TIP TALKS
The Newsletter of the Toxics
Information Project (TIP)
SPRING 2007
SPRING - SEASON OF GROWTH
To those wondering
what became of Winter - as I said in an earlier TIP newsletter, we are
transitioning to a new publication schedule.
None of you will miss an issue to which you are entitled by your
membership. In fact, some of you out
there have been tardy in renewing - yet we’ve kept you on the list hoping you
will remember us! Please consider
whether you have made a membership donation to TIP within the last year - and
keep up your much needed support! If
you’re not sure, please contribute - it’s easy on our website by credit card
at: www.toxicsinfo.org/subscribe.htm
or checks are very welcome! With a
donation of $40 or more, you can choose from gift subscriptions to either E-The
Environment Magazine or “Pesticides & You” - or a copy of “Safer for Your
Baby: A Guide to Living Better With
Fewer Chemicals.
As usual, February
was a very busy month, spent preparing for and then running our booth at the
four-day RI Flower & Garden Show at the RI Convention Center - and
publishing a 2007 Supplement to our popular 2006 Less Toxic Landscaping
Resource Directory for RI and nearby.
Also in February, I met with State Senator Rhoda Perry to talk about our
2007 School Lawn Pesticide bill.
Connecticut, which last year passed a ban on lawn pesticide use through
the elementary school level, now has a bill to extend that to secondary schools
- which just cleared the Environment Committee there.
ACTION FOR
YOU: There is no way to know much ahead
of time when our bill, S560, will be up for a hearing. YOU CAN HELP BY SENDING ME COMMENTS NOW, IN
SUPPORT OF THE ELIMINATION OF LAWN PESTICIDES FROM SCHOOL GROUNDS IN RHODE
ISLAND. GO TO www.rilin.state.ri.us//BillText07/SenateText07/S0560.pdf TO VIEW THE TEXT OF THE BILL. I WILL PASS ALONG STATEMENTS RECEIVED TO
SENATE ENVIRONMENT & AGRICULTURE CHAIR, SEN. SUE SOSNOWSKI. EVEN A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS CAN HELP. INFORMATION WILL ALSO BE UP ON OUR WEBSITE
BY APRIL 1 AT: www.toxicsinfo.org/2007
Pesticide Bill.htm
I attended two
seminars in RI hospital settings in January & February - “Greening
Hospitals”, sponsored by the United Association of Nurses & Allied
Professionals (UNAP), and “Go Green” on green cleaning, by Simplex
Janitorial. Meanwhile, our 2006 RI
State Senate Resolution calling on the state to take action on less toxic
cleaning has borne fruit! The State
House has become a demonstration site - in an odd place - the restrooms. I learned from the responsible staff person
at RI Dept. of Administration (DOA) that all such are now being maintained with
green cleaners! Moreover, plans were to
accomplish the same at DOA as of last week.
When told of a few comments re: the facility not “smelling clean”, I
created a one-page handout (text below) to educate staff on what “clean” really
means! I distributed that at the
Simplex event.
March brought our
Organics & You: Making the Switch” workshop for land care professionals, on
March 12, led by Don Bishop of Gardens Are…, an author of the NOFA (Northeast
Organic Farmers Association) Organic Land Care standards. This past weekend we presented our third
annual Special Awards at the RI State Science Fair. We gave “Less Toxic Living Awards” to six young people, a winner
and two runners-up in both the Junior & Senior Divisions. Their projects included: “Could Coloring Give You Cancer” (art
supplies); “Bromine Levels of Dust: An Indicator of Brominated Flame
Retardants”; “Herbal Remedies That Inhibit Bacterial Growth”; “Another Hairy
Situation “ (damage to hair from chemicals); “The Effect of Several Agents on
Mold Growth: A Comparative Analysis”
(Kosher salt was a winner!); and “Decomposing Plastics” (comparing natural with
synthetic).
So
much more has been happening - networking is my joy, we’ve been invited to
participate in many events, some by providing an informational table. A letter of mine in response to an article
on flame retardants in E-Magazine found the author agreeing with my comments,
and my getting a call from a reader! I
have been working with organizers of an annual Quaker gathering who are trying
to make the conference fragrance-free.
This has involved researching products and obtaining donations of
samples to make available to attenders there.
Here at home, when I was unable to attend Lenten/Easter ecumenical
events because of fragrance concerns, I authored an information sheet to be
used to educate leaders and attenders in Houses of Worship about this
accessibility issue. I’ve made it our
Canary Corner item for this issue. Both
this and the green cleaning handout are available from me, and will be up on the
TIP website soon. SHARE THEM!
Blessings,
Liberty
Goodwin, TIP Director
ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY CLEANING!
THIS FACILITY IS BEING MAINTAINED WITH “GREEN”, LESS-TOXIC
CLEANING PRODUCTS
FOR YOUR HEALTH AND THAT OF THE PLANET
DO THESE PRODUCTS
KEEP THE FACILITY SANITARY?
DON’T WE NEED
STRONG, ANTIBACTERIAL SOAPS & DEODORIZERS?
All products used have to meet strict standards of
cleanliness, and researchers have found that special antibacterial products are
unnecessary. Moreover, such “overkill”
is arousing increasing concern about antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria
and stream pollution.
WHAT
ABOUT THE “CLEAN SMELL”?
Unfortunately, advertising has convinced us that the
smell of synthetic fragrance chemicals is healthy and indicates a “clean” home
or facility. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Commonly used
commercial cleaners contain a variety of chemicals, many petroleum derivatives,
that scientists have found to be associated with sometimes serious reactions
and health conditions. For example,
ingredients in some products, especially fragranced ones, might trigger an
asthma attack in a susceptible individual.
THE EPA WEBSITE LIST OF
INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS INCLUDES “AIR FRESHENER”!
THE TRUE “SMELL OF CLEAN”
IS: NO SMELL AT ALL!
The EPA warns that:
·
Up to 30 percent of all buildings contain indoor air
contamination
·
Indoor pollution costs more than $50 billion in the
U.S. alone for healthcare, absenteeism, lost production, and lost revenue
·
Allergic reactions to "sick" indoor air
environments account for more than 10 million workdays missed by U.S. employees
each year
·
Allergic reactions to "sick" indoor air
environments keep 10,000 American children out of school each day
·
A U.C.L.A. study indicates that "adverse health
effects have been identified regarding common chemical ingredients found in 222
cleaning products"
·
According to another study, conventional cleaning
chemicals are neurotoxins which may impair a child's developmental and learning
abilities1
SO, PLEASE THANK YOUR FACILITY MANAGER FOR “GOING
GREEN”,
PROVIDING YOU WITH A HUMAN-FRIENDLY, HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT!
If
you have questions or concerns, or want information on how to do healthy
cleaning at home, contact:
Liberty
Goodwin, Director, Toxics Information Project (TIP), 401-351-9193,
E-Mail:
liberty@toxicsinfo.org
Website: www.toxicsinfo.org
1. NEW FACTSHEET FOR DISSEMINATION
Our new factsheet, Read Your "Weeds” - A Simple Guide to Creating a Healthy
Lawn is here! We need your to help disseminate it throughout your
community. You can print and distribute it, send it to your home and garden (or
lifestyle) editor of your local paper, or just hand it to your neighbors!
2. SPRING ALERT (Signs of Spring!)
It's almost spring and soon those little
yellow pesticide caution signs, signaling a pesticide application, will be
popping up everywhere. Unfortunately, in states that do not even have notification laws, you will receive no notice that you are
being exposed to toxic chemicals.
We have two important actions for our over
800 Coalition members. First is a “Spring Alert” flyer that informs your
community about the dangers of pesticide exposure, and what those yellow signs
mean. The Spring Alert was originally
produced by Port Washington Citizens for Alternatives to Pesticides (now
Grassroots Environmental Education), and has been used as a key piece of their
10-year public outreach efforts in New York. The Spring Alert has been used or
adapted by many communities here and in Canada, including the Marblehead
Pesticide Awareness Committee (MPAC) who
worked with their Board of Health to distribute it across their community.
You can ask your local Departments of Health,
physician, or medical community to endorse and distribute it. Last year, as part of Grassroots Healthy
Lawn Program, Grassroots Environmental Education
distributed 65,000 copies of the Spring Alert to every school district and
pre-K in Westchester county!
See their original version:
www.grassrootsinfo.org/pub/springalert.pdf,
and the Spanish version at
www.grassrootsinfo.org/pub/springalert_spanish.pdf.
Pat Beckett, Co-chair of MPAC, says, “We
always felt the little yellow warning signs on lawns, were “too little, too
late” in terms of pesticide awareness. As part of our “Awareness through
Education” campaign with the Board of Health, the Board sent out the Spring
Alert in the following ways: through the school system with a copy going home
in each child’s school bag; through a general mailing to every household; and,
once as a public service announcement in our local newspaper. I think the
Spring Alert would also make a great hand-out for local realtors to give to new
homeowners in town.”
HOW CAN
YOU USE THE SPRING ALERT?
1. Download a generic version and add your local information.
2. Get it endorsed by your local
or county health department, or medical community.
3. Find Partners and medium to
send it out, some suggestions include:
▪Superintendent of Schools- kids take-home letter
Municipal Officials (Health or Water Department)- through property
tax, water bills
▪Community Health Centers – office flyer
▪Newspaper, Television or Radio - public service
announcement
▪Real Estate Agencies – new homebuyer packages
▪Pediatrician/Doctors Offices – office flyers
▪Veterinarian Offices – office flyers
AND THE SONG OF THE SEASON?
WHAT ELSE BUT THE ONE BY
OUR VERY OWN WEBMASTER/BOARD
MEMBER PAUL KLINKMAN, ABOUT THE “LITTLE FLAGS ON THE LAWN”
(See Next Page)
I’m sorry that birds don’t read
The little flags on the lawn.
They ought to wait for three whole days
Until the flags are gone.
They hop around the lawn
They get stuff on their feet
And soon they get a pesticided
Wiggly worm to eat
Wiggly worm to eat
I’m sorry that cats won’t read.
They’re smart enough but they don’t.
They ought to read those little lawn flags
But as you know they won’t.
They ought to wash their paws
In the sink like people do
But all they want is to drag home birds.
Mew – Mew – Mew.
Mew – Mew – Mew.
I’m sorry that dogs don’t read.
It’s really an awful pain
The dogs come through the doggie door
And shake off all the rain
I’m sorry that kids don’t read.
You know they really should
But once in a while they try to eat some
Bugs – dirt – wood.
Bugs – dirt – wood.
The studies and statistics
Have gotten pretty blue
I’m sorry adults don’t read
I would if I were you
I’m sorry adults don’t read
It really is a crime
But taking care of kids and pets
They never find the time
Never find the time
So if you see some yellow
Upon your nice green lawn
Please spare the neighbors’ kids
Don’t use that kid-B-gone
You’re spos’d to love your neighbor
You’re living cheek by jowl
So if you see a dandelion
Dig it with a trowel
Dig it with a trowel
Chords
& Numeric Notation
Dm F
(3) 6 7 8 9 10 - -
F A Dm
8 10 10 8 8 6 - -
Dm F
3 6 7 8 9 10 10 10
F A Dm
8 10 10 8 8 6 - -
F
5 8 9 10 11 12 - -
F G A
10 12 12 11# 11# 10 - -
Dm F
3 6 7 8 9 10 10 10
F A Dm
10 10 10 8 8 6 - -
F A Dm
- 10 10 8 8 6 - - - - - -
Note: This song was written for the Less Toxic
Landscaping Campaign of
the
Toxics Information Project (TIP), www.toxicsinfo.org
CANARY
CORNER
A CALL TO RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES
Creating a Safe and Inclusive Space for
Attenders
Sensitive
to Fragrance Chemicals
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES OF THEIR ESSENCE
ARE DEVOTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVING AND CARING FOR THE NEIGHBOR. THIS SHOULD CERTAINLY INCLUDE MAKING
SERVICES AND EVENTS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE! This flyer draws attention to an
accessibility concern of which many are unaware - wearing or use of fragranced
products in places of worship.
What
is the problem with wearing fragranced products?
Most
scented products contain chemicals that constantly vaporize into the air and
attach themselves to hair, clothing, and surroundings of anyone who wears
them. The problem is not so much the
smell itself as the chemicals that enhance or disperse the smell. Scents are often the flag that such
chemicals are present. There can be as
many as 500 chemicals in perfume, for example.
Even wearing “just a little” can have a profound negative impact on
someone nearby.
Most people are
unaware that the term “fragrance” in commonly used personal care products
refers to any of hundreds of synthetic chemicals, usually derived from
petroleum. In one study, every sample
of a fragrance product tested contained toluene, a solvent also found in paint
thinner. These chemicals are not tested
by any government agency, in fact the exact ingredients in these products are
“trade secrets”, and need not be disclosed to anyone. However, independent research has shown that many of the
chemicals in “fragrance” are known, possible or probable carcinogens, endocrine
disrupters, or triggers of other health problems. People with asthma are especially at risk because fragrance can
trigger an asthma attack in as many as 74% of asthmatics. Those with heart or lung conditions may also
be affected, and others just have a sensitivity to fragrance chemicals that
results in unpleasant and unhealthy reactions.
What
kind of reactions might people have?
Skin,
eye, and respiratory irritations, damage to the nervous system, allergy
symptoms (sneezing, coughing, watery eyes), asthma attacks, headaches,
dizziness or nausea, trouble concentrating, sudden mood changes, muscle
cramping, or even seizures or loss of consciousness. (Those with asthma could go into anaphalactic shock from a
serious reaction). For people who have
experienced these symptoms scents can create extreme anxiety. Moreover, use of many cosmetic/personal care
products with their untested ingredients and endocrine disruptors
interferes with reproductive functions and would be dangerous to pregnant women
as well.
A
new perspective?
Most
people are used to wearing and using scented products and may be challenged by
the idea of changing their habits.
Please consider that the chemicals in some scented products may cause
serious problems for some even though the scents weren’t intended to harm
anyone. In fact, the risk of exposure
to fragrance prevents many sensitive people from even attempting to attend a
service. You yourself or someone in
your family may have some chronic problems that are actually caused by scented
products you routinely use, without realizing the connection. Or you may develop such problems eventually
after prolonged exposure
What
can I do?
Do
your best to avoid the use of scented products. Read labels and avoid those with the term, “fragrance” in the
ingredients list. If you don’t have a
fragrance-free alternative, avoid the use of a product before attending worship
- for example, you don’t need to shampoo your hair, apply lotion or even use
deodorant for this one occasion. (If it
is really a hot day, you could apply baking soda in place of the latter).
SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A “FRAGRANCE-FREE”
SECTION IN YOUR PLACE OF WORSHIP!
EDUCATE
YOURSELF ON THE RISKS OF FRAGRANCE AND ON HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES
Contact Liberty Goodwin, Director,
Toxics Information Project (TIP), 401-351-9193, E-Mail: liberty@toxicsinfo.org for more information. Or visit the TIP website: www.toxicsinfo.org
WARNINGS
& ALERTS
SOLID AIR
FRESHENERS MAY CAUSE LUNG DAMAGE
www.californialung.org/ALAC/enews0608.html
(In latest issue -
may not be up on website yet)
The
American Lung Association of California helped raise awareness about the
potential health hazard posed by solid air fresheners in an August 7 Los
Angeles Times article. A study
released in May by the California Air Resources Board warned that several
compounds found in air fresheners and household cleansers can reach harmful
concentrations inside homes, with paradichlorobenzene
from slow-dissolving air fresheners and toilet-bowl deodorizers posing a
particular problem because it releases a chemical (dichlorobenzene or 1,4-DCB)
into the air over a long period.
American
Lung Association of California spokesperson John Balmes,
MD, said while he was surprised by the study, it was in line with several
studies that have warned of the respiratory dangers of many household cleaners.
He
told the reporter that when his patients ask about air fresheners, "I'd
say if you can avoid it, not to use them.
I don't see the need to introduce other chemicals into our environment
when there're already so many bad actors."
SCENTS
KIDS GO WILD FOR
www.wannabee.org.au/
By Wendy Busfield, medical reporter
Simple
things such as Perfume can trigger hyperactivity in children a recent study has
found. Researchers say mothers
splashing on a fragrance can cause hyperactivity in their children. Toiletries and air fresheners can have the
same effect, with possible links to attention deficit hyperactive disorder.
A study involving about 400
British families with hyperactive children showed perfume was one of the
biggest triggers. More than 7 % of
children reacted strongly to perfume worn by their mothers and scent in household
products. The researchers were surprised
by the result, expecting more reaction from food coloring.
But
Melbourne ADHD researcher Peggy Brunet said she had already seen evidence
linking perfume to ADHD. The Swinburne University PhD student works with
children diagnosed with ADHD, autism and speech disorders. "I've seen the effect of perfume with
my own eyes", she said.
"Babies have developed tics and twitches and all sorts of
mannerisms as a result of perfume. "It can be really dangerous".
Herald
Sun, 23 August, 2000
DID
HARVARD WHITEWASH COLGATE CONSULTANT’S ETHICS BREACH?
Integrity
in Science Watch
August 28, 2006
The Integrity in Science
Database of Scientists and Organizations With Ties to Industry can be found at:
www.integrityinscience.org. Please circulate. To subscribe to
Integrity in Science Watch or to send tips for inclusion in the Database,
please send an email to science@cspinet.org.
Harvard University's dismissal of
an ethics complaint against Dr. Chester Douglass for misrepresenting the
results of a study linking fluoride to bone cancer in boys has drawn a strong rebuke
from the Environmental Working Group, which brought the alleged ethics
breach to light. Douglass, who
moonlights as editor of the Colgate Oral Health Report, in recent years told
the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and a National Research
Council committee that a 2001 Harvard Ph.D. thesis by Elise Bassin did not link
water fluoridation to cancer. But the
thesis, which was finally published last April in Cancer Causes and Control,
a publication of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention, in fact found a
five- to seven-fold increase in risk of osteosarcoma for boys exposed to
elevated levels of fluoride between the ages of six and eight. The Harvard investigation into the EWG ethics
complaint, released in early August, found Douglass "did not intentionally
omit, misrepresent or suppress research results" of the Bassin
fluoride-bone cancer study.
"Whether or not Dr. Douglass intentionally suppressed and misrepresented
these data is irrelevant," said EWG vice president Richard Wiles. "He deceived the public and health
officials about critical research findings for years, and hundreds of boys
suffered the consequences."
E-THE ENVIRONMENTAL MAGAZINE ON LESS TOXIC
REMODELING
Dear EarthTalk: I’m going to be remodeling
and was wondering: Are there floorings or wall coverings available that won’t
aggravate my child’s respiratory problems?
-- Mary, Lake Zurich, IL
For those with chemical
sensitivities, the home is sometimes anything but a refuge. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as
formaldehyde can “off-gas” from carpets, wallpaper and paints, irritating lungs
and promoting headaches and itchy eyes.
Luckily, there are increasingly more options to traditional building
materials and furnishings that are both kinder to Mother Earth and safer for
our health.
For flooring, the
Seattle-based Environmental Home Center recommends cork, linoleum, bamboo and
selected hardwoods as the best choices from an indoor air quality
standpoint. If you choose any of these
options, make sure installers use non-toxic adhesives as the devil - leaking
VOCs - is often in such details.
For those seeking something
plusher underfoot, Earth Weave and Natural Home, among others, use natural
fibers such as wool, jute, hemp and rubber to create attractive, chemical-free
carpeting for both wall-to-wall and area rug applications. Both companies avoid toxic dyes and
mothproofing as well as stain-repellents, relying instead upon the natural
resiliency of the materials they incorporate.
And don’t stop at the
carpet. All-natural wool padding, which
is usually needled together to avoid the VOCs often found in adhesives, will
keep the top layer soft without introducing toxins to the underfoot mix. Traditional carpets and pads can off-gas a
smorgasbord of noxious chemicals, including VOCs.
A raft of new
wall-coverings has also come to the rescue in recent years. Most wallpaper is not made from paper at
all, but from a malleable plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which
generates several known carcinogens, including dioxin, during its
production. One green alternative is
Sherwin-Williams’ non-vinyl Easychange brand.
Made from paper, it requires no special solvents or adhesives to
install, and is stocked in a variety of designs and styles. Another good choice
is Pallas Textiles’ DialTones line, made from discarded phonebooks. Also, Environmental Home Center makes its
own Innovations brand, which is made from nontoxic polyester and wood pulp,
using water-based inks completely free of heavy metals.
In the paints category,
there are now many non-toxic or low-VOC offerings, including AFM Safecoat,
Livos, BioShield, Yolo and Olivetti. GreenHome.com stocks many of these, and
mainstream paint dealers may carry eco-friendly paints from more familiar
names, like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams.
Remodelers beware, though:
Changing out your flooring and wall coverings won’t banish chemical irritants
entirely. Many homes built or remodeled
during the 1970s were insulated with formaldehyde foam, which can remain a
health nuisance long after installation.
Luckily, there are now plenty of greener insulation choices, such as
cellulose, cotton and radiant metal barriers.
Open-cell spray insulations such as Icynene or Air Krete are also
popular with green builders, as they are effective, inexpensive and easy to
apply. Some of these products are
available at Home Depot and Lowe’s, but small green building supply retailers
can be researched at GreenerBuilding.org.
***************************************************************************
USING
A STEAM CLEANER & DEALING WITH MOLD
Allergy Buyers Club Tips
www.allergybuyersclub.com/acr/acr_49.shtml?psysVid=0ar0dryz#2
***************************************************************************
BURPING: TIPS ABOUT VAPOR STEAM CLEANING
By Bob Cobe
If you own a vapor
steam cleaner, remember to "burp" it before you use it every
time.
Fill it
with water, plug it in, and wait until the OK light turns on. Then press the
trigger to release the steam for about 15 to 30 seconds to get the air out of
the system. Take your finger of the trigger and wait until the OK light turns
on again and then begin your cleaning. Also remember to let your machine just
steam after every time you stop to change a tool or move to another room so
that the steam that has just condensed into water in the hose will be turned
again into steam.
QUESTION: DEHUMIDIFIER AND CRAWLSPACE
Answers by David Barnaby, Allergy Buyers Club
Staff
QUESTION: From: Fred R. - I have a new addition to my home -
about 1,900 sq.ft. of crawl space. The
crawlspace is approx 44" high from the bottom of the floor joist to the
top of the stone base floor. The crawl space is well vented with foundation
vents and I have 6 mill visqueen on the dirt floor covered with 4" of
crushed gravel. I also have two sump pumps. The problem is that during construction, the floor
got wet and there is some white and black mold on the floor joist and the
underside of the floor sheathing. My
thought is to dry out the crawl space and the mold will go away before it gets
too bad. Would a dehumidifier work for this problem or do I need to force some
more air circulation under the house with fans? Thanks for your help, Fred
ANSWER: Hi Fred, Getting the
humidity under control will help your mold problem but not eliminate it all
together. The mold will remain active as long as the humidity remains high
usually 60% or higher. Therefore, if you lower the humidity with a dehumidifier
to 50% and maintain it there, the mold will become inactive and not get any
worse. However, it will not die and
disappear and it will still emit mold spores.
For this reason, it would be beneficial to eradicate the mold by
cleaning it up and removing it.
There are several ways you can do this.
First, you can kill
the mold with heat by using a vapor
steam cleaner. this is a dry vapor
steam at 180 to 220 degrees, which will kill most mold. Keep in mind, there are many different kinds
of mold and some of them are heat resistant.
Second, you can
spray a solution of tea tree oil and water approximately 2 teaspoons to 2 cups
of water. The only problem with this
method is that the smell is very strong and tea tree oil is expensive but a
little goes a long way.
Third, grapefruit
seed extract or citrus seed extract and water can be used. You mix 20 drops of citrus seed extract with
2 cups of water and mix it in a spray bottle and spray on the problem
areas. Do not rinse.
Fourth, you can use
straight vinegar in a spray bottle and apply it to the problem areas and do not
rinse it. This is the cheapest method
but like the tea tree oil the smell is very strong.
I would caution you to be careful when
cleaning up mold. I recommend you wear a mask to prevent your inhaling the
airborne mold spores that will be present especially when you disrupt the mold.
Also, you should isolate the area as much as possible so the mold spores cannot
circulate to another area of the basement where it can begin to develop in a
new area.
In answering your question as to whether or
not it is helpful to run fans, this is a good idea because when there is water
in a liquid state it will aid in the evaporation of the water and then the
increased humidity caused by the evaporation should be removed with a
dehumidifier. In addition, mold likes a dark environment with no air movement
to develop so circulating the air with fans will discourage its development.
Keep in mind there are three things necessary
for mold to grow. You need mold spores
which there will always be a supply of because it is in the outside air and
infiltrates inside to your home. You
need a porous surface for the mold to feed on like wood, wall board, etc. which
we all have. The final thing needed is
moisture with humidity 60% and higher.
This is why if you eliminate any moisture and control the humidity you
will not develop mold. Keep in mind,
you will still need to remove the mold you already have. Based
on the dimensions you gave me, you would need to remove approximately 38 pints
of moisture per day to maintain a relative humidity of 50%. If the average temperature in your crawl
space is always above 66 degrees you could consider the 50
pint Comfort-aire unit for $299.95.
For temperatures down to around 52 degrees the Delonghi 40 pint
DN40G for $259.95 would be appropriate.
Besides
a dehumidifier, another way to prevent mold from redeveloping would be to
remove the mold spores that are airborne.
This is normally next to impossible especially if there is mold already
present in a particular area. However,
assuming the mold in the area will be removed eventually this can be
accomplished over a 4 week period through the use of a fairly new product we
have on our website.
It is
called the Airfree
Enviro RL 60 air sterilizer. The
way it works is the mold spores enter the air sterilizer through convection
where they go into a chamber where they are incinerated at 400 to 600
degrees. The air is then cooled and the
sterilized air is emitted back into the room.
Slowly over time the amount of mold spores in the air will be reduced
down to zero and by leaving the unit running continuously, any new mold spores
introduced into the air will be removed.
The net result is if conditions arise to encourage the formation of mold
like water or excessive humidity, mold will not develop because you have
removed one of the three things necessary for mold to develop. In your case, you would need 4 of the units
because one of these units will sterilize an area of 250 square feet with a
ceiling height of 8 feet, which is 2000 cubic feet. You have approximately 7600 cubic feet so 4 units would be
recommended. The nice thing about this
unit is it is completely quiet and there are no filters to change and zero
maintenance. The electrical usage is
like a light bulb so it might cost you a couple of dollars a month to run one
of these.
I have a few websites to give you where you
will be able to get additional information on mold removal.
Allergy Buyers website,
http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/solution-mold.htm
lhttp://www.allergybuyersclub.com/mold-center.html
World Wide web sites
http://www.1877moldfree.com/google.html,
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/mold_remediation.html
http://www.servicemaster.ca/11B_SMC_mold_household_mold.shtml
One final note, I failed to mention to you
that the most important thing to do when you have mold is to consider the
source of the mold to begin with and make sure the reason for the mold
occurring in the first place has been remedied. It sounds like you have already taken care of this based on the
fact the mold was a result of water leaking during construction.
To discuss any of the products at the Allergy Buyers website,
contact: www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/
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NEWS AROUND THE WORLD
CALLS TO PHASE OUT NON-STICK CHEMICAL
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2007/1865724.htm
Anna Salleh, ABC Science Online
Friday, 9 March 2007
A chemical used to make non-stick
frying pans and baking trays should be phased out due to safety concerns, say
Australian authorities. But a toxics watchdog is worried it will still be used in
developing countries and be present in imported products. The chemical is
known as perfluorooctanoic acid, pentadecafluorooctanoic acid or PFOA. It is
traditionally used as a processing aid in the manufacture of coatings on metal
surfaces and non-stick cookware.
In such cases the chemical may be present in
small amounts in the end product as a residue, says Australia's industrial
chemicals regulator NICNAS. It is also used in dyes, paints and fire-fighting foam. Dr Sneha Satya of
NICNAS says a US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) study shows that the chemical
persists in living organisms and the environment, and is a developmental toxin. The study, which
she heard about at an international workshop last year, shows how PFOA affects
rat development over two generations.
This year, NICNAS
recommended that manufacturers phase out using the chemical. "Industry
should actively seek alternatives to PFOA and precursors that may degrade to
PFOA and aim to phase out the use of these chemicals," according to a
recent NICNAS statement. Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith of the National Toxics Network welcomes the
recommendation. "The research presented to the workshop by the US EPA
sent a shock wave, I think, through most of the governments that were
there," says Lloyd-Smith, who also attended the event. She says that
afterwards, non-governmental organizations, many researchers and some
governments concluded that PFOA should be regarded as a persistent organic
pollutant under the Stockholm Convention.
Phasing
Out
Companies in developed
nations are taking moves to phase out PFOA. For example DuPont in the US
recently announced it will stop using it by 2015. Lloyd-Smith says while she is pleased
with such moves, developing countries such as China could still use PFOA and
export cookware made with it. "Somebody should be testing products coming into
Australia that they aren't heavily contaminated with PFOA," says Lloyd-Smith. Evidence shows
that PFOA could be released during normal heating of non-stick cookware and
microwave popcorn bags, according to a US paper published this year in the
journal Environmental
Science and Technology. But NICNAS says
that it is safe to use non-stick cookware at normal cooking temperatures. It
advises consumers not to allow the cookware to overheat. The regulator also
says that while it is monitoring the importation and use of PFOA in Australia,
it is not its job to look at the end product.
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TIP TALKS - SPRING ISSUE, 2007
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