CONSUMER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION HIGHLY CRITICAL OF
NRDC STUDY ON HOME AIR FRESHENERS

Statement by Chris Cathcart, President, CSPA

“The Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) was disappointed with the report issued by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) alleging health concerns linked to the use of air freshener products. NRDC’s report appears to be based on an extremely limited study of only one unit each of 14 air freshener products. As a result, the study makes unscientific generalizations about the products and the ingredients they contain. CSPA and its members support the fair and unbiased evaluation of products in the interest of the consumer, but we expect that testing to be rigorous and scientific. The NRDC paper, in contrast, seems to rely merely on limited information and aims to create unwarranted fear among consumers.

“CSPA has numerous specific concerns with the NRDC study, which even it admits is far from comprehensive. These include:

1. The NRDC study’s conclusions are fatally flawed: Statements about product safety should be based on rigorous and unbiased scientific research, not supposition based on a very limited study. For its paper, NRDC says it tested only one sample unit each of 14 products. This is limited to the point of irresponsibility and does not account for background contamination, laboratory error or numerous other variables that could occur with such a small sample.
2. Generalizations about Phthalates are irresponsible: Making generalizations about phthalates, as NRDC does in its paper, is scientifically unsound and irresponsible. Phthalates include a large array of chemicals used in industrial and consumer products. While some have been shown to have adverse effects, many have been deemed safe by the World Health Organization, Europe’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, the Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations.
3. Many phthalates are safe: Many phthalates have been deemed safe by the World Health Organizations, Europe’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, the Environmental Protection Agency and other organizations. Regarding three types of phthalates mentioned in the report (DEP, DBP and DIBP): Government agencies have deemed that no regulatory or safety restrictions are required related to the level of DEP in consumer products. Similarly, the amount of DBP reported in the NRDC study is 10,000 times lower than the level at which health concerns could be expected. DIBP has an even higher safety profile, meaning an even better safety margin.
4. Industry meets or exceeds all regulatory requirements: Air freshener products that are on the market undergo extensive testing to meet or exceed the high standards and regulations set by government regulatory agencies. Companies conduct safety assessments including ingredient reviews, exposure and risk assessments and in-home testing.”

“As an industry, air freshener producers are committed to providing consumers with products that enhance and freshen their homes, both safely and effectively when used as directed.”

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The Consumer Specialty Products Association is a non-profit national trade association representing approximately 260 companies engaged in the manufacture, formulation, distribution and sale of hundreds of familiar consumer products.  It is organized into seven divisions: Aerosol Products, Air Care, Antimicrobial Products, Cleaning Products, Pest Management Products, Industrial and Automotive Specialty Chemicals, and Polishes and Floor Maintenance.

900 17th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006   T: 202/872-8110   F: 202/872-8114   www.cspa.org