Far be it for me to mention brand names but I was horrified today to learn that a certain popular leading brand has a new ‘outdoor fresh’ scent for most of its range of synthetically scented and chemically dubious products.
By dubious I note that there is no doubt about what the products contain – well I should specify there is no doubt about what the manufacturer declares went into the product in order to create it. There is of course no legal requirement to list what the product or bottle contains once this chemical cocktail has been mixed together. But that is a diversion from my main point today.
“Outdoor Fresh” in my experience has not ever caused a sharp pain to lance through my right temporal lobe, warning me that whatever I am smelling and experiencing is probably not good for me. Not much I have experienced, created naturally by the environment, has a serious potential to contribute to ill-health and long-term adverse physical reactions ranging from asthma, through eczema to cancer and other potentially fatal conditions.
Too strong a position you may be thinking? Is it really? To the credit of the leading brand manufacturer (I like to give credit where it is due, however one positive does not outweigh a few hundred negatives in my opinion), it does provide a reference section on its website where one can access the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for the synthetic chemicals it uses in its products. This reference section provides a litany of warnings about the probable and proven negative and harmful effects of a large majority of the synthetic chemicals used in the products it happily advertises in main stream media. Most of this advertising implies that the products have a beneficial outcome to one’s life and life style.
This manufacturer is not alone, the industry in general makes its (enormous) profits from taking a cocktail of cheaply produced synthetic chemicals which, if one read the individual MSDS, one could not handle without a protective suit, industrial goggles, gloves and a respirator/ filter mask and produces products that allegedly improve the quality of our lives (emphasised as increased leisure time). Due a disconnect in legislation that sees a higher and more honest safety standard for work place use compared to what is legislated for household or domestic use these companies are operating well within the law as regulated by the FDA and EPA (and similar organisations in other countries). In addition they have no legal requirement to prove that the products are safe for personal use.
Is a product that potentially saves one 30 seconds per day or week worth the long-term negative effects to personal health and the surrounding environment? That is a judgement I will have to leave to my readers. The facts are all there, it just requires one to look past the glossy ads and ask ‘Is this product really worth the potential negative effects?’, ‘Is is really saving me anything?’ and ‘What is this costing me in the long term?’
There is nothing ‘outdoor’ or ‘fresh’ about this scent. It is made up of synthetic chemicals that have a high probability of causing more harm than good. A world full of oxymorons or as I like to call it ‘lying with style’.
Thanks for sharing during the twitter party!