A few facts you may not have been aware of
Synthetic musks, are widely used in perfumes, deodorants, and detergents -- these musks have been linked to cancer. They can bioaccumulate, or store themselves in the body, and have been found in breast milk, which means that nursing infants ingest them. Research indicates that these musks don't biodegrade; they've been found polluting watersheds and the plants and animals that live there. Another worrisome class of chemicals, phthalates, are often used in fragrance because they allow the smell to last longer. They have been linked to changes in the reproductive and endocrine systems as well as in the liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands.
The FDA has banned only a handful of ingredients in personal-care products -- none of them related to scent. The fragrance industry essentially regulates itself, deciding which chemicals it considers hazardous. Some manufacturers have voluntarily stopped using phthalates (which are the main component in synthetic musk), but many others continue to use them; in 2002 the EWG tested 72 personal-care products and found phthalates in 75 percent. Certain companies have dropped some synthetic musks, but still widely use others.
http://www.wholeliving.com/133573/replacing-your-artificial-fragrances
AND ALSO ( taken from a paper produced by the WWF on synthetic Musk)
"Synthetic musk fragrances are very widespread in the home. They are used as low cost fragrances in soaps, perfumes, air fresheners, detergents, fabric softeners and other household cleaning products. Many of these products are ultimately disposed of to the sewers. As such, a large proportion will end up at sewage works and pass from there to rivers and ultimately the seas.
Toxicity
As for many synthetic chemicals in everyday use, there is a very serious lack of toxicity data on synthetic musks. However, we do know that synthetic musk fragrances are persistent and that they bioaccumulate.
Human Exposure
Humans are most at risk from synthetic musk fragrances not only through their exposure from contaminated food species lower down the foodchain (shellfish, fish etc), but also through direct absorption through the skin from the many household sources of musk fragrances. Synthetic musk fragrances have been found in human body fat, with nitro-musks found more in women than men. Polycyclic musks are also present in human fats. Some synthetic musks get passed to breast-feeding babies in breast milk
As a result of these type of levels being found in human beings, the European Scientific Committee on Cosmetics has concluded that human exposure to musk xylene and musk ketone should be reduced.
Since 1998 WWF has become concerned about the weakness of proposed action to reduce and eliminate discharges, emissions and losses of the OSPAR Chemicals for Priority Action.
This includes the reduction and elimination of synthetic musk fragrances, which have the ability to disrupt endocrine systems and are present in human fatty tissue, human breast milk, wildlife and the wider aquatic environment. WWF believes that the use of musk xylene, musk ketone and the polycyclic musks (AHTN and HHCB) should be banned as soon as possible. Voluntary reduction measures should be agreed in advance of such a ban to reduce as quickly as possible the environmental exposure of both humans and wildlife to this class of hazardous substances. "
