CSPA defends safety of air fresheners.

* Accusations about the safety of air fresheners made by the Bureau European des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC) are scientifically inaccurate, according to the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA).

"While we have not seen the study, the BEUC press statement links questionable findings to a call for new regulations under a highly political European effort to regulate chemicals--the Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) program," said Chris Cathcart, president, CSPA.

Mr. Cathcart said the press statement makes claims that are inaccurate or highly exaggerated. "BEUC claims to have found a number of compounds in air fresheners that represent risks," he commented. "However, several of these compounds--specifically benzene, toluene and chlorbenzene--are not used, and the rest have been erroneously labeled as unsafe by BEUC."

Mr. Cathcart also took issue with the BEUC's statement that products are not subjected to in-depth toxicological study. "The formulators of air fresheners evaluate their products for health and safety to assure that they are safe and effective," he said. "Ingredients are routinely examined to ensure that exposure levels from product use, and reasonably foreseeable misuse, are well within the margins of safety established for this category of products."