Late last month, the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board- the "Access Board"- voted to adopt a Fragrance-Free Policy for Board Meetings and public meeting places where the board holds meetings. Beginning with next month's board meeting, announcements in the Federal Register will include the statement that persons attending the board meeting are requested to refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, and other fragrances for the comfort of participants. Hotels used by the Access Board will be asked to accommodate the needs of the chemically sensitive to the extent feasible.

The staff will use a check list when contracting with hotels to ensure that meeting places are as accessible as possible with regard to access issues such as remodeling activities, carpet shampoo, pesticide use and other products and practices. Hotels will be asked to turn off or remove fragrance dispensers.

"While this is no guarantee of access, it will go a long way toward enhancing access for those with MCS as well as educating the Access Board, those in the hospitality industry, and the public," according to Mary Lamielle, executive director of the National Center for Environmental Health Strategies in Voorhees, N.J.

New MCS Research?
A number of board members also recommended that MCS be added to the project list for FY2001. There was active support for a substantial review of the access requests from the MCS community. According to Board Member Marilyn Golden from the Disability Rights Education Defense Fund (DREDF), the board has the responsibility to examine "what physical elements in the environment are barriers to people with disabilities. We have the authority to start to move on this issue and see what happens."

It's still unclear whether the board proposal will embrace new funding for MCS research, but a proposal will be presented for board review at next month's meeting. For more information, you can reach Mary Lamielle by calling (856) 429-5358 or by e-mail at marylamielle@ncehs.org.