Cantons find deficiencies in essential oils and room fragrances
Published: Wednesday, Nov 29th 2023, 10:10
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In a nationally coordinated campaign, the cantonal specialist departments for chemicals tested essential oils and room fragrances. Of 256 products tested, 50 were withdrawn from circulation due to harmful ingredients.
A total of 75 percent of the products were found to be defective, as announced by the Department of Health and Social Affairs (DGS) of the Canton of Aargau on Wednesday. In some cases, this concerned the labeling or packaging. The legally required hazard symbols were particularly often missing.
The specialist agencies detected the synthetic fragrance Lilial in a total of 27 products. Preparations containing more than 0.3 percent Lilial can damage the genetic material or the child in the womb. The sale of such products to private individuals is therefore prohibited, as the DGS writes.
Safrole is often contained in cinnamon leaf and nutmeg oil, but is often not explicitly declared as an ingredient. Products containing more than 0.1 percent safrole are considered carcinogenic and may therefore not be sold to private individuals. 23 products exceeded the limit value and were withdrawn from the market.
Lack of awareness of dangers
Because many products come from natural sources, there is often a lack of awareness of possible dangers, writes the DGS. Essential oils and room fragrances can irritate the skin, eyes and mucous membranes on direct contact or cause allergic reactions.
For this reason, many of them would have to be labeled with appropriate hazard warnings and pictograms in accordance with chemicals legislation. Furthermore, some of the child-resistant closures prescribed in certain cases were missing.
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