Are we There Yet?

Received word that the EPA management now has the Environmental and Human Health Fragrance /ETF criteria to review. While this is pending, every effort should be made to decide WHO will build the data base, and when will the information be distributed, updated and open source to all fragrance creators, product formulators, NGO's, state EPA's, and retail chains that make green declarations.

WHO will actually make the effort to first meet, share goals, and publish data? It's been suggested by the Fragrance Technical Committee that RIFM (Research Institute for Fragrance Materials) and CleanGredients have an initial discussion. Both organizations have a charter to be useful and informative to their members. And can the FMA (Fragrance Material Association) contribute, whose members is the supply chain? These folk understand the impact. Why can't they publish a list?

Look, we know the fragrance consultants and third party reviewers are not going to give up information that generate fees. And we know the fragrance in-house regulators can only construct turducken system checks because they do not formulate.

In the meanwhile, fragrance houses will be using their GC to copy known DfE formulas that come from extractions or shopped compounds for improvement, Perfumers and some regulators will be privately circulating DfE approved material lists, PR statements will be released, IFRA will have published material lists as they pertain to EU REACH, sadly existing Institutional and Consumer products will continue to make sustainable, natural (or Organic), safe claims for Essential Oil blends that are environmental hazards all while the EPA is taking action steps regarding clean water and our deplorable water treatment capabilities.

Are we there yet? Are all the myths and past practices deconstructed enough to make sense for an industry that now, today, has merged data and criteria on human health and environmental concerns. It's not yesterdays news, it's tomorrows action that matters.

Happy New Year 2010.