23 November 2024, Quezon City. As the Christmas gift-giving season approaches, the environmental and health watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition will release a series of straight-to-the-point product safety alerts to inform consumers what items to avoid.
What not to give this Christmas – Toxic perfumes containing butylyphenyl methylpropional, a reproductive toxicant.
For its initial “What not to give this Christmas” alert, the EcoWaste Coalition urged consumers to avoid aftershave, cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, perfumes, and other fragrances listing butylphenyl methylpropional or 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA or p-BMHCA) as an ingredient.
With the completion of a 24-month grace period, cosmetics containing the above fragrance shall not be made available in the market effective November 21, 2024 and shall be withdrawn as stated in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Circular No. 2023-007.
BMHCA or p-BMHCA is classified by the European Union (EU) as “reprotoxic,” or a substance that poses a serious threat to the fertility of women and men and causes harm to the reproductive process.
According to the EU, it is “harmful to the reproductive system, affecting fertility and posing risk to an unborn child’s health.” This fragrance ingredient is also associated with allergies and contact dermatitis, and endocrine disruption.
Based on the group’s market monitoring, fragrance products containing this banned ingredient have not been withdrawn from the market yet. It is also not uncommon for some stores to offer “buy one, get one” promos to increase the disposal of their unsold inventory.
If you plan on giving fragrances this Christmas, here are some tips from the EcoWaste Coalition:
As the ban takes effect on November 21, 2024, the EcoWaste Coalition reminds consumers to read the ingredients’ list carefully and shun items with butylphenyl methylpropional, a toxic fragrance.
The EcoWaste Coalition advises consumers to demand access to labeling information even for buy one, get one discounted products.
1. Never buy a product without examining the labeling information.
2. Watch out for imitation products. Common red flags: too cheap to be true, misleading brand name, spelling errors, sloppy labeling, and low-quality packaging.
3. Scrutinize the list of ingredients. Reject those listing butylphenyl methylpropional, 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde, lilial, lily aldehyde or lysmeral as an ingredient.
4. Be careful with BOGO (buy one, get one) promotions, especially if the items are covered or tied together and the ingredients’ list cannot be read.
5. Get an official receipt and keep it in case you need to have the item returned or replaced.
Important: Butylmethyl phenylpropional may also be found in other FDA-regulated products, including body oil; deodorant cream, roll-on, spray and stick; facial cream; hair and body wash; hair gel, mousse, spray and styling foam; hand and nail cream; lotion; moisturizing cream; shampoo and conditioner; skin tonic; soap; sunscreen products and more.
To all consumers: Make it a habit to read the list of ingredients before making any purchase. You have the right to information, and the right to safety, of course.
References:
https://www.fda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FDA-Circular-No.2023-007.pdf
https://echa.europa.eu/substance-information/-/substanceinfo/100.001.173