Group raises stink about a fragrance

An environmental group last week called on U.S. consumer product makers to halt use of a synthetic musk fragrance sold under the trade name Galaxolide. Women’s Voices for the Earth says published studies show 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-γ-2-benzopyran (HHCB), which is used in laundry products, air fresheners, personal care products, and perfumes, is increasingly found in the Great Lakes. The group pointed to an assessment it commissioned of HHCB that concluded the chemical is persistent, accumulates in the environment, and is toxic to aquatic life. The assessment was done with GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals, a proprietary tool used to examine a compound’s hazards and compare it against alternative substances. SC Johnson, a company the activists are targeting for using HHCB, has cried foul. The company says the chemical “is present at very low concentrations that are hundreds to thousands of times lower than levels deemed safe by worldwide regulatory agencies.” EPA last year announced it could not identify any significant risks associated with HHCB. Similarly, the European Union has determined that there is no need for regulatory action on the substance.