The Benzene Effect in My Home?

The effects of benzene exposure are far more hazardous to human health than particle pollution. Benzene is just one of over 3 million tons of toxins and hazardous chemicals that are released into the air annually. As a consequence, there is an increase in the number of birth defects, incidences of cancer, asthma and other acute and long-term health problems.

The effects of benzene are considered cancerous (benzene is a human carcinogen). While the acute effects of benzene include dizziness, drowsiness, severe headaches and irritation of the respiratory tract; high benzene levels may cause blood disorders (red blood cell reduction and anemia) and serious DNA damage.

There are a few sources of benzene exposure, namely: tobacco smoke, vehicular exhaust, glue, paint and toxic cleaning chemicals. Additionally, exhaust from attached home garages accounts for roughly 20% of national exposure.

In the U.S., high benzene levels are usually a result of primary and secondary tobacco smoke. On average, a smoker indulges in 32 cigarettes per day, inhaling roughly 1.8 milligrams of benzene daily.

Repeated exposure to elevated benzene levels causes Leukemia—cancer of the Blood-forming organs, such as bone marrow, the spleen and lymphatic tissue —or more specifically, acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the International Agency for Cancer Research have all categorized benzene as a carcinogen.

The effects of benzene may cause both short and long-term effects on reproductive health, causing harm to these organs. Studies show that women exposed to high levels of benzene for several months experienced irregular menstrual cycles. In fact, further examinations revealed a significant decrease in the size of their ovaries. Studies conducted on pregnant animals suggest that benzene inhalation may have harmful effects on developing fetuses; bone marrow damage, delayed bone development and low birth weight to be precise.

How to Avoid exposure to Benzene:

1. If you live near a gas station or a manufacturing plant, chances are your benzene exposure is high.

2. If you’ve recently renovated your home, painted or otherwise, benzene emissions are likely.

3. Again, do not leave your car idling in the garage

4. Do not smoke indoors, or in the car with your children or pregnant friends or relatives

5. Use green, enzyme based cleaning products, they are way safer. Traditional cleaning products release a toxic cocktail of chemicals, including benzene.

6. You may want to consider investing in an air purifier equipped with activated carbon—at least 18 pounds—for gaseous pollutants.

The effects of benzene exposure are quite significant and there’s an old adage that comes to mind, “prevention is better than a cure.” In the same way that we wear sunscreen and instinctively bundle up when it’s cold, we need to take indoor air quality seriously.

Second Hand Smoke: How Many Passive Smokers Do You Know?

The hundreds of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and carcinogenic chemicals found in second hand smoke linger in your indoor air slowly, but surely, destroying healthy lung tissue.
Exposure to second hand smoke is usually referred to as passive smoking, and the effects of passive smoking are deadly. There are roughly 4000 chemicals found in cigarette smoke, and at 69 of these chemicals are recognized carcinogens. Second hand smoke is one of the most common indoor air pollutants and (according to the EPA) is tragically linked to over 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year.
Just to name a few suspected carcinogens found in second hand smoke:

· Nickel

· 2-naphthylamine

· polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

· N-nitrosamines

· DDT (Pesticide)

· Dieldrin (Pesticide)

· Formaldehyde

· Lead

· Toluene

· Benzene

Additionally, second hand smoke accounts for 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections, like pneumonia and bronchitis, in children under the age of 3. Children who are exposed to second hand smoke are predisposed to:

· Decreased lung function

· Chronic ear infections

· Pneumonia

· Bronchitis

· Bronchiolitis

· Asthma

· Asthma attacks

· Decreased birth weight

· Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Asthma affects over 10 million children aged 16 or younger, claims 250,000 lives each year, and 13 million school days. Today, asthma is one of the leading reasons for hospitalization, causing over 217,000 emergency visits each year. Asthma is the most common, chronic childhood disease and at least 4 million children suffer an asthma attack in a single year. Almost 90% of the time, parents are to blame for a child’s exposure to second hand smoke. Save your child from passive smoking.

Quitting is no easy feat, but second hand smoke has negative effects on your health, and the health of those around you.

1. Smoke outside (away from pathways into your home)

2. Refrain from smoking in the car

3. Remove any clothing you were wearing while smoking before contact with an infant or toddler.

4. Using body sprays and aerosols won’t help; they only add additional chemicals to the ambient air.

5. Leave an air purifier running on low. Make sure it is equipped with at least 24 pounds of activated carbon, medical-grade HEPA and a tar-trapping filter.

High Formaldehyde Levels Are Deteriorating Your Health

The pungent gas known as formaldehyde is found in homes across North America. In fact, it’s no surprise that formaldehyde levels are found in formidabble quantities in homes, schools and offices across the United States. This ubiquitos Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) is a known carcinogen that is extremely irritating.


Where Can High Formaldehyde levels be found?

Far too many home furnishing emit formaldehyde, including pressed wood products, carpets, curtains, adhesives and wall finishings. Newer homes have high VOC emissions, and formaldehyde levels are measured at around 52 parts per billion (ppb), while studies show that 16 ppb is known to cause respiratory tract irritation.

Aside from home furnishings that outgas (including baby furniture), the presence of formaldehyde in your home can be attributed to toxic cleaning chemicals, aerosols and varnishes that are used to achieve the characteristic “clean home smell.” Symptoms that indicate formaldehyde levels are high:

· Dry, red irritated eyes

· Itchy, runny nose

· Sinus congestion

· sore throat

· Fatigue

· Chronic sinus infections

· Asthma

· Bronchitis

· Chronic eye infections

· Central nervous system damage (headaches, extreme fatigue, lasstitude)

High formaldehyde levels affect children more than adults. Also, keep in mind, with hot summer days ahead, formaldehyde levels may rise due emissions from home furnishings. If you are already experiencing some of these symptoms, they will get worse during the summer months unless you take the necessary steps to better your indoor air quality and create a safer home.

Here are ten tips to help reduce formaldehyde levels:

1. No tobacco smoking in your home (cigarettes emit over 400 distinct chemicals including formaldehyde).

2. Opt for wood furniture.

3. If you decide to renovate or repaint your home, make sure you have somewhere else to stay. Also, ask your contractor to use soft plywood and other low-emitting products.

4. Don’t run your car in the garage.

5. Keep outdoor barbecues, outdoors and have your HVAC and chimney systems verified regularly.

6. If your home was built during the 1960’s and 70’s, you may want to have it checked for formaldehyde. During that period, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was being used.

7. Hardwood floors are better for your indoor air quality than carpets. Carpets are generally coated with resins that release formaldehyde and other VOCs.

8. Stay away from aerosols, plug-ins and scented candles

9. An air purifier with granular activated carbon can trap formaldehyde emissions.

10. Toxic cleaning chemicals —yikes! You really need to use natural cleaning agents, most (if not all) household cleaners emit hundreds of chemicals into the ambient air of your home; formaldehyde happens to be one of them.

Radon Gas Exposure in Your Home

Radon gas exposure occurs in one out of every fifteen homes. According to the EPA, Radon claims over 20,000 lives each year due to lung cancer. Radon gas exposure is a result of decayed uranium found in soil across North America. This radioactive gas travels from the ground up, making its way into the air and your home through a variety of sources:

· Floor and wall cracks

· Gaps around pipes

· Hollows in walls

· Spaces between suspended floors

· Basement drains

The American Lung Association and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention advise that radon gas exposure is especially harmful to smokers and causes a formidable number of preventable deaths in non-smokers each year. The onset of lung cancer can be delayed, so think both short and long-term health.

Radon gas exposure is especially harmful in confined spaces, for example bedrooms and basements. In these areas, radon may accumulate in high levels, which poses a serious health risk. Extended radon gas exposure, even at low levels, can have adverse effects on your health. Furthermore, because of radon’s radioactive properties, when it decays it produces what is referred to as radon daughters (radon progeny) that decay rapidly, adding alpha particles that deteriorate lung and bronchial tissue when inhaled.

Minimizing the risk of radon gas exposure is important. Regardless of how long you’ve lived in your home, reducing radon levels will decrease your risk of developing lung cancer. Consider testing your home to find out the radon levels.

Radon does not have a smell or color, so it is virtually undetectable unless you test your home. The higher the radon levels, the sooner you will need to take remedial measures. You may wish to:

· Renovate basement floors

· Fix cracks in walls, floors, drains and pipes

· Ventilating sub floors

· Using an air filtration system that vents radon gas from the indoor source to outside.

· Equipping your home with an air purifier loaded with granular activated carbon and HEPA technology will help regulate your level of radon gas exposure and protect against other gaseous and particle pollutants that compromise your indoor air quality.
When purchasing a new home, be sure to ask the right questions.

· Ask if the home has been tested and whether radon was found

· Ask if any measures were taken to reduce radon levels

· Ask if there are particular areas of the home with higher concentrations of radon

Home Safety Month with Air Quality Safety Tips for a Safer Home

Swanton, Vermont, June 8, 2010 — For Home Safety Month,  AllerAir will provide Air Quality Safety tips, which will focus on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) awareness for a safer home.

Today, the proliferation of air pollution both in –and outdoors subjects families to health risks that may have short and long-term consequences. Now, a safer home means considering air quality safety and protecting yourself and family members from noxious air pollutants. Chemicals, lead, pesticides, radon, mold, pollen and dust, as well as second hand smoke can be found in homes across North America.

The toxic cleaning chemicals used to keep homes spotless contain noxious chemicals, particularly Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and carcinogens. These toxic cleaning chemicals compromise air quality safety in homes nationwide, because of their ability to cause damage to the nervous system, liver and kidneys, as well as irritation to the respiratory tract, not to mention cancer. A safer home involves attention to detail —from safer home furnishings to green cleaning products.

According the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 75 percent of U.S. households use pesticides indoors, while radon emissions claim 20,000 lives in the U.S. alone. Currently, radon is the leading reason for lung cancer in non-smokers.

Air quality safety is important. Carpets, plush furniture, drapes and pressed wood products emit chemicals, like formaldehyde, while many other household aerosols, perfumes and cosmetic products release benzene, toluene and other hazardous carcinogens.

Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, and another 48 million suffer from multiple chemical sensitivities. There has also been an alarming spike in respiratory diseases like asthma; in fact, asthma is the most common chronic disease among children, and the most common reason for hospitalization and mortality. Moreover, because their bodies are developing—and because children inhale more air than adults—children are more susceptible to air contaminants.

According to AllerAir president, Sam Teitelbaum, “It is imperative that government agencies promote air quality safety, and that people are aware of how important it is to live in a safer home. The damaging effects of indoor air pollution will have an impact on human health for years to come. Poor indoor air quality is especially hazardous to people with compromised immune systems, children and the elderly; there is definitely reason for concern.”

AllerAir Since 1996

AllerAir is the industry leader in activated carbon filtration, and is committed to creating air quality awareness while supplying thousands of North American households and businesses with clean air.

For the best air quality safety, the AllerAir Numerical Series offers versatility, with between 12-24 pounds of granular activated carbon for gaseous pollutants. This series is also equipped with particle pre-filters and medical- grade HEPA for particle pollutants, like dust, dander and pollen, as well as a safe UV option for bacteria, viruses and other airborne pathogens. A safe home means implementing healthy habits and an air purifier that is safe and effective.

Working Towards A Safer Home: The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

Given the current quality of our outdoor air, you can only imagine what hazards can be found indoors. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contends that indoor air can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. Moreover, the problem with indoor air pollutants is that many of the effects are long term.


Carbon Monoxide

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.6 million people will die every year as a result of indoor air pollution. In fourth place as the leading cause of death in third world countries is indoor air pollution.

According to the WHO, the indoor smoke from biomass fires kills three people every minute. If you believe you’re safe because you’re not in a third world country, you’ll be disappointed to learn that having an indoor garage, a wood burning stove, fireplace, or gas stove may have similar effects on your health. Fuel burning devices must be well maintained and vented.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be quite harmful, even at low levels. Carbon monoxide is a non- irritant, so inhalation often goes unnoticed. Carbon monoxide is created as a result of incomplete combustion of natural gas, propane, gasoline, coal, wood and oil.

The impact of carbon monoxide begins before people become aware of its presence. What happens is that this gas builds up in the blood stream, producing carboxyhemoglobin that hinders blood’s ability to transmit oxygen to the rest of the body.

At low levels, carbon monoxide causes headache, drowsiness and impairs lung and motor functions. Symptoms associated with repeated low -level exposures include: vertigo, chest pains, extreme drowsiness, blurred vision, flu-like symptoms and difficulty concentrating. Repeated exposure to this gas can cause heart damage, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (like anemia or heart disease) are at greater risk of coma, and even death.

In developing countries, WHO estimates that 50 percent of carbon monoxide related deaths are children. Because their bodies are still in the process of development, children take more breaths that adults. Their bodies are more susceptible to air pollutants, and toxins remain in their fragile systems for longer periods of time. Additionally, exposure to carbon monoxide during pregnancy may result in toxic accumulations in the fetus, which may cause death.

Sources of exposure include:

· Tobacco (cigarette and cigar) smoke

· Furnaces, gas stoves, water heaters and fireplaces

· Cars that are left idling in attached garages

· Space heaters, grills and barbecues


To prevent exposure to carbon monoxide:

1. Be sure that flues, chimneys, furnaces and water heaters are checked regularly (at least once a year) for blockages and corrosion.

2. Keep barbecues and grills outdoors and away from windows and doors.

3. Kerosene lamps are a big no-no, unless they’re deigned for indoor purposes.

4. Do not smoke indoors, and don’t allow others to smoke in your home either.

5. Try to keep windows open when using your fireplace or woodstove.

6. Invest in a carbon monoxide detector

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a must when trying to maintain good health and a healthy family. There are numerous indoor air pollutants in the ambient air of your home. I intend to expose them all.

Green Products That Really, Really, Work

1. Nature Clean Liquid Bleach - Chlorine-free formula created from hydrogen peroxide

I love, love, love this product. It's truly just as good as it's stinky counterpart. I use it everywhere - on kids clothes, on my grout (leave it on for about 10 minutes then mop), even my mattress after my son's last bought of gastro....yep I'm talking barf folks.

According to their website: "It works by releasing oxygen to perform the bleaching process, and converting itself into simple H2O (water and oxygen) once the process is complete."
 
The only thing I don't like about their line is I find the packaging way too kid friendly. Do I need another reason for my child to want to grab a cleaning product?...uh no. So I pull the labels off.
 

2. AllerAir Air Medic Air Purifiers
On Sunday night there was a huge condo-building fire only two streets away from our house and the smell was unbelievable. We were concerned about my son's asthma and ended up camping out in the only room in our house that didn't stink -- yes, the one with the air purifier in it. I do blog for AllerAir so I know how good their products are, but even I was shocked at the level of clean air in the room. Not one hint of smoke smell -- really amazing. Their air purifiers are some of the only ones with activated carbon in them - the same stuff used in military gas masks. They're also very eco-conscious. They use virtually no plastic (I believe only the wheels and the knob), very little energy, make their products in North America and source from local suppliers.
 

3. 20 MULE TEAM Borax
For years I kept coming across this product "borax" in various articles on green cleaning, but had no idea what it was. Then one day I saw it in the laundry aisle at Walmart and decided to give it a try.  I used it as a laundry "booster" and it worked great on stains. It also works quite well as a deodorizer in the garbage disposal and drains. According the their website it can be used for everything from preserving flowers to candle making.




4. gDiapers

So I admit it, I'm a cloth diaper wimp. I like getting out with the kids a lot and the idea of lugging around a stinky, poopy diaper all day was a total no-go. Then I discovered gDiapers. They're cloth diapers with special inserts that can be FLUSHED. I personally have flushed hundreds down the toilet with no clogging whatsoever (they break down almost instantly). They're also compostable. I liked them so much I signed up to be one of their "Mom" ambassadors...

Five Things You Didn’t Know Contributed to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Furniture

There’s a bit of irony here --- remember when you were so thrilled to replace that hideous couch you stole from your parent’s basement? Well, chances are the new furniture you haven’t finished paying for yet is off-gassing chemicals into your air. That’s because furniture is laced with wood preservatives, stain repellants and other chemicals that continue to off-gas for years. This is where the irony comes in --- the old stuff you dumped, which is now sitting in some college student’s apartment --- is likely releasing far fewer chemicals.

Air Fresheners

Most air fresheners, whether in the form of a spray, gel, mist or scented candle do not provide “fresh air”. The smells they produce are made in many cases with synthetic chemicals. In fact, most "freshners"work by overpowering the scent you are trying to disguise or by actually dulling your sense of smell. Scary but true. If you want fresh air open a widow or use an air purifier.

Dry Cleaned Clothes

The dry cleaning process uses a solvent called Perchloroethylene, which the World Health Orgazigation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has identified as a probable human carcinogen. If you must dry clean, remove and discard the bags, and hang the clothes outside or in your garage to air out. Try not to store newly dry cleaned clothes in your bedroom.

Your Shoes

Your Dad was right when he ordered you to leave your shoes at the door. Shoes pick up pollen, dirt, dander and chemical residue – all of which you track through your house if you fail to leave them by the door.

Your Plants

While some plants can act as mini air purifiers, they can also be affected by fungus and mold. Check your plants regularly for white fuzz and be sure not to over water. Houseplants should also be periodically cleaned. Indoor air pollutants settle on leaves making them dull and preventing the plant from absorbing sunlight.

Five Substances You Need to Know About

1. Borax

Scary name, great results. Borax is a natural mineral compound which was discovered over 4000 years ago. It's a natural laundry booster, amazing on diapers and bibs, removes stains on carpets (test first folks), unclogs drains with boiling water and yes it does windows.

2. Activated Carbon
Also in use for thousands of years. The military’s use of activated carbon for gas masks help develop it for home use in water purification (it’s in your Brita) and air purification. It’s one of the only natural substances that can safely remove airborne chemicals.

3. Baking Soda.
Yep, this one you know about, but did you know that aside from science fair volcanoes, it’s great for removing product build-up on hair (1 TBS while shampooing, once a week), repels rain on a windshield (I’ll test this and report back) and can repel cockroaches and ants (put it under sinks, along basement windows and behind the fridge).

4. Vinegar
It’s great on fries and fish (malt) but vinegar can also clean the hoses and unclog soap scum from a washing machine (one cup, normal cycle, no clothes, once a month), remove coffee stains on mugs (soak overnight), prevent hard boiled eggs from cracking (about two TBS to your pot of water) and my personal quirky favorite…. will turn a chicken bone into rubber (soak in a glass of vinegar for at least three days).

5.Lemon Juice
Courtesy of my mother, a grade-school teacher who knows everything. Put a cup of lemon juice in the microwave and turn it on. It will remove odors and the steam will help loosen any gunk. Lemon juice can also be used to polish copper (use a lemon-juice soaked cloth and buff dry).