may not be innocuous. It is unclear, for =
example,
how much of these compounds is absorbed through the skin and how =
dangerous
such doses are to humans.=20
=20
Animal models are providing emerging evidence of potential danger. =
According
to extensive research in the past decade, phthalates interfere with the
development of male fetuses. Synthetic musks inhibit a newly discovered
enzyme system that keeps other toxins out of cells.=20
=20
The French perfume manufacturers noted in their statement that "many
scientific authorities have confirmed that these compounds are safe =
under the
conditions used in perfumes."=20
=20
"Consumers can continue to use them in total confidence," the statement
added. However, some companies are already hedging bets. The Body Shop =
has
stopped using phthalates and synthetic musks in new product development =
"as a
precaution," said Shelley Simmonds, a company spokeswoman, and is =
attempting
to find other ingredients to substitute in established brands.=20
=20
On a broader front, resistance to the Reach legislation has been fierce.
Chemical manufacturers argue that the costs of safety testing on =
hundreds of
thousands of chemicals would be pro- hibitive; consumer product =
companies
fear a huge rise in prices of raw materi- als and finished products.=20
=20
Opponents of the legislation say that many of the products that would =
come
under scrutiny have been in use for de- cades and that deleterious =
health ef-
fects would long have become obvious. Under current European and U.S.
regulations, consumer products are put on the market, then withdrawn if =
evi-
dence later arises that they contain a substance harmful to heath.=20
=20
Now Europe is poised to adopt what legislators and environmentalists =
like to
call the "precautionary principle," demanding extensive study before
chemicals are approved for use. "We know that we have an exposure =
problem and
that there are potential risks," said Helen PerIvier of Greenpeace in
Brussels.=20
=20
Phthalates, which are widely used in a variety of industries, can now be
found at low levels in almost all human blood samples from =
industrialized
countries. These compounds are used to make plastics pliable, as in
intravenous tubing or bags for intravenous medicine. They are also used =
to
make the scent of perfumes evaporate more slowly.=20
=20
Two years ago, a U.S. expert panel convened to study the emerging data =
said
it was "highly concerned" about phthalate exposure in hospitalized =
infants.
But the panel said it had "minimal concern" about the levels of =
phthalates to
which adults are normally exposed. Concern has increased a bit since =
then,
said Robert Kavlock, a scientist at the United States' National =
Institutes of
Health who was on the panel.=20
=20
Analysis of phthalate levels in blood and urine in the general =
population are
higher than scientists had anticipated, and are especially higher in =
women of
childbearing age, he said.=20
=20
That is of particular concern because scientists have now found that the =
most
potent effect of phthalates, at relatively low doses, is to interfere =
with
the sexual development of male fetuses.=20
=20
"I don't think that the levels in personal care products should be a =
health
concern," Kavlock said. "On the other hand, pregnant women are told to =
avoid
unnecessary exposures. And you don't have to wear perfume."=20
=20
Also, as scientists turn their attention to compounds spread in the
environment, they are finding subtle but consequential health effects.
Scientists in Croatia and the United States have found that the =
synthetic
musks disrupt a system used by many animals to keep toxins out of cells.
Although this early research is on mussels, virtually all creatures,
including humans, use similar transport systems to keep foreign =
chemicals at
bay.=20
=20
"There are all these personal care products that have never been con- =
sidered
dangerous because they do O.K. on conventional toxicity tests," said =
Tvertko
Smitar of the Ecotoxicology Lab in Zagreb. "But this could be a new kind =
of
hazardous chemical. They could be quite dangerous to the environment and
human health. So they should be tested more."=20
=20
In collaboration with researchers at Stanford University in California, =
his
lab is planning further study on the effects of synthetic musks in =
humans.=20
=20
"There is lots of work in Europe to suggest that these chemicals in =
person-
al products don't just go down the drain," said David Epel of Stanford. =
"Some
stay in the body. They get into the environment and hang around in low
levels. And the question is, what ef- fects does that have?"=20
=20
The Reach proposal does not prohibit the use of such compounds, merely =
says
they should be studied and registered. If health risks are found, the
producer must seek authorization from EU authorities to distribute the
product and provide a plan to minimize the potential danger. There is
currently no proposal to mandate the replacement of questionable =
compounds
with provably safer alternatives.=20
=20
"Most substances will turn out to be fine," Slingenberg of the European
environment directorate said. "Some will not. But then at least we will =
know
what we're up against."=20
=20
=20
<http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishrank> When a =
small
Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured high levels =
of
chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the world's =
most
popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And they did.=20
=20
Commissioned by the environmental group Greenpeace, and published under =
the
alarmist subtitle "L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women =
and men
may be spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume
Manufacturers Association reacted immediately with a terse statement =
blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of perfumes."=20
=20
The angry exchange illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate =
that
goes far beyond perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark =
legislation
that would require companies for the first time to study and report on =
the
safety of the hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer =
goods
- from cars and computers to beauty products.=20
=20
The legislation, known as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval =
of
Chemicals, which is expected to be adopted by early next year, will
dramatically change the way Europe regulates household chemicals - and =
may
also vastly improve understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of
low-level chemicals in the backdrop of contemporary life.=20
=20
"There was growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- =
ease,
but really the biggest concern was the general lack of overall =
information,"
said Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it is."=20
=20
=20
=20
Laurie J. Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 4555
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400
PH: (850) 245-8759
FAX: (850) 245-8811
Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us
=20
view our mercury web pages at:=20
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm
=20
=20
=20
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<div class=3DSection1>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'><a
href=3D"http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/04/27/news/perfume.php">http://w=
ww.iht.com/articles/2005/04/27/news/perfume.php</a></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<table class=3DMsoNormalTable border=3D0 cellspacing=3D0 cellpadding=3D0 =
width=3D663
style=3D'width:397.8pt'>
<tr>
<td style=3D'padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3D"#333322" =
face=3DGeorgia><span
style=3D'font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia;color:#333322'>Toxic =
spritz? EU
sniffs at everyday chemicals</span></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign=3Dtop style=3D'padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D1 color=3D"#555544" =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#555544'><a
=
href=3D"http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3DBy%20Elisabeth%20Ro=
senthal&sort=3Dswishrank"><b><font
color=3D"#225577"><span =
style=3D'color:#225577;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:
none'>By Elisabeth Rosenthal</span></font></b></a> International =
Herald
Tribune</span></font><font size=3D3 color=3D"#555544" face=3D"Times =
New Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New =
Roman";color:#555544'><br>
<img border=3D0 width=3D5 height=3D5 =
src=3D"cid:image001.gif@01C54BDA.A87CEBC0"><br>
</span></font><font size=3D1 color=3D"#555544" face=3DVerdana><span
style=3D'font-size:5.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#555544'>THURSDAY, =
APRIL 28,
2005</span></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style=3D'padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3D"#555544" =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:#555544'><img border=3D0 width=3D1 =
height=3D1
src=3D"cid:image002.gif@01C54BDA.A87CEBC0"></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3D"#555544" =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:#555544'><img border=3D0 width=3D1 =
height=3D1
src=3D"cid:image002.gif@01C54BDA.A87CEBC0"></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3D"#555544" =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;color:#555544'><img border=3D0 width=3D1 =
height=3D1
src=3D"cid:image002.gif@01C54BDA.A87CEBC0"></span></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style=3D'padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'><a
=
href=3D"http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishra=
nk"></a>When
a small Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured =
high
levels of chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the
world's most popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And =
they
did. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Commissioned
by the environmental group Greenpeace, and published under the =
alarmist
subtitle "L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women =
and
men may be spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French =
Perfume
Manufacturers Association reacted immediately with a terse statement =
blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of
perfumes." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>The angry
exchange illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate that =
goes far
beyond perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark legislation =
that
would require companies for the first time to study and report on the =
safety
of the hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer goods =
- from
cars and computers to beauty products. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>The
legislation, known as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval of
Chemicals, which is expected to be adopted by early next year, will
dramatically change the way Europe regulates household chemicals - and =
may
also vastly improve understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of
low-level chemicals in the backdrop of contemporary life. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>"There
was growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- ease, =
but
really the biggest concern was the general lack of overall =
information,"
said Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the =
European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all =
these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it =
is." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>The
European commissioner for en- vironmental affairs, Stavros Dimas, =
noted this
week that legislation is the only way to force all companies to pay =
attention
to chemical safety. These firms should be prepared "to preempt =
scares
and scandals by replacing dangerous substances up front," he =
said. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Chemicals
developed since 1981 have already had to undergo intensive scrutiny in
Europe. Older, widely used compounds - like some of the ingredients in
perfume, flame retardants and hair dyes - have been less widely =
studied. As
scientists struggle to explain rises in diseases like breast cancer =
and brain
tumors, as well as declining male fertility rates, many wonder if =
low-level
exposure to certain substances may hold the key. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>For its
report, Greenpeace had the Dutch chemistry lab TNO Environment and
Geosciences analyze a "random selection" of 36 perfumes for =
the
presence of two groups of chemicals: phthalates and synthetic musks. =
The
results showed, for example, that Calvin Klein's Eternity for Women =
contained
2.2 percent by weight of the chemical diethyl phthalate. Jean-Paul =
Gaultier's
perfume Le Male was more than 6 percent synthetic musk. The White Musk =
from
The Body Shop, which trumpets its eco-friendliness, contained nearly =
10
percent synthetic musk. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>There is
no direct evidence that the phthalates or synthetic musks pose a risk =
to
human health. But much remains unknown, and there are recent indica- =
tions
that these chemicals may not be innocuous. It is unclear, for example, =
how
much of these compounds is absorbed through the skin and how dangerous =
such
doses are to humans. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Animal
models are providing emerging evidence of potential danger. According =
to
extensive research in the past decade, phthalates interfere with the
development of male fetuses. Synthetic musks inhibit a newly =
discovered
enzyme system that keeps other toxins out of cells. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>The
French perfume manufacturers noted in their statement that "many
scientific authorities have confirmed that these compounds are safe =
under the
conditions used in perfumes." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>"Consumers
can continue to use them in total confidence," the statement =
added.
However, some companies are already hedging bets. The Body Shop has =
stopped
using phthalates and synthetic musks in new product development =
"as a
precaution," said Shelley Simmonds, a company spokeswoman, and is
attempting to find other ingredients to substitute in established =
brands. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>On a
broader front, resistance to the Reach legislation has been fierce. =
Chemical
manufacturers argue that the costs of safety testing on hundreds of =
thousands
of chemicals would be pro- hibitive; consumer product companies fear a =
huge
rise in prices of raw materi- als and finished products. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Opponents
of the legislation say that many of the products that would come under
scrutiny have been in use for de- cades and that deleterious health =
ef- fects
would long have become obvious. Under current European and U.S. =
regulations,
consumer products are put on the market, then withdrawn if evi- dence =
later
arises that they contain a substance harmful to heath. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Now
Europe is poised to adopt what legislators and environmentalists like =
to call
the "precautionary principle," demanding extensive study =
before
chemicals are approved for use. "We know that we have an exposure
problem and that there are potential risks," said Helen PerIvier =
of
Greenpeace in Brussels. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Phthalates,
which are widely used in a variety of industries, can now be found at =
low
levels in almost all human blood samples from industrialized =
countries. These
compounds are used to make plastics pliable, as in intravenous tubing =
or bags
for intravenous medicine. They are also used to make the scent of =
perfumes
evaporate more slowly. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Two years
ago, a U.S. expert panel convened to study the emerging data said it =
was
"highly concerned" about phthalate exposure in hospitalized
infants. But the panel said it had "minimal concern" about =
the
levels of phthalates to which adults are normally exposed. Concern has
increased a bit since then, said Robert Kavlock, a scientist at the =
United States'
National Institutes of Health who was on the panel. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Analysis
of phthalate levels in blood and urine in the general population are =
higher
than scientists had anticipated, and are especially higher in women of
childbearing age, he said. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>That is
of particular concern because scientists have now found that the most =
potent
effect of phthalates, at relatively low doses, is to interfere with =
the
sexual development of male fetuses. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>"I
don't think that the levels in personal care products should be a =
health concern,"
Kavlock said. "On the other hand, pregnant women are told to =
avoid
unnecessary exposures. And you don't have to wear perfume." =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>Also, as
scientists turn their attention to compounds spread in the =
environment, they
are finding subtle but consequential health effects. Scientists in =
Croatia
and the United States have found that the synthetic musks disrupt a =
system
used by many animals to keep toxins out of cells. Although this early
research is on mussels, virtually all creatures, including humans, use
similar transport systems to keep foreign chemicals at bay. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>"There
are all these personal care products that have never been con- sidered
dangerous because they do O.K. on conventional toxicity tests," =
said
Tvertko Smitar of the Ecotoxicology Lab in Zagreb. "But this =
could be a
new kind of hazardous chemical. They could be quite dangerous to the
environment and human health. So they should be tested more." =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>In
collaboration with researchers at Stanford University in California, =
his lab
is planning further study on the effects of synthetic musks in humans. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>"There
is lots of work in Europe to suggest that these chemicals in person- =
al
products don't just go down the drain," said David Epel of =
Stanford.
"Some stay in the body. They get into the environment and hang =
around in
low levels. And the question is, what ef- fects does that have?" =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>The Reach
proposal does not prohibit the use of such compounds, merely says they =
should
be studied and registered. If health risks are found, the producer =
must seek
authorization from EU authorities to distribute the product and =
provide a
plan to minimize the potential danger. There is currently no proposal =
to
mandate the replacement of questionable compounds with provably safer
alternatives. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'>"Most
substances will turn out to be fine," Slingenberg of the European
environment directorate said. "Some will not. But then at least =
we will
know what we're up against." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:6.0pt;color:#444444;display:none'> </span></font>=
</p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'><a
=
href=3D"http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishra=
nk"></a>When
a small Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured =
high
levels of chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the
world's most popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And =
they
did. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Commissioned by the
environmental group Greenpeace, and published under the alarmist =
subtitle
"L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women and men =
may be
spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume =
Manufacturers
Association reacted immediately with a terse statement blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of
perfumes." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The angry =
exchange
illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate that goes far =
beyond
perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark legislation that =
would
require companies for the first time to study and report on the safety =
of the
hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer goods - from =
cars
and computers to beauty products. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The =
legislation, known
as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval of Chemicals, which is
expected to be adopted by early next year, will dramatically change =
the way
Europe regulates household chemicals - and may also vastly improve
understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of low-level chemicals =
in the
backdrop of contemporary life. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
was
growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- ease, but =
really
the biggest concern was the general lack of overall information," =
said
Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all =
these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it =
is." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The =
European
commissioner for en- vironmental affairs, Stavros Dimas, noted this =
week that
legislation is the only way to force all companies to pay attention to
chemical safety. These firms should be prepared "to preempt =
scares and
scandals by replacing dangerous substances up front," he said. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Chemicals =
developed
since 1981 have already had to undergo intensive scrutiny in Europe. =
Older, widely used compounds - like some of the ingredients in perfume, =
flame
retardants and hair dyes - have been less widely studied. As =
scientists
struggle to explain rises in diseases like breast cancer and brain =
tumors, as
well as declining male fertility rates, many wonder if low-level =
exposure to
certain substances may hold the key. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>For its =
report,
Greenpeace had the Dutch chemistry lab TNO Environment and Geosciences
analyze a "random selection" of 36 perfumes for the presence =
of two
groups of chemicals: phthalates and synthetic musks. The results =
showed, for
example, that Calvin Klein's Eternity for Women contained 2.2 percent =
by
weight of the chemical diethyl phthalate. Jean-Paul Gaultier's perfume =
Le Male
was more than 6 percent synthetic musk. The White Musk from The Body =
Shop,
which trumpets its eco-friendliness, contained nearly 10 percent =
synthetic
musk. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>There is no =
direct
evidence that the phthalates or synthetic musks pose a risk to human =
health.
But much remains unknown, and there are recent indica- tions that =
these
chemicals may not be innocuous. It is unclear, for example, how much =
of these
compounds is absorbed through the skin and how dangerous such doses =
are to
humans. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Animal =
models are providing
emerging evidence of potential danger. According to extensive research =
in the
past decade, phthalates interfere with the development of male =
fetuses.
Synthetic musks inhibit a newly discovered enzyme system that keeps =
other
toxins out of cells. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The French =
perfume
manufacturers noted in their statement that "many scientific =
authorities
have confirmed that these compounds are safe under the conditions used =
in
perfumes." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"Consumers can
continue to use them in total confidence," the statement added. =
However,
some companies are already hedging bets. The Body Shop has stopped =
using
phthalates and synthetic musks in new product development "as a
precaution," said Shelley Simmonds, a company spokeswoman, and is
attempting to find other ingredients to substitute in established =
brands. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>On a =
broader front,
resistance to the Reach legislation has been fierce. Chemical =
manufacturers
argue that the costs of safety testing on hundreds of thousands of =
chemicals
would be pro- hibitive; consumer product companies fear a huge rise in =
prices
of raw materi- als and finished products. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Opponents =
of the
legislation say that many of the products that would come under =
scrutiny have
been in use for de- cades and that deleterious health ef- fects would =
long
have become obvious. Under current European and U.S. regulations, =
consumer
products are put on the market, then withdrawn if evi- dence later =
arises
that they contain a substance harmful to heath. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Now Europe =
is poised
to adopt what legislators and environmentalists like to call the
"precautionary principle," demanding extensive study before
chemicals are approved for use. "We know that we have an exposure
problem and that there are potential risks," said Helen PerIvier =
of
Greenpeace in Brussels. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Phthalates, =
which are
widely used in a variety of industries, can now be found at low levels =
in
almost all human blood samples from industrialized countries. These =
compounds
are used to make plastics pliable, as in intravenous tubing or bags =
for intravenous
medicine. They are also used to make the scent of perfumes evaporate =
more
slowly. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Two years =
ago, a U.S. expert panel convened to study the emerging data said it was =
"highly
concerned" about phthalate exposure in hospitalized infants. But =
the panel
said it had "minimal concern" about the levels of phthalates =
to
which adults are normally exposed. Concern has increased a bit since =
then,
said Robert Kavlock, a scientist at the United States' National =
Institutes of
Health who was on the panel. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Analysis of =
phthalate
levels in blood and urine in the general population are higher than
scientists had anticipated, and are especially higher in women of
childbearing age, he said. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>That is of =
particular
concern because scientists have now found that the most potent effect =
of
phthalates, at relatively low doses, is to interfere with the sexual
development of male fetuses. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"I =
don't think
that the levels in personal care products should be a health =
concern,"
Kavlock said. "On the other hand, pregnant women are told to =
avoid
unnecessary exposures. And you don't have to wear perfume." =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Also, as =
scientists
turn their attention to compounds spread in the environment, they are =
finding
subtle but consequential health effects. Scientists in Croatia and the =
United States have found that the synthetic musks disrupt a system used =
by many
animals to keep toxins out of cells. Although this early research is =
on
mussels, virtually all creatures, including humans, use similar =
transport
systems to keep foreign chemicals at bay. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
are all
these personal care products that have never been con- sidered =
dangerous
because they do O.K. on conventional toxicity tests," said =
Tvertko
Smitar of the Ecotoxicology Lab in Zagreb. "But this could be a =
new kind
of hazardous chemical. They could be quite dangerous to the =
environment and
human health. So they should be tested more." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>In =
collaboration with
researchers at Stanford University in California, his lab is planning =
further
study on the effects of synthetic musks in humans. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
is lots of
work in Europe to suggest that these chemicals in person- al products =
don't
just go down the drain," said David Epel of Stanford. "Some =
stay in
the body. They get into the environment and hang around in low levels. =
And
the question is, what ef- fects does that have?" =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The Reach =
proposal
does not prohibit the use of such compounds, merely says they should =
be
studied and registered. If health risks are found, the producer must =
seek
authorization from EU authorities to distribute the product and =
provide a
plan to minimize the potential danger. There is currently no proposal =
to
mandate the replacement of questionable compounds with provably safer
alternatives. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"Most =
substances
will turn out to be fine," Slingenberg of the European =
environment
directorate said. "Some will not. But then at least we will know =
what
we're up against." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'><a
=
href=3D"http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishra=
nk"></a>When
a small Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured =
high
levels of chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the
world's most popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And =
they
did. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Commissioned by the
environmental group Greenpeace, and published under the alarmist =
subtitle
"L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women and men =
may be
spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume =
Manufacturers
Association reacted immediately with a terse statement blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of
perfumes." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The angry =
exchange
illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate that goes far =
beyond
perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark legislation that =
would require
companies for the first time to study and report on the safety of the
hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer goods - from =
cars
and computers to beauty products. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The =
legislation, known
as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval of Chemicals, which is
expected to be adopted by early next year, will dramatically change =
the way
Europe regulates household chemicals - and may also vastly improve
understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of low-level chemicals =
in the
backdrop of contemporary life. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
was
growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- ease, but =
really
the biggest concern was the general lack of overall information," =
said
Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European =
Commission's
Environment Director- ate General. "There are all these =
substances out
there having an impact, but we don't know what it is." =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The =
European
commissioner for en- vironmental affairs, Stavros Dimas, noted this =
week that
legislation is the only way to force all companies to pay attention to
chemical safety. These firms should be prepared "to preempt =
scares and
scandals by replacing dangerous substances up front," he said. =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Chemicals =
developed
since 1981 have already had to undergo intensive scrutiny in Europe. =
Older, widely used compounds - like some of the ingredients in perfume, =
flame
retardants and hair dyes - have been less widely studied. As =
scientists
struggle to explain rises in diseases like breast cancer and brain =
tumors, as
well as declining male fertility rates, many wonder if low-level =
exposure to
certain substances may hold the key. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>For its =
report,
Greenpeace had the Dutch chemistry lab TNO Environment and Geosciences
analyze a "random selection" of 36 perfumes for the presence =
of two
groups of chemicals: phthalates and synthetic musks. The results =
showed, for
example, that Calvin Klein's Eternity for Women contained 2.2 percent =
by
weight of the chemical diethyl phthalate. Jean-Paul Gaultier's perfume =
Le
Male was more than 6 percent synthetic musk. The White Musk from The =
Body
Shop, which trumpets its eco-friendliness, contained nearly 10 percent
synthetic musk. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>There is no =
direct
evidence that the phthalates or synthetic musks pose a risk to human =
health.
But much remains unknown, and there are recent indica- tions that =
these
chemicals may not be innocuous. It is unclear, for example, how much =
of these
compounds is absorbed through the skin and how dangerous such doses =
are to
humans. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Animal =
models are
providing emerging evidence of potential danger. According to =
extensive
research in the past decade, phthalates interfere with the development =
of
male fetuses. Synthetic musks inhibit a newly discovered enzyme system =
that
keeps other toxins out of cells. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The French =
perfume
manufacturers noted in their statement that "many scientific =
authorities
have confirmed that these compounds are safe under the conditions used =
in
perfumes." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"Consumers can
continue to use them in total confidence," the statement added. =
However,
some companies are already hedging bets. The Body Shop has stopped =
using
phthalates and synthetic musks in new product development "as a
precaution," said Shelley Simmonds, a company spokeswoman, and is
attempting to find other ingredients to substitute in established =
brands. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>On a =
broader front,
resistance to the Reach legislation has been fierce. Chemical =
manufacturers
argue that the costs of safety testing on hundreds of thousands of =
chemicals
would be pro- hibitive; consumer product companies fear a huge rise in =
prices
of raw materi- als and finished products. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Opponents =
of the
legislation say that many of the products that would come under =
scrutiny have
been in use for de- cades and that deleterious health ef- fects would =
long
have become obvious. Under current European and U.S. regulations, =
consumer
products are put on the market, then withdrawn if evi- dence later =
arises
that they contain a substance harmful to heath. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Now Europe =
is poised
to adopt what legislators and environmentalists like to call the
"precautionary principle," demanding extensive study before
chemicals are approved for use. "We know that we have an exposure
problem and that there are potential risks," said Helen PerIvier =
of
Greenpeace in Brussels. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Phthalates, =
which are
widely used in a variety of industries, can now be found at low levels =
in
almost all human blood samples from industrialized countries. These =
compounds
are used to make plastics pliable, as in intravenous tubing or bags =
for
intravenous medicine. They are also used to make the scent of perfumes
evaporate more slowly. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Two years =
ago, a U.S. expert panel convened to study the emerging data said it was =
"highly
concerned" about phthalate exposure in hospitalized infants. But =
the
panel said it had "minimal concern" about the levels of =
phthalates
to which adults are normally exposed. Concern has increased a bit =
since then,
said Robert Kavlock, a scientist at the United States' National =
Institutes of
Health who was on the panel. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Analysis of =
phthalate
levels in blood and urine in the general population are higher than
scientists had anticipated, and are especially higher in women of
childbearing age, he said. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>That is of =
particular
concern because scientists have now found that the most potent effect =
of
phthalates, at relatively low doses, is to interfere with the sexual
development of male fetuses. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"I =
don't think
that the levels in personal care products should be a health =
concern,"
Kavlock said. "On the other hand, pregnant women are told to =
avoid
unnecessary exposures. And you don't have to wear perfume." =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Also, as =
scientists
turn their attention to compounds spread in the environment, they are =
finding
subtle but consequential health effects. Scientists in Croatia and the =
United States have found that the synthetic musks disrupt a system used =
by many
animals to keep toxins out of cells. Although this early research is =
on
mussels, virtually all creatures, including humans, use similar =
transport
systems to keep foreign chemicals at bay. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
are all
these personal care products that have never been con- sidered =
dangerous
because they do O.K. on conventional toxicity tests," said =
Tvertko
Smitar of the Ecotoxicology Lab in Zagreb. "But this could be a =
new kind
of hazardous chemical. They could be quite dangerous to the =
environment and
human health. So they should be tested more." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>In =
collaboration with
researchers at Stanford University in California, his lab is planning =
further
study on the effects of synthetic musks in humans. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
is lots of
work in Europe to suggest that these chemicals in person- al products =
don't
just go down the drain," said David Epel of Stanford. "Some =
stay in
the body. They get into the environment and hang around in low levels. =
And
the question is, what ef- fects does that have?" =
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The Reach =
proposal
does not prohibit the use of such compounds, merely says they should =
be
studied and registered. If health risks are found, the producer must =
seek
authorization from EU authorities to distribute the product and =
provide a
plan to minimize the potential danger. There is currently no proposal =
to
mandate the replacement of questionable compounds with provably safer
alternatives. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"Most =
substances
will turn out to be fine," Slingenberg of the European =
environment
directorate said. "Some will not. But then at least we will know =
what
we're up against." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'><a
=
href=3D"http://www.iht.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?query=3D&sort=3Dswishra=
nk"></a>When
a small Dutch laboratory announced in February that it had measured =
high
levels of chemicals potentially harmful to human health in some of the
world's most popular perfumes, the results were meant to inflame. And =
they
did. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>Commissioned by the
environmental group Greenpeace, and published under the alarmist =
subtitle
"L'Eau de Toxines," the report suggested that women and men =
may be
spraying themselves with toxic substances. The French Perfume =
Manufacturers
Association reacted immediately with a terse statement blaming
environmentalists for "throwing doubt on the innocence of =
perfumes."
</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The angry =
exchange
illustrated just how high the stakes are in a debate that goes far =
beyond
perfume. The European Union is preparing landmark legislation that =
would
require companies for the first time to study and report on the safety =
of the
hundreds of thousands of chemicals they put into consumer goods - from =
cars
and computers to beauty products. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>The =
legislation, known
as Reach, for Research, Evaluation and Approval of Chemicals, which is
expected to be adopted by early next year, will dramatically change =
the way
Europe regulates household chemicals - and may also vastly improve
understanding of the hazards posed by the soup of low-level chemicals =
in the
backdrop of contemporary life. </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'>"There =
was
growing concern about the linkage between chemicals and dis- ease, but =
really
the biggest concern was the general lack of overall information," =
said
Yvon Slingenberg, acting head of the chemical unit of the European
Commission's Environment Director- ate General. "There are all =
these
substances out there having an impact, but we don't know what it =
is." </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'line-height:9.6pt'><font size=3D1 =
color=3D"#444444"
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:7.0pt;color:#444444'> </span></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>Laurie
J. Tenace</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>Environmental
Specialist</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>Florida
Department of Environmental Protection</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>2600</span></font><font
size=3D2><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'> Blair Stone Road, =
MS</span></font><font
size=3D2><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'> 4555</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>Tallahassee</span></font><font
size=3D2><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>, Florida =
32399-2400</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>PH:
(850) 245-8759</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>FAX:
(850) 245-8811</span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'><a
href=3D"mailto:Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.us">Laurie.Tenace@dep.state.fl.=
us</a></span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>view
our mercury web pages at: </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'><a
href=3D"http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm">=
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/mercury/default.htm</a></span=
></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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