Matthias Vey, Scientific Director for IFRA told CosmeticsDesign, " The revised code will have positive effects for the fragrance industry, however, it will be a time consuming and costly process with regard to implementation procedures for industry businesses."
He continued by saying that the new implementation would generate a huge workload for the fragrance industry with retraining for perfumeries, mass volume of paperwork and the introduction of new systems to adhere to the new Code.
However, he was adamant that it would only serve to create a safer and less risk involved fragrance industry. Having worked closely with dermatologists in creating the new code, Vey stated that it would therefore regain credibility for the association with industry professionals and would push them forward in working together.
The code of practice was first introduced in 1973 by IFRA to properly regulate and provide products that are safe for use by the consumer and for the environment and is said to reflect the current state of development regarding today's scientific and business environment.
It was mooted for revision in October 2006 after the association called for the inclusion of new policies essential for the fragrance industry and to update it with the latest market knowledge.
The adoption of the new policies such as the new Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) method for fragrance sensitizers, the Compliance Programme, and the potential skin effects of oral care products were an important part of the revised code of practice.
Vey stated that these new policies are vital for the revised code due to their ability to reflect the associations advancement in science, taking into account better concepts for risk assessment and broader exposure for gaining data abroad.
The revised code has been structured into one main body text and eight appendices, which all apply to the creation and manufacture of fragrance compositions and the use of all fragrance materials for all types of applications.
The association has ensured that the code will contain the full set of IFRA standards and 'will lay out more precisely the obligations IFRA membership must fulfil to comply with the Code and the therein-contained standards'.
Jean-Pierre Houri, IFRA director general said, "We believe that this revision of the code of practice is another major milestone in IFRA's endeavor to strengthen and improve the safety management in the fragrance industry".