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Glade brings back memories. Hasn’t it been around forever? I remember a spray can of Glade sitting on the back of most toilets when I was growing up. I can’t shake the heavy, flowery scent coming from a room after someone sprayed.
I stopped using Glade, and all spray room fresheners well before the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC)—an international environmental organization—conducted a study called, “Clearing the Air: Hidden Hazards of Air Fresheners [2]” in which they found 86% of air fresheners tested contained dangerous phthalates [3]. Phthalates have been shown to disrupt hormone activity, reduce sperm counts and some preliminary studies show that they may be causing a slow and steady demasculinizing of men. Other studies have linked phthalates to liver cancer and breast cancer.
Now there’s more
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SC Johnson, makers of Glade air fresheners, say they’re committed to transparency: “We know you value transparency, and we’re committed to sharing what’s inside our products.”
Except when it comes to fragrance ingredients.
Our amazing friends over at Women’s Voices for the Earth did product testing [5] which shows allergens and hormone disruptors like synthetic musks hiding out in Glade air fresheners. But you won’t find these chemicals on the label, because the makers of Glade keep fragrance ingredients a secret from consumers.
What else is Glade hiding?
We have a right to know what’s in the products we bring into our homes. And we have the power to convince Glade to put an end to this secrecy. They’ve said it themselves: “As a family company, listening and responding to consumers is [our] top priority.”
How you can help
Women’s Voices for the Earth has launched a viral image campaign to convince SC Johnson to disclose fragrance ingredients in Glade air fresheners.
- SIGN THE PETITION. Please take a minute to sign the petition [6] telling Glade to stop keeping toxic secrets! Remember the Tide petition victory [7]? That’s proof that our collective voices do make a difference.
- LIKE AND SHARE. Head over to my Facebook page and LIKE/SHARE the image [8] to help us make it go viral on social media to spread the word to as many people as possible.
- TAKE ACTION. Post the image to Glade’s Facebook page and tell them you have a right to know what you’re spraying in your home.
Safer alternatives
There are lots of healthy alternatives to air fresheners – head on over to Women’s Voices for the Earth to take a look at their fact sheet on Alternatives to Fragranced Cleaners and Air Fresheners [9].
Share your thoughts. What do you think of Glade keeping toxic ingredients a secret?
photo credit: pax et agape [10] via photopin [11] cc [12]