Every one of us breathes the same air.
We breathe it without thinking.
At home.
At work.
At school.
In stores, restaurants, airplanes and waiting rooms.
In the places where we gather, celebrate, learn, heal and live.
The air moves between us.
And so does everything we put into it.
Most of the time, we don't notice.
For people living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and other environmental sensitivities, everyday substances in the air can sometimes cause significant symptoms.
A fragrance in an elevator.
A cleaning product in a hallway.
Fresh paint in a room.
Smoke drifting through an open window.
And because environmental sensitivities are often invisible, we may never know when someone around us is struggling.
But this isn't only a story about people who are sensitive.
It's a story about all of us.
Because we share the air.
And the choices we make about our homes, workplaces and shared spaces can affect the people around us in ways we may never see.
Sometimes, change begins simply by noticing.
We can pause.
We can take a deep breath.
We can make thoughtful choices.
A fragrance-free meeting room.
An unscented laundry product.
Better ventilation.
Choosing a lower-emission product.
When we begin to pay attention to what we put into the air we share, we have an opportunity to create environments that are more comfortable, more accessible and more welcoming for everyone.
Small changes can make a meaningful difference.
When we make the air easier for the most sensitive among us, we create spaces that are more welcoming for everyone.
We share the air.
What we put into it matters.
Let's make it healthier to breathe.
What is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity?
People with MCS may experience symptoms when exposed to a variety of everyday substances.
These can include:
- perfumes and fragrances
- scented personal-care products
- air fresheners
- cleaning products
- laundry products
- pesticides
- paints and solvents
- renovation and building materials
- smoke and combustion products
- and other chemical exposures in the environment
The substances that cause problems can be very different from person to person.
Some people may notice symptoms after entering a strongly scented room. Others may react to cleaning products, freshly painted spaces, laundry fragrances, smoke, or combinations of exposures.
Symptoms can also vary considerably.
What can MCS feel like?
Environmental sensitivities can affect people in many different ways.
Reported symptoms may include:
- Headaches and dizziness
- Fatigue and weakness
- Difficulty concentrating or “brain fog”
- Nausea or digestive symptoms
- Eye, nose or throat irritation
- Coughing or breathing difficulties
- Skin irritation or rashes
- Muscle or joint pain
- Changes in heart rate or blood pressure
- Sleep disturbances
- A feeling of being generally unwell
And because many of these symptoms can have numerous possible causes, identifying environmental sensitivities can sometimes be complicated.
MCS is not simply about disliking a smell.
For someone living with MCS, exposure can have a meaningful impact on their ability to work, participate socially, travel, shop, attend appointments, or simply spend time in everyday environments.
Why does this matter to all of us?
Even if you don't feel the effects of the chemicals in our everyday products, research has shown that exposure to some chemicals can have long-term effects on our health.
Sometimes the warning is right there on the product itself.
We may see words like irritant, harmful if inhaled, use only in a well-ventilated area, or instructions to avoid contact with skin or eyes.
There are many simple choices available to us that can help reduce unnecessary exposure.
We can become more thoughtful about what we bring into our homes and shared spaces—and how often we are exposed to it.
We can ask ourselves:
- Do I need this?
- Is there a less irritating or lower-emission alternative?
- Could I use less?
- Could I improve the ventilation?
Change can bring up resistance. But it doesn't have to be hard.
Small, simple steps can lead to meaningful changes over time.
And when we reduce unnecessary exposures, we aren't only making life easier for people with environmental sensitivities.
We're creating spaces that are more considerate of everyone's health and well-being.
Because we share the air.
What can we do?
We don't have to change everything overnight. We can take small, simple steps, beginning with fragrance.
Fragrance is one of the common environmental barriers reported by people with chemical sensitivities.
And fragrance is everywhere:
- perfumes and colognes
- shampoos and conditioners
- lotions and cosmetics
- laundry detergents and fabric softeners
- dryer sheets
- cleaning products
- air fresheners
- candles and scented products
For someone with environmental sensitivities, fragrance can be more than an unpleasant smell. It can make it difficult to remain in a space or participate in everyday activities.
Choosing fragrance-free products in shared spaces is one simple way to make those spaces more welcoming to more people.
And there are many other ways we can make a difference.
At home
Consider choosing fragrance-free laundry, personal-care and cleaning products.
Open windows when appropriate and maintain good ventilation.
Avoid using air fresheners to mask unwanted smells.
When renovating or purchasing new furnishings, consider lower-emission materials and when needed, allow new products to air out before spending extended time around them.
At work
Consider fragrance-free policies or guidelines for shared spaces.
Use lower-emission cleaning products where practical.
Provide good ventilation and, where possible, fragrance-free areas.
Listen when someone explains that an environmental exposure is affecting their ability to work or participate.
In community spaces
Before using perfume, cologne or strongly scented products, remember that the people around you may have very different sensitivities.
When planning an event, gathering or meeting, consider making the space fragrance-free.
And when someone asks for an accommodation, try to see it not as an inconvenience—but as an opportunity to make the space more accessible.
Invisible Doesn't Mean Imaginary
This may be the most important part.
You don't have to have MCS.
You don't have to understand exactly why someone reacts.
You don't even have to agree on every question scientists are still studying.
You can simply believe someone when they tell you:
“This exposure makes me unwell.”
And you can choose, when reasonably possible, to help create a space where they can participate too.
That's what accessibility can look like.
It's consideration.
It's kindness.
It's community.
And sometimes, it's as simple as choosing the unscented option.
What if we designed our environments with the most sensitive person in mind?
Imagine workplaces where the air is clean and comfortable.
Schools where children aren't surrounded by unnecessary fragrances.
Healthcare spaces where people with environmental sensitivities can safely receive care.
Community gatherings where more people can participate.
Homes where we don't need to fill the air with synthetic scents to make them feel clean, beautiful or welcoming.
None of this requires perfection.
It begins with awareness.
And awareness gives us choices.
WE SHARE THE AIR
The air doesn't belong to any one of us.
It moves between us.
What one person releases into a shared environment becomes part of someone else's environment.
That gives us an extraordinary opportunity.
We can begin to think of the air around us as something we care for together.
When we reduce unnecessary exposures in the spaces we share, we can create environments that are more comfortable and welcoming for everyone.
We share the air.
And we all have a part in making it better.
If you think you may have environmental sensitivities
If you notice that certain environments, fragrances, products or chemical exposures consistently make you feel unwell, consider keeping a simple record of your symptoms and possible exposures.
Talk with a healthcare professional who is willing to listen carefully to your experiences and consider other possible causes of your symptoms.
There is no single test that definitively explains every experience of MCS, and researchers continue to investigate the condition and its underlying mechanisms.
Your experience deserves to be taken seriously while you and your healthcare providers work toward understanding what is happening.
Learn More
Environmental Health Association of Canada (EHAC-ASEC)
Information, resources and advocacy related to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and environmental health.
https://ehac-asec.ca/multiple-chemical-sensitivities/?utm
Government of Canada / Accessibility Standards Canada
Information about environmental sensitivities, accessibility and creating more inclusive environments.
Health Canada — Indoor Air Quality & Chemical Exposure
Information about indoor pollutants, VOCs, household products, ventilation and ways to reduce exposure.
Ontario Environmental Health Task Force
Information and recommendations concerning environmental sensitivities and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Ontario.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/final-report-task-force-environmental-health?utm
We will continue adding reliable resources as our understanding grows.
A simple invitation
The next time you reach for a scented product, pause for a moment.
Ask yourself:
- Is this scent necessary?
- Is there an unscented alternative?
- Could someone sharing this space be affected by it?
Sometimes positive change begins with a very small question.
And sometimes a small question changes the air around us.
We share the air.
Let's make it healthier to breathe.
