SC Johnson to phase out controversial fragrance ingredient
Chemical Watch
Tammy Lovell
March 15, 2017
“Consumer products conglomerate SC Johnson says it is phasing out the use of the fragrance ingredient galaxolide.
The transition comes after months of pressure from NGO Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), which has repeatedly called on the company to stop use of the persistent synthetic musk.
Kelly Semrau, SC Johnson’s senior vice president of global corporate affairs, communication & sustainability, told Chemical Watch the company continuously reviews all of the chemicals it uses in its products, under its proprietary Greenlist programme. And she said it had been evaluating the science on galaxolide prior to WVE’s furnishing information on the substance last autumn.
In a 13 March letter to WVE, the company said that it has seen “business benefits” of transitioning away from galaxolide, but has wanted to wait while alternatives were tested to ensure its decision was “grounded in science”.
