Fragrance-Free Guidelines

Pinewoods Camp endeavors to create a welcoming and safe community. To that end, we ask for your cooperation in accommodating those with chemical sensitivities, which constitute a recognized disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Personal care and laundry products are an area where you can make helpful choices. As with peanut allergies, it only takes a very small exposure to be serious.  Even a tiny amount of scent under layers of clothes can trigger a serious reaction in someone with chemical sensitivities.

Pinewoods is making strides to become a fragrance-free facility. To start, we will also be providing complimentary fragrance-free shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and soap in all bathrooms in addition to carrying fragrance-free personal care products in the camp store.

When packing for Pinewoods, we ask that you kindly observe the following:

  • Avoid bringing clothes to Camp that have been washed or dried with scented fabric softeners (like Bounce) and scented laundry detergents, as those smells persist for a number of days.  (De-scenting clothes can be accomplished by washing clothes in white distilled vinegar)
  • Use only fragrance-free deodorant and skin care products while at Camp
  • Do not use perfumes, colognes, or scented/essential oils (such as lavender) while at Camp

Fragrance-free personal care products can be found online and at many retail locations. Fragrance-free laundry detergent is widely available.

Thank you all for your care in addressing this important matter.

For information about chemical sensitivities: http://www.chemicalsensitivityfoundation.org/

 

NOTE: In thinking about this issue, it can be useful to reflect on our country’s changing views toward second-hand smoke. In the past, smokers used to have the “right” to smoke anywhere, and their impact on the people around them was dismissed. With education and understanding of the health impacts of second-hand smoke on others, there has been a paradigm shift to protecting everyone’s right to breathe clean air.  As a community, we are committed to protecting the health of all.