How do hazardous substances pose a risk to people and the environment? Are the existing legal provisions sufficient to protect them? These questions form the focus of the interdisciplinary analyses carried out in these projects, which, amongst other things, scrutinise specific legal provisions relating to hazardous substances and analyse them using publicly available data.
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka (THU), Heidi Wagner (external)
Project duration: since 2024
Funded by: THU own funds
Program name: THU Research Field Hazardous Substances
Project description
Much has been reported about potentially harmful aspects of fragrances, but little about the suffering of people who experience direct negative reactions to fragrances. In our representative study (Steinemann and Klaschka, 2019, doi.org/10.1007/s11869-019-00770-0), we found that one in five people in Germany (and one in three people internationally) attribute health problems to fragrances. Sensitive people can react with a variety of intolerance reactions, such as concentration disorders, dizziness, migraines, shortness of breath or asthma attacks(DAAB survey).
These affected people sometimes experience serious restrictions in their everyday lives that people who have no problems with fragrances cannot even imagine. In addition to the health complaints, the problems that these people face include a lack of understanding from people who are not affected. In this study, I would like to find out what the restrictions on everyday life caused by the ubiquitous presence of fragrances actually look like for those affected.
If you have health problems with fragrances, you are cordially invited to take part in this survey. If you know someone affected, we would be delighted if you could pass this information on to them.
Information on the current status of the survey can be found under News - MCS Self-Help Group Rosenheim (mcs-rosenheim.de)
→ The survey was completed on 28.2.25. The results have been published:
Wagner Heidi, Klaschka Ursula (2026) Forced isolation by invisible barriers: international survey on the effects of fragrances on the quality of life. Environ Sci Eur 38:2 doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01259-7
Link to video clips with information on some highlights and additional information:
www.youtube.com/playlist
Further information is also available here: News - MCS self-help group Rosenheim (mcs-rosenheim.de)
There are many reports about the potentially harmful effects of fragrances, but there are hardly any publications about the suffering of people who experience negative reactions to fragrances. A representative study (Steinemann and Klaschka, 2019 doi.org/10.1007/s11869-019-00770-0) found that one in five people in Germany (and one in three people internationally) attribute health problems to fragrances. Sensitive people can react with a variety of health implications, such as concentration disorders, dizziness, migraines, shortness of breath or asthma attacks(DAAB survey). We conduct an anonymous online survey among fragrance sensitive persons and want to get a picture about the difficulties which these people have to cope with in their daily life. The results should offer a good basis to propose improvements of the situation. If you suffer from health effects due to the presence of fragrances, you are welcome to participate in the survey. If you know an affected person you are welcome to send him/her the infomation about our study.
→ The online survey ended February 28th, 2025. The results are published:
Wagner Heidi, Klaschka Ursula (2026) Forced isolation by invisible barriers: international survey on the effects of fragrances on the quality of life. Environ Sci Eur 38:2 doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01259-7
Link to Video Clips for a Quick overview:
Here you will find six short videos providing a quick overview of some of the study highlights, as well as some additional quotes and information:
www.youtube.com/playlist
Supplementary Information:
In addition to this article, you will find 8 further files with supplementary information on the ESEU website (in the right-hand navigation menu under "Sections" -> "Supplementary Information"), including the full reports for the eight countries with the most participants.
Link to supplementary information: link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-025-01259-7
Supplementary file on the issue of rated support services:
Participants were able to make additional entries regarding which "other official bodies" or "other organizations" they contacted for support. Unfortunately, it is not clear from the aforementioned documents how they rated the support provided by these bodies. To fill this information gap, we have created a supplementary document for countries with more than 30 participants.
This file is available exclusively here: mcs-rosenheim.de/wp-content/uploads/Survey-Results-Country-Reports-Support.pdf
Thanks to the open access license, you can translate the study results and use the content in a variety of ways. Please spread the publication of the study results (members, interested parties). We hope that the publication will help you and those affected to better inform the public and decision-makers about the problems of fragrance pollution and fragrance sensitivity.
You find further information also here: News - MCS self-help group Rosenheim (mcs-rosenheim.de)
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka (THU), Anne Steinemann (University of Melbourne)
Project duration: since 2019
Funded by: THU own funds
Program name: THU Research Field Hazardous Substances
Project description:
It has long been known that many fragrances are hazardous substances and therefore dangerous to health and the environment. However, there has not yet been a study on the proportion of the population that observes negative health effects from products containing fragrances, such as cleaning products, personal care products or room fragrances, and which health problems occur with which scented products. In 2019, a representative sample of 1102 adults were asked about the health effects they had observed from fragrances.
In the study, 19.9% reported health problems when exposed to fragrances. The most commonly reported effects were respiratory problems (55.3%), migraine headaches (25.1%) or asthma attacks (16.9%). A third of these people stated that these health problems were disabling for them. 5.5% of the population lost days of work or their jobs in the last year due to the negative effects of fragrances. The majority of Germans prefer fragrance-free workplaces, medical facilities, airplanes and hotels to scented alternatives. These data show quantitatively the perception of health effects of fragrances on a large part of the population.
Fragranced consumer products have been associated with adverse human health effects and subsequent impacts in society. Using a nationally representative population-based sample (n = 1102), data were collected in 2019 using an online survey of adults in Germany. The study found that, 19.9 % report health problems, such as respiratory problems (55.3 %), migraine headaches (25.1 %), and asthma attacks (16.9 %), when exposed to fragranced products. Of these reports of health effects, 33.8 % could be considered potentially disabling. Further, 5.5 % of the population have lost workdays or a job, in the past year, due to exposure to fragranced products in the workplace. A majority of Germans would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, airplanes, and hotels were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. Results from this study provide new evidence that exposures to fragranced consumer products are associated with adverse health and societal effects among the German population, and that reducing exposures such as through fragrance-free policies could provide benefits.
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2017
Funded by: THU own funds
Project description:
Many consumers have difficulty understanding hazard pictograms and therefore information about hazardous ingredients in everyday products. This project investigates whether educated people can correctly understand and use the information on substances in everyday products that are hazardous to health and the environment compared to average citizens. In the survey, people with a very good knowledge of chemistry scored better on some questions than people with no knowledge of chemistry, but in some cases even worse. This result shows that the topic of product ingredients and legal regulations is so complex that even people with a very good knowledge of chemistry are not automatically experts on chemicals in everyday products. One conclusion of this study is that there is an urgent need to support consumers in the risk perception of substances in everyday products that are hazardous to health and the environment.
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2012
Funded by: THU own funds
Program name: THU Research Field Hazardous Substances
Project description:
It is well known that many natural substances are toxic to humans and the environment. The opinion that natural cosmetics or natural remedies are fundamentally "better" is therefore wrong. This project analyzes how many and which natural substances in personal care products are hazardous to humans and the environment.
To this end, the natural substances listed in the European list of cosmetic ingredients, INCI, were compiled and examined to determine whether and how manufacturers classify and label these substances as hazardous.
One result was that over half are classified as hazardous substances. Many natural substances that are recommended for skin protection are classified as skin-irritating or allergenic hazardous substances, e.g. chamomile extract, valerian extract or various orange oils. They also include some carcinogenic substances and numerous substances that pose a risk to aquatic organisms. The studies show that consumers do not generally apply fewer hazardous substances when using natural cosmetics than when using conventional personal care products. Another important conclusion of the study is that a fundamental exemption for natural substances in the REACH Regulation cannot be justified objectively.
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2010
Project description:
There is an exemption for personal care products: they do not have to be classified and labeled like other chemicals and products, even if they contain hazardous substances. I applied the criteria of the EU Regulation on classification and labeling of substances and mixtures (CLP Regulation) to formulations of cosmetic products and found out that without this exemption almost all personal care products would have to be classified and labeled as hazardous.
In addition to the hazard statements (H phrases), the CLP Regulation also provides for safety phrases (P phrases) on the products. If the exemption rule for personal care products were removed, this would provide consumers with information on how to use the products safely. I derived the P-phrases for some personal care formulations in accordance with the CLP Regulation. The results showed that the recommendations for safe handling that apply to other everyday products such as adhesives, detergents etc. are not practicable for personal care products. For example, perfume should carry the safety advice: "after use... Wash thoroughly after use" or "Wear respiratory protection if ventilation is inadequate."
From these results and from my previous studies on allergy-causing fragrances, it follows on the one hand that it would be best to avoid particularly hazardous substances in personal care products for precautionary reasons. Secondly, that the pictograms in the new EU regulation on classification and labeling are inadequate, and furthermore that the current regulations do not provide meaningful consumer protection.
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2016
Project description:
Products that have been found to be particularly hazardous through controls in the EU are publicly listed in an information portal, www.rapex.eu (Rapid Alert System for non-food hazardous products), to inform consumers.
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2017
Project description:
How effective is the consumer's right to information about substances of very high concern in products?
Project manager: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2017
Project description:
Fragrances play an important role in household products. This applies to body care products as well as detergents and cleaning agents. It is widely known that many of these fragrances have allergenic properties and that some of them are harmful to aquatic environmental organisms. 26 well-studied fragrances must be included by name in the ingredient lists of personal care products and detergents. The aim of this study was to find out on which body care products and detergents and cleaning agents these 26 fragrance substances are listed.
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Ursula Klaschka
Project duration: since 2008
Project description:
Organisms of all taxa perceive their environment essentially via chemical substances, so-called infochemicals. This chemical communication plays an important role in reproduction, social behavior, food intake, defense or orientation.
There is strong evidence that substances introduced into the environment by humans, such as fragrances from personal care products, influence the chemical communication of environmental organisms. Further studies will clarify how relevant this effect is in the environment and whether this effect will be a new endpoint in ecotoxicological risk assessment.
Wagner Heidi, Klaschka Ursula (2026) Forced isolation by invisible barriers: international survey on the effects of fragrances on the quality of life. Environ Sci Eur 38:2 doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01259-7
Klaschka Ursula Wagner Heidi, (2023) Advocacy for more fragrance-free policies oparu.uni-ulm.de/xmlui/handle/123456789/50735
Wagner Heidi, Klaschka Ursula (2023) Advocacy for more fragrance-free policies. Environment, Medicine, Society 36(2)2023, p.29-33
Nendza Monika, Hahn Stefan, Klein Michael, Klaschka Ursula and Gabbert Silke (2023) Scoring scheme for Comparative Ranking of impact potential of chemical Alternatives (SCoRA) Environ Sci Eur 35:11 doi.org/10.1186/s12302-023-00718-3
Klaschka, Ursula: Problems with fragrances, in: Allergie Konkret 4/2020, Deutscher Allergie und Asthmabund (ed.), 2020, pages 22-23
ISSN: 0344-1237
Klaschka, Ursula: Between attraction and avoidance: from perfume application to fragrance-free policies, in: Environmental Sciences Europe (2020) 32:98, Springer Open, 2020, pages 14. DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s12302-020-00377-8, ISSN: 2190-4707 / 2190-4715 (eISSN)
Klaschka Ursula (2020) "This perfume makes me sick, but I like it." Representative survey on health effects associated with fragrances. Environmental Sciences Europe 32:30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-020-00311-y, https://rdcu.be/b2eHq.
Steinemann Anne, Klaschka Ursula (2019). Exposures and effects from fragranced consumer products in Germany. Air Quality, Atmosphere, and Health. (12) 1399-1404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-019-00770-0
Hartmann Sabrina, Klaschka Ursula (2018) Knowledge of chemistry is good, but not enough. News from the world of chemistry 66, pp. 873-875
Hartmann Sabrina, Klaschka Ursula (2018) Do consumers care about substances of very high concern in articles?Environmental Sciences Europe30:29https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-018-0153-1doi.org/10.1186/s12302-018-0153-1)
Klaschka Ursula (2017) Trust, but verify! Personal Care Products in the Rapid Alert System Database RAPEX. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy Volume 5, June 2017, Pages 30-41 dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2017.01.002
Klaschka Ursula (2016) Natural personal care products: analysis of ingredient lists and legal situation. Environmental Sciences Europe 28:8 DOI 10.1186/s12302-016-0076-7. www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-016-0076-7.pdf, 14 pages
Klaschka Ursula (2016) Are natural compounds used in personal care products toxic for the aquatic environment? Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy (4) 13-20. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scp.2016.07.002
Klaschka Ursula (2015) Naturally toxic: Natural Substances used in Personal Care Products Environmental Sciences Europe 27:1 doi:10.1186/s12302-014-0033-2 . www.enveurope.com/content/27/1/1
Klaschka Ursula, Rother Hanna-Andrea (2013)"Read this and be safe!" Comparison of regulatory processes for communicating risks of personal care products to European and South African consumersEnvironmentalSciences Europe 25:30 www.enveurope.com/content/25/1/30
Klaschka Ursula (2012). Dangerous Cosmetics - Criteria for Classification, Labeling and Packaging (EC 1272/2008) applied to Personal Care Products. Environmental Sciences Europe 2012, 24:37 DOI: 10.1186/2190-4715-24-37 URL: www.enveurope.com/content/24/1/37
