Due to the increasing numbers of people with allergies and sensitivities to, and injuries from VOCs and other fragrance ingredients, there is a growing need for fully verified fragrance-free supply chains.
Many of us need products and foods handled in such a way from beginning to end, as to prevent first, second and third hand fragrance and other chemical contamination.
Organic food that has been handled by someone with scented hand lotion, or that has sat in a store full of fragrance molecules will absorb those chemicals, and potentially be as toxic as food that has pesticide residues (for people who must, for medical and health reasons, avoid petrochemical exposures). Clothing, bedding toilet paper and other materials also absorb fragrances, which can be hard (if not impossible) to remove.
This presents a business opportunity for entrepreneurs, to provide a service for people whose health depends on it, as well as for those who wish to prevent health problems.
Pesticides, mold and volatile chemicals also need to be avoided in these supply chains, as any airborne contaminants can settle on and in the foods and products.
People handling any and all materials need to ensure their hands and bodies are free from any and all fragrance, latex and other allergens and chemical residues.
Buildings would have fragrance-free and non-toxic maintenance policies regarding all products used for cleaning floors, carpets, equipment, washrooms, etc.
Customer products would be shipped in packaging that does not allow cross-contamination from delivery services, ensuring safe receipt of product orders.
Would you be interested in working on a campaign to have select retailers create verified fragrance free supply chains for basic essentials?
Would you call your favorite providers and ask them for verified fragrance-free foods, products and materials?
Product manufacturers could also be persuaded to provide products and materials that are non-toxic, VOC free and safe for the most vulnerable populations to use indoors without months of off-gassing or other detoxing required. I am thinking of electronics like computers, phones, etc, which are known to have serious toxic off-gassing issues.
Contamination from first, second and third hand fragrance ingredients is a serious issue for so many people, making verified fragrance-free supply chains a business opportunity waiting to happen.
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 
This, in our real world,, is IMPOSSIBLE!! First,, it would have to be global,, second, 30% of the pollution you are talking about comes on the winds and rain. All we do is further distribute it.
I’m talking about the things we DO have control over, and CAN change. And that will make a significant difference for so many of us.
No-one NEEDS to wear or use fragrance chemicals, or sell products with fragrance chemicals.
There are safe alternatives to latex, toxic pesticides and virtually everything else.
Distributors can make sure their methods prevent mold and mold contamination from water damage or moldy resources.
Etc (as I’m sure there’s a few things I’ve forgotten)
The more demand and recognition of the demand there is, the more products will be made with safe materials and the industrial pollution will also diminish!
Life-cycles matter too!
Oh, and we ALL create our real world, or can have a hand in it.
Why leave it enturely to others when we can let them know that we will or won’t support their efforts and creations?
Yes, we can be disabled and dependent and barely functional, but we still have power!
I know what you mean about fragrance contamination. My dad bought me picture frames for an art show, so that I didn’t need to be exposed to any fragrances in the public sector. I had to put my mask on when I took them out of the bag. The paper that they were wrapped in had absorbed the fragrance from the store as had the cardboard backings to the frames.
It gets into everything!
The troubles I’ve had trying to get fragrance-free toilet paper!
I almost couldn’t get any this year, but it happens every other year as the suppliers change methods or something. A few years ago they started using less cardboard on the cases to be environmentally friendlier, but that just exposed almost all the contents to fragrance chemicals which go right through the plastic!!!
This year, as my case from last year was running perilously low and that supplier was no longer in business, I called a local Walmart store (I never shop there, but for some reason called, maybe because they carry a brand I tolerate and are nearby) and 2 managers from there went way over and beyond trying to find a way to make it happen.
I knew she was serious when I asked her what obstacles she had encountered and she replied “What obstacles didn’t I encounter”… I said I had those obstacles with virtually every single thing I need in daily life and do without many things people take for granted as a result… I begged her to write it down for me, but she declined…
Anyway, due to some dyslexia, I had mentioned the wrong brand during one conversation (which I was also pursuing from that manufacturer) to be added to their online shopping option that they are still developing in Canada, which it turned out I couldn’t use anyway because they won’t do phone orders and I don’t use my card online. (the universe ended up preventing me from spending a dime at Walmart, when during weak and desperate moments in a quest for safe toilet paper, I would have succumbed).
Despite the managers really trying to find a way, ultimately it was head office that refused to budge or make exceptions… or respond to questions and complaints I had…
Recently my mother sent me a bag of my childhood photos and they all reek of fragrance just from sitting in her apartment (and she is almost fragrance free).
The frame she sent with a small painting in it had fragrance contaminated cardboard and mat. All of those things are outside waiting to air off…
If I had a great big weather protected airing off chamber outside, it would help, but we don’t have that space here, and if I put anything outside my door, it can affect my neighbor, so it’s a big challenge…
I desperately need a washer and dryer and vacuum cleaner (and would have to go into deep debt to purchase safe, fully stainless steel models), but would not be able to bring them inside until the motors and plastic parts (which we can’t seem to avoid) had off-gassed, and there’s no safe place to leave them outside.
That’s another business opportunity – taking apart new appliances etc to clean all the manufacturing residues off and airing them out, sometimes running the motors, so that the fumes would no longer be released…
Although it would of course be much better if someone made machines, appliances and electronics that weren’t so damn toxic in the first place!!!
I have empathy for the toilet paper issue. I am down to two rolls because where I used to get my fragrance free supply stopped carrying it with no explanation. And you’ve probably read about my scented picture frame problem. And …And…And…Keep smiling it is all we can do. :D
I finally found a commercial supplier of individually paper wrapped rolls in a completely sealed cardboard case, who even delivered!
Ugh…toilet paper should never have a fragrance, whether as part of the product or picked up in the store/warehouse. Also maxipads…my regular brand started adding fragrance, and I switched to a an organic one that says fragrance-free all over the package. It STILL has a scent–maybe from the drugstore.
I was going to suggest one of those portable bidet things (to cut down toilet-paper use), but they seem to only come in plastic.
I was also having to buy the organic pads by the case to avoid fragrance cross-contamination…
I looked into the bidets, and yes, lots of plastic… and if you like warm water, then more water waste…
Safe, non-toxic, fragrance-free T.P. is essential!
Linda, I am glad you found the supplier of individually wrapped rolls. There are some things we cannot do without. :-)
I was most of the way through my very last roll when that case arrived… After rationing for weeks (yes, it took me weeks to find a source) it was a bit too close for comfort!
I had a long conversation with the driver too! He was very interested in learning more about MCS. He had some skin allergies from laundry products, and they’d had to switch to fragrance-free brands! He had never heard of MCS/ES though and was genuinely interested in learning more.
Linda, have you considered using flannels? I don’t know first hand but a girl I know started using some kind of cloth set up. Its a bit unconventional but its cloth/flannel, and when used she puts it in a enclosed metal trashcan of sorts, that has vinegar/water in it. Then she washes them at above 160 and reuses.
Also, I wanted to mention carbon blankets, for off gassing. They’re infused with activated carbon, and can allegedly do a good job of mopping up chemicals. A bit expensive, but maybe worth it for people like us.
Thanks for the suggestions.
IF I had a SS / no plastic washer and dryer (I’ve had to wash everything by hand in SS bowls for over 5 years now, after an up the street event contaminated the water and my old washing machine), and IF I didn’t have horrid reactions to the chemicals in textiles that aren’t soaked and washed and sometimes even boiled dozens of times, I’d change over to re-usables in a heartbeat!
Regarding the carbon cloth, it’s a synthetic base, which I have problems with, so again, not that useful for most of the purposes I’d want to use it for, and as you said, it IS expensive, so out of reach for other possible uses.
There are a lot of solutions that are out of financial reach for some of us.
I’m definitely there… If I had the money Id move to the middle of nowhere away from this unconscious insanity, and raise organic chickens/etc, in a custom built house… but I’m stuck in the grind of week to week living, in an apartment, where I can’t shower because it was painted wrong… So I go to the gym at 4 A.M. to shower. But at least I have my own washer and dryer. It still has a very slight residue of whoever lived there last, but its not very bad, compared to something more actively admitting.
I work in pharmaceuticals, and have been lucky go get this job. I deliver them. I’m lucky that I can be alone and control my environment most of the time, but sometimes the totes I carry the meds in have scented lotion residue on them from nurses or pharmacists, or the floors were recently mopped at the pharmacy, and those nights arent good.
I really wish it was recognized, what this stuff actually is. Its so loosely regulated… People can’t seem to process that things you smell are actually matter entering their bodies. It should be illegal!
I am glad you are well enough to be able to work and use public facilities, tho I am sure there’s some cost to doing so…
If toxic ingredients weren’t so prevalent, then so many more people would be able to work and have a life, not be confined to home like I am.
If I was able to live in the middle of no-where, at least I’d have animals and birds for company… Here I have squirrels, but they are pretty neurotic… I have had to almost stop feeding the birds (and chipmunks) because there are so many people around here who let their cats roam and they all end up here stalking the birds… I buried several of my chipmunk friends last year, and others have disappeared… Humans are too fragrance contaminated for me to spend time with.
Reblogged this on allergictolifemybattle and commented:
May is MCS Awareness Month. I am sharing this post from Seriously Sensitive to Pollution.
Thanks Kathryn. A lot of people have told me there’s a need for this.