eliminator that will get you to breathe happily; as if it were happy pills
in aerosol form, health food in a spray, and an encapsulating cleaning
product that smothers odors, making them disappear. In fact, Febreze
was even heralded as being phthalate-free.
Enter the 501(c) non-profit charity known as the Environmental Working
Group, aka the EWG. Its stated mission is that of using the power of pub-
lic information, in order to protect public health and the environment. Its
team comprises scientists, engineers, data analysts, and lawyers. In fact,
its board comprises a number of reputable names. One of the EWG pro-
jects was that of analyzing the contents of Febreze Air Effects Hawaiian
Aloha. According to the scientists, it was nothing more than a cauldron
of chemicals.
If and only if the EWG findings are correct, at least one Febreze product
is injurious in a number of quantitative ways, especially to those suffering
from any one of a number of reactive respiratory or skin diseases. In ad-
dition, if and only if the findings of a Quebecois scholastic project were
correct, then Febreze in general is surprisingly injurious.
If Febreze were the odor eliminator that Proctor & Gamble claims it to be,
then no one would be smelling the glut of fragrance chemicals which emit
from Febreze products. If those fragrance odors are not encapsulated and
eliminated by Febreze, then no odor is. This means that the molecular com-
ponents of decaying fish still enter the respiratory tracts of living beings, no
matter how much Febreze you apply to your environment.
As is stated below, Consumer Reports Magazine performed its own tests,
and some of the people tested were sickened by what they were smelling.
Some actually noticed the smell of decaying physical matter, in addition
to the glut of Febreze chemicals.
The cast of characters detected by EWG scientists in Febreze Air Effects
Hawaiian Aloha include chemicals listed as: 1} Genotoxins & Mutagenic
chemicals, 2} Bronchoconstrictors & Irritants, 3} Oxidative chemicals that
produce allergenic compounds upon being exposed to air. 4} Neurotoxins,
5} Reproductive Toxins, 6} Indoor air pollutants, 7} the Hepatotoxic Class
(liver cell killers,) 8} Cell-mediated allergens which produce skin reactions.
The results according to the Environmental Working Group:
If and only if the report of the Environmental Working Group analysis is cor-
rect, and if and only if the Febreze ingredient formula remained unchanged
since the EWG report's publication, the following applies:
Eighty-seven chemicals were detected in Air Effects Hawaiian Aloha, along
with water. The 89th ingredient was regarded as Fragrance. But, fragrance
is actually a mixture of molecular compounds. Thus, it's more proper to re-
gard Febreze Air Effects Hawaiian Aloha as an 87-chemical product. Only
three Febreze ingredients were disclosed on the label by name. The other
ingredients were labeled under the titles "quality control ingredients" or
fragrance, meaning that their identities were hidden from the public.
There was one propellant, incidentally.
In addition, keep in mind that, in the United States, the safety of any chemi-
cal does NOT have to been proven, in order for it to used as an ingredient in
any household product. Also in America is the law popularly called, "Trade
Secret Law." Such a law does NOT require companies to reveal their product
line ingredients on their products' labels. Of course, this ever so conveniently
hides from the public the reality of what it ingests and inhales.
The Chromosome Chain Breaker
Concerning Febreze's Mutagenic chemical, 1,3-Dichloro-2-Propanol, it's
classified as a Clastogen. Clastogens break chromosome chains.
Below is an outline of the ingredients Americans are purchasing, every time
they rush to a store, to get Hawaiian Aloha Air Effects sprayed throughout
their houses, taxi cabs, houses, apartments, offices, reception areas, storage
areas, classrooms, dance floors, shops, and automobiles ... and ultimately, in
order for Febreze to reach their respiratory tracts, livers, pancreases, brains,
and other vital organs.
The Provider of Interleukin 6, the Inflammation Inducer
1] 2-ethyl-hexanol. This chemical is a news article unto itself, in that it
has been categorically identified as an indoor air pollutant which was
found to activate a type of white blood cell which, in turn, produces a
major inflammatory mediator, called Interleukin 6. In as much, CD4+
cells are activated by 2-ethyl-hexanols. In sequence, 2-ethyl-hexanol
has been implicated in the development of Building-related Illness, aka
Sick Building Syndrome. This Febreze ingredient is a menace. In fact:
It has been reported that the number of people suffering
from occupational asthma and skin rashes triggered by
various chemicals in indoor air have increased markedly.
Two-ethyl-hexanol (2-EH) is known to be an indoor air
pollutant and its influence on health is of great concern.
See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19038237
Asthma symptoms may be related to increased humidity in con-
crete floor constructions and emission of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, an
indicator of dampness-related alkaline degradation of plastici-
ser DEHP.
Now, it's important for you to know that DEHP is a phthalate that
comes from Febreze ingredient, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. The offshoot
chemical is Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. The pertinence to this is
that Febreze was showcased as a phthalate-free product.
See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20146997
The Hangover Chemical and Airway Obstructor
2] Acetaldehyde. This is the hangover chemical in excessive alcohol
consumption. It happens to be recognized as a cancer risk to the
upper digestive tract. Now, as far as concerns its presence in any
artificial fragrance product, it obstructs the airways. See: Airway
obstruction induced by inhaled acetaldehyde in asthma.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12371536
Death at 180 Parts Per Million and Above
3] Benzyl Acetate. Produces respiratory tract irritation. The con-
tinued exposure to ambient levels of this compound at 50 parts
per million will cause kidney damage. Cats have died from this,
at 180 parts per million. See:
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=E87DA8C3-BDB5-82F8-F685ED7A7F920F9C
A Suspect in Pancreatic Cancer Induction
According to the University of Berkley, Benzyl Acetate is linked
to pancreatic cancer, in addition to it being a respiratory irritant.
See:
www.ehow.com/list_6130016_chemicals-found-fabric-softeners.html
Automotive Additives and one Plasticizer
4] Hexadecane. This is known as cetane, a diesel fuel additive.
5] Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate. A nail polish plasticizer.
6] Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether. An anti-freeze additive.
A Literal Triple Threat to Health
7] Dichlorohydrin, also known as 1,3-Dichloro-2-Propanol and
1,3-DCP. Carcinogenic, Hepatotoxic, and Genotoxic. In fact,
Dichlorohydrin was clearly shown through scientifically valid
testing according to generally accepted principles to cause
cancer. EVIDENCE ON THE CARCINOGENICITY OF 1,3-
Dichloro-2-Propanol (1,3-DCP; α,γ-Dichlorohydrin)
See: oehha.ca.gov/prop65/hazard_ident/pdf_zip/13dcp.pdf
As was previously mentioned, Dichlorohydrin has been found
to cause liver damage, commensurate with the level of exposure
to it. For example, a 34 year old man suffered from fulminant
hepatitis after cleaning a tank in which there were traces of
dichlorohydrin. In spite of daily plasma exchanges, he died
10 days after exposure. A 27 year old man with much lighter
exposure showed only slight liver dysfunction.
See: http://het.sagepub.com/content/13/4/267.abstract
As far as goes this Air Effects ingredient being a mutagen, it's
specifically classified as a clastogenic chemical. As a review,
a clastogenic chemical literally causes breaks in chromosome
chains. Genotoxicity of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol in the SOS
chromotest and in the Ames test. Elucidation of the geno-
toxic mechanism.
See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1913979
Poison Roulette. Pick your additive.
8] Denatured Alcohol, aka methylated spirits. This is ethanol
mixed with a poisonous additive that makes the alcohol unable
to be consumed without extremely ill effects. Originally, it was
10% methanol (CH3OH.) Today, denatured alcohol might con-
tain methyl denatonium benzoate, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethyl
ketone, acetone, denatonium benzoate. Protector & Gamble's
people think nothing of you spraying this in a home of children,
asthmatics, and pets.
The Oxidizing Terpene
9] Linalool. A terpene that easily oxidizes. Oxidized linalool is a
skin sensitizer. When exposed to air, it readily forms allergenic
products. It is recognized by experts as something that greatly
contributes to fragrance allergy which emphasizes the need
of testing with compounds that patients are actually exposed
to and not only with the ingredients originally applied in com-
mercial formulations. Spraying Febreze, therefore, yields more
chemicals than are in the canister, bottle, etc.
See: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19125719
Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Spray Form
10] Limonene. "Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was related to
indoor concentrations of limonene." It tortures susceptible
persons, otherwise known as people who are atopic. See:
Asthmatic symptoms and volatile organic compounds,
formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide in dwellings.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7627316
Limonene is also a contact allergen of the terpene family. This
means that, upon being exposed to air, limonene produces the
allergenic substance that effects the skin, in addition to it being
an assault upon the respiratory tracts of atopic persons.
We continue with more ingredients detected by the EWG ...
11] Alpha-pinene. It's a confirmed allergen. See: Gas chroma-
tography: an investigative tool in multiple allergies to
essential oils.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12534533
12] Butylated Hydroxytoluene. This food additive happens to be a
well established asthma trigger for a subset of asthmatics. This
is BHT.
13] Benzothiazole. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis
showed this to be one of four most toxic chemicals in artificial turf.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6165648_artificial-turf-asthma.html
14] Cyclamen Aldehyde. This is member of the Formaldehyde
family; Light yellow to colorless in appearance. Refer to:
http://www.archive.org/stream/formaldehydeando003763mbp/formaldehydeando003763mbp_djvu.txt
15] Geraniol. A well established B-cell mediated allergen and the
primary ingredient in Java type citronella oil. This is a contact
allergen, even through airborne contact. See: Cytochrome
P450-mediated activation of the fragrance compound
geraniol forms potent contact allergens.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18824010
16] Methylpyrrolidone. In Europe, Methylpyrrolidone is regarded
as a reproductive toxicant. It is also an irritant, meaning that it
will make Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome patients fight
to get a full breath, for as long as they are exposed to it.
17] Alpha-Ionone. Respiratory sensitizer and skin sensitizer, mean-
ing that it's something to which a person can become allergic, in
repeated exposure thereof. It's also an irritant, meaning that per-
son can have an adverse reaction to it without first developing an
allergy to it.
http://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/99250.htm
18] Butylphenyl Methylpropional. This is Lilial, a known sensitiz-
er (an allergen that has the power to make you become allergic
to it.) It's also known as Lilialdehyde, a member of the formal-
dehyde family. As well as being used as a powerful fragrance,
it's also an intermediate for the agrochemical synthesis. See:
Identification of Lilial as a fragrance sensitizer in a perfume
by bioassay-guided chemical fractionation and structure ac-
tivity relationships.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11140386
19] Fragrance. This is actually a mixture of ingredients, and not an
ingredient unto itself. None the less, it's pertinent to note that the
EWG's Further Toxic Concern for "fragrance" is "Neurotoxicity,
Allergies/immunotoxicity, Miscellaneous."
As is cited elsewhere on this site, fragrance is a medically recog-
nized trigger of flare-ups in Asthma, Rhinitis, Sinusitis, Urticaria,
and Dermatitis, as well as flare-ups in Vocal Cord Dysfunction
Syndrome, Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome, and Small
Airways Disease. Furthermore, the twenty most common chemi-
cals found in 31 tested fragrance products are listed at the follow-
ing web page:
http://users.lmi.net/wilworks/ehn20.htm
Febreze: NOT an odor eliminator. Rather, it's an odor adder.
A noticeable piece of false advertising exists in Proctor & Gamble call-
ing Febreze an odor eliminator. Febreze, in its 87 chemicals, emits a
multiplicity of chemical aromas. This means that Febreze floods the air
with odors, rather than eliminates them.
Its glut of aromatic chemicals serves the function of maskers, hiding the
preexisting odors which remain with decomposing and volatile material.
Therefore, kitchen trash will still emit odors, no matter what quantity of
Febreze is sprayed. Mold-ridden indoor areas will continue to emit mi-
cotoxins, and smoke-damaged property won't experience any change in
its physical properties, either. This means that Febreze doesn't have the
power to suspend the law of Conservation of Mass. Febreze is simply
a chemically-laden diversionary tactic that overwhelms the senses and
drowns-out preexisting odors. It's a con game.
Bio-accumulation
The added consideration is something known as the bio-accumulative
effect ... the effect of repeated exposure to the 87 chemicals. Such a
thing, in part, is an element of Pharmacology. The other part is allergy
development. In as much, a chemical ingredient originally not harmful
can become very harmful, via repeated exposure.
Adjuvant Effect
Concerning the pharmacological aspect, there is the matter of Adjuvant
Effect. This is when a couple of chemicals team-up to cause harm.
Pharmacological Effect
There is additionally the matter of one chemical being consumed by the
body causing another chemical's level in the same body to be elevated,
as if the triggering chemical were a cue ball. The classical example of
this type of pharmacological reaction is the organophosphate category
of pesticide. Its presence elevates the level of acetylcholine in the lungs.
Oxidation Effect
There is also the oxidation effect in this falsely advertised product, at
least with the terpenes in Febreze. Very simply, exposing an oxidative
chemical to the air will result in the formation of allergenic substances.
Such is the case with the fragrance ingredients Linalool and Limonene.
That is to say, spraying Febreze causes the formation of chemicals in
addition to what was put into Febreze at the factory.
Exorbitantly gaudy levels of chemical spray products,
when used by those with Deadened Senses.
Enter those members of the elderly who never achieved discipline, in
this hedonistic age. These are the pathological pleasure seekers. Con-
cerning them, realize the following pattern: The elderly are known to
crank up the volume on a radio and blow out everyone else's ears in
the process. Elderly women, unaware of how addicted to chemicals
they have been, are known to crank up the volume on the chemically-
laden fragrance products, thereby suffocating any nearby asthmatic.
Thus, the legacy that the vain leave behind is s-u-f-f-o-c-a-t-i-o-n.
Why would you want to make your home, workplace, auto,
meeting hall, waiting room, or rec room a toxic waste dump?
In light of all the chemicals in Febreze, if you do use this product,
you are doing nothing more than contaminating your home, your
motor vehicle, your taxi cab, your apartment, your office, your
store. In addition, if you happen to have an asthmatic neighbor,
you are suffocating that person out of house and home. Should
your store, taxi cab, office be visited by an asthmatic reactive to
chemicals, be prepared ... eventually ... to hire a member of the
U.S. federal bar association who is versed in the Americans with
Disabilities Act. This includes persons with other types of respir-
atory disease, such as Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome.
Now, autism has been statistically linked to the presence of certain
chemical classes and pesticide types. Therefore, it is advisable to
keep Febreze away from developing children, as well as people
with allergic dermatitis and respiratory disease.
The blatant red flag about Febreze in the advertising about it
The initial red flag of the Febreze commercials exists in the fact that,
if Febreze had the power to absorb and eliminate odors as claimed, it
would instantaneously absorbed and eliminated the odors of its many
synthetic fragrance chemicals. Therefore, there would be no "flowery"
smell detected by blindfolded people, on the various Febreze commer-
cial sets. The televised witnesses (or scripted actors) specifically stat-
ed that odors were graphically present ... like a cologne bottle spilled
on a suit jacket.
The truth is that Febreze does absolutely nothing but mask odors, by
means of providing a glut of fragrance chemicals that cumulatively
serve the function of diversion. Those chemicals drown out the pre-
existing smells of whatever decomposing trash bin was used as a set
for the various Febreze commercials.
Consumer Reports Magazine did its blind test also, and reported that
the responses of the test subjects included those which were less than
laudatory. There were people sickened by Febreze. In fact, I received
emails by persons who were ill in an unexplainable fashion, and then,
as soon as they got rid of the Febreze in their bedrooms, kitchens, etc,
their symptoms completely vanished.
In the 1980s, there was a TV commercial which pointed out the truth
that cigarette smoke nestles into all of the clothes in the closet of any
cigarette smoker, thereby resulting in the smell lingering in every piece
of clothing. Febreze, with its dozens of synthetic chemicals, invades
your life in the same way, if and only if you aren't the typical deadened
American living the dull sedentary lifestyle and hardly notices any odor
which is not present in a repulsively gaudy degree.
_____________________________________________________
© Patrick Anthony Pontillo
_____________________________________________________
Febreze Air Effects Additionally Contains the Following,
according to the Environmental Working Group, as of 2011:
| BENZYL ACETATE | 2-tert-BUTYLCYCLOHEXANOL |
| ETHYL OCTANOATE | DIETHYLHEXYL FUMARATE |
| HEXYL SALICYLATE | CYCLAMEN ALDEHYDE | NEROL |
| PRENYL ACETATE | 2,6-DIMETHYL-7-OCTEN-2-OL |
| TRIMETHYL PENTANYL DIISOBUTYRATE | PRENOL |
| 1-TRIMETHYL-2-CYCLOHEXENYL-1-PENTEN-3-ONE |
| 2,6-DIMETHYL-7-OCTEN-2-OL | HEXYL CINNAMAL |
| 3-METHYL BUTYL ACETATE | DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL |
| 4-tert-BUTYLCYCLOHEXYL ACETATE | ACETATE CIS |
| ETHYL BUTYRATE | DIMETHYLBENZYL CARBINYL
BUTYRATE | CYCLOHEXYL PROPIONATE | HEDIONE |
| P-TERT-BUTYL CYCLOHEXYL-HEXYL BUTYRATE |
| 2-METHOXY-p-CRESOL | HEXYL ISOBUTYRATE, |
Note: There were more chemicals found in Febreze
Air Effects than what has been posted above.
http://www.ewg.org/schoolcleaningsupplies/cleaningsuppliesoverview?id=219
Updates of Febreze include the following:
http://www.chemicalsensitization.com/2012/10/update-on-febreze.html
http://www.chemicalsensitization.com/2012/05/febreze-update.html
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