ABOUT

Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.

Follow ewgtoxics on Twitter

DONATE TO EWG!

Help us protect your health and environment!  Please donate $5 to EWG today.

GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS

Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.


Environmental Working Group's Facebook Page
YouTube

ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL

Delivered by FeedBurner

 Enviroblog in your Reader

Kid-Safe Chemicals Act

Get EWG widgets & blog badges.

Join EWG's live chat with Chef Ann Cooper

School lunch: More fruits & veggies, please!

Texas Schools are Drilling for Dollars

Why do blowouts take so long to fix?

SEARCH ENVIROBLOG

FIND PAST POSTS

FEATURED

Support the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act. It's Urgent.

Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?

Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure

So what products CAN we use?

Test Your Knowledge of Cosmetics Safety: 8 Myths Debunked

EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series

EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure

EWG on TV

Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill

Toxic Tub?

Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water

Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen

BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics

Ask EWG

What can I do about fluoride in my water?

What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?

What is "fragrance"?

Which infant formula is best?

Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

Is mineral-based makeup safer?

Ask EWG Archives

Top Blog Award

Top  blogs award

PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS

Breast Cancer Fund

The Daily Green

Eco Child's Play

Environmental Defense Fund

Green Moms Carnival

Grist

Healthy Child, Healthy World

Huffington Post Green

NRDC's Switchboard

Organic.org

Safer States

TreeHugger

TALK TO US

Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.

« An App for everything, except radiation levels | Main | Can EWG staff live a week without canned food? Can you? »

I don't like the smell of this...

March 17, 2010

By Alex Formuzis, EWG Director of Communications

Driving the ladies wild just became more expensive. iStock_000001987580Small.jpg

Conopco Inc. d/b/a Unilever, the company that makes the popular male body spray AXE, has been fined more than $1 million by California for releasing volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, every time a young man sprays himself down before hitting the club or heading off to school.

I remember it was Drakkar Noir and Obsession for Men back in my day; too bad neither did a thing for me. Could it have been my liberal applications of both that had the girls running flat out in the opposite direction? Who knows?

Fast-forward from the cologne-fueled mid-80's to today. Millions of young men now keep a bottle of AXE body spray in their rooms, lockers or glove boxes. That's where I kept mine. Again, maybe part of my problem.

You propel your A-X-E with W-H-A-T?

A can of AXE uses volatile organic compounds (aka VOCs) as propellants. In fact, VOCs are used in most spray products, including hair spray and paint. VOCs force the substance from the can into the air and onto whatever surface it's meant to coat. In the case of AXE, that's the body.

VOCs, which are significant contributors to low-level air pollution, can be naturally occurring or synthetic. They are numerous and varied; i.e., they're everywhere. For that reason, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates VOCs in water, air and land. The agency also regulates certain VOCs in household products.

The California story
The use of VOCs at low levels is sanctioned in California. But if a product emits the pollutant above the legal limit, the state Air Resources Board (ARB) will fine the manufacturer. The board's Enforcement Chief, James Ryden, sums it up like this:

"Consumer products, because of their pervasive use, contribute a growing portion of VOC emissions throughout California. Therefore, it's important that every can and bottle of product be compliant with ARB's standards."

Learn more about...

« An App for everything, except radiation levels |