Chemical and fragrance sensitivity statistics

  • 34.7% of Americans report immediate adverse health effects when exposed to synthetic fragrance. And this number is growing.

  • 26.0% of adults suffer from asthma. 57.8% of asthmatics suffer adverse health effects due to synthetic fragrance.

  • 21.2% of adult Americans suffer from Chemical Sensitivity and/or Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. 81.3% of those persons reported adverse health effects due to synthetic fragrances.

  • 4.5% of the population suffers from Autism/ASDs, with 60.6% of those persons reporting general Chemical Sensitivity and 75.8% of them reporting Fragrance Sensitivity.

  • 100% of the population knows someone with fragrance sensitivity, limiting social and business interactions and opportunities for us all.

Synthetic Fragrance Health Effects Include:

  • Migraine headaches

  • Asthma attacks

  • Dizziness, seizures, head pain, fainting, loss of coordination

  • Difficulty breathing, coughing, shortness of breath

  • Rashes, hives, red skin, tingling skin, dermatitis

  • Difficulties thinking, concentrating, confusion or memory recall

  • Watery or red eyes, nasal congestion, sneezing

  • Swollen lymph glands, fever, fatigue

  • Nausea, bloating, cramping, diarrhea

  • Fast or irregular heartbeat, jitteriness, chest discomfort

  • Muscle or joint pain, cramps, weakness

Synthetic Fragrances

The contents of synthetic fragrances are complex, containing mixtures of solvents with extracts, synthetic compounds, resins, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including asthmagens and hazardous air pollutants.Air fresheners, by way of example, contain over 100 different chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (terpenes such as limonene, alpha-pinene, and beta-pinenes, terpenoids such as linalool and alpha-terpineol, ethanol, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and xylene) and semi-volatile organic compounds (such as phthalates). These primary emissions can react with the indoor air to create secondary pollutants such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, glycol ethers, free radicals (such as hydroperoxy and alkyl peroxy radicals) and ultrafine particles. [Steinemann, 2017]

According to one environmental organization, about 75% of all products containing ‘fragrance’ contain phthalates [Zareen, et al, 2025], which are particularly dangerous for women of childbearing age, with endocrine disruption leading to birth defects or developmental disorders. [BCPP]