By DEVLIN BARRETT
In an escalating dispute with New York City education officials, federal authorities say they will soon begin inspecting classrooms for PCB contamination because the city is downplaying the potential danger to children.
The city, in turn, said that if the Environmental Protection Agency gets what it wants, it will cause 15,000 teacher layoffs.
The EPA notified the city's Department of Education last week that it doesn't agree with the city's claim that the PCB-contaminated material poses no immediate threat to students or school staff. The EPA also challenges the city's estimate that it would cost $1 billion to replace the aging fluorescent lighting fixtures that are the chief suspects of PCB contamination in schools.
The EPA has recommended the city immediately begin removing the older fixtures suspected of leaking PCBs, or polychlorinated byphenyls, a potentially cancer-causing chemical linked to numerous other health problems, including reproductive and immune disorders. PCBs were often used in construction and electrical components starting in the 1950s, but were banned in 1978.
The city contends there is little scientific evidence to show that inhaled PCBs like those in the schools pose an immediate health risk.
Judith Enck, the EPA's regional administrator in New York, notified the city by letter that as long as it resisted efforts to quickly replace the suspect lighting fixtures, the EPA would send its own personnel into schools to inspect light fixtures. The inspections are planned to begin early next month.
Ms. Enck chided the city for not taking action, saying other school systems around the country are removing light fixtures with PCBs. She criticized the city's $1 billion estimate for the work, saying her agency has "no understanding of how this figure was arrived at,'' particularly since a 2008 city estimate said it would cost $1.2 billion to remove the lights in all city-owned buildings, not just the schools.
Natalie Ravitz, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Education, said that such light fixtures exist in schools and buildings around the country, yet New York "is the only school district in the nation that the EPA is threatening with an enormous unfunded mandate. We are working with the Obama administration to find solutions that do not impose a $1 billion unfunded mandate on city taxpayers that would force 15,000 teacher layoffs.''
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D., Manhattan), who has criticized the Bloomberg administration for not moving quickly, praised the EPA Monday for addressing "an issue of immediate concern, which does pose very real health risks in the here and now.''
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Possible Toxins in Perfumes
Even high-end perfumes are made with cocktails of dangerous and untested chemicals that may produce problems from allergies to hormone disruption, a study by the Environmental Working Group and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has found.The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973 explicitly exempts manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products from having to disclose any of the ingredients used to give fragrance to their products, as long as "fragrance" is listed in on the label. This lack disclosure becomes particularly dangerous when combined with a large-scale lack of data on the safety of these compounds; neither the FDA nor any publicly accountable organization has ever tested the majority of fragrance compounds for safety as ingredients in personal care products.Upon request from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the Environmental Working Group sent 17 brand-name perfumes to be tested by the independent laboratory Analytical Sciences. Thirteen of the perfumes had been purchased in the United States, and four had been purchased in Canada.Researchers uncovered 40 different chemicals in the perfume samples, in addition to the 51 listed on product labels. Of the 40 ingredients found, only two were listed on the label of every product containing them; the other 38 were unlisted on at least one of the 17 labels.Each product contained roughly equal numbers of listed and unlisted chemicals, averaging 14 secret chemicals per product. Products including more than the average number included Britney Spears Curious (17), Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio (17), Chanel Coco (18) and American Eagle Seventy Seven (24). The average perfume contained 10 known allergens that can trigger reactions from asthma to headaches to contact dermatitis. Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio contained the most known allergens, at 19.Even more seriously, researchers uncovered 10 chemicals known to disrupt the hormonal (endocrine) system, with each perfume containing an average of four. The perfumes Halle by Halle Berry, Quicksilver and Jennifer Lopez J. Lo Glow all contained seven different endocrine disruptors -- six estrogen mimics and a thyroid disruptor.Among the endocrine disrupting chemicals were sun-blocking chemicals, the synthetic musks Galaxolide and Tonalide and diethyl phthalate (DEP). Galaxolide and Tonalide, which have been shown to accumulate in human and animal bodies, were found in more than eight of the products. DEP was found in 12 products in concentrations from 30 to 30,000 parts per million, the latter in Eternity for Women. It has been linked to reproductive defects in male infants, sperm damage in men and, more recently, hyperactivity in children.Other perfume ingredients are known to react with indoor air to form formaldehyde, ultrafine particles and other pollutants. These dangerous fragrance chemicals are also found in air fresheners, shampoos, lotions, bath products, and dishwashing and laundry detergents.Yet because the FDA has no authority to force fragrance manufacturers to test their products for safety, vast numbers of such chemicals remain unknown quantities. Only 19 of the 91 ingredients in the study have ever been tested for safety by the industry-funded Cosmetic Industry Review, and only 27 have ever been tested by either the International Fragrance Association or the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials. Of the unlabeled ingredients found, only 34 percent have had safety assessments published. While industry sources may claim that more ingredients than these have been tested, many have only been tested in non-cosmetic contexts, for example as food additives. And even evaluated chemicals remain untested in combination with the many other chemicals thrown in to cosmetics and other products to produce the vague legal category of "fragrance."With no requirement for either safety testing or labeling, there is simply no way for consumers to know what lies behind that term.Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030635_perfumes_toxic_chemicals.html#ixzz17M7keP00
Monday, November 29, 2010
Ventilation in Classroom Ariticle
Classroom Ventilation Affects Learning Outcomes
Lourdes Salvador
November 28, 2010
Parents are addressing air quality issues at their children´s schools with increasing frequency. Commonly addressed issues include poor ventilation, mold, fragrance, new carpeting, pesticides, and a myriad of cleaning products used on a routine basis to maintain schools. Now, researchers at the University of Tulsa, Indoor Air Program agree that increasing the ventilation rates in classrooms translates into improved academic achievement for students.The researchers studied 100 elementary schools in the US in two different districts. Ventilation rates were measured along with students´ standardized test scores.Eighty-seven of the 100 classrooms evaluated had ventilation rates below the recommended guidelines, indicating a need for the average school to improve indoor air quality.The results of the study found that for every unit of ventilation rate increase, 2.9% more students passed the standardized test for math and reading. This is a significant finding in terms of academic achievement. Increasing ventilation rates reduces the amount of contaminants in the air. Less pollution and better air allows students to think and focus better. Symptoms of attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities appear to also diminish when ventilation rates and air quality improve. Other methods of reducing indoor air pollution include the use of fragrance free, non-toxic cleaning products, avoiding the use of fragranced personal care products by students and staff, cleaning up mold and mildew, avoiding pesticide use or using an integrative pest management practice, and using low or no-voc, non-toxic materials for building and renovations. This would include no-voc paints and avoiding varnishes, floor waxes, carpets, and other materials which release gases in to the air.
google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
One common product that has made its way into schools that pollutes indoor air is hand sanitizer. These germicidal products contain both fragrance and ingredients which are registered pesticides. Instead of relying on hand sanitizers, schools can encourage hand washing and provide fragrance free, non-toxic soap in restrooms. Scientific evidence shows that better air means better grades and better behavior. Many schools are starting to take this seriously and creating new policies and procedures. Still others are resistant to change either due to time or perceived increased cost of initiating new procedures, and sometimes simply due to long-standing habits.Yet the change is for the benefit of students, which means cost savings long term for special education and remedial programs. Oftentimes a change to less toxic products also means less cost for on-the-job injuries.The bottom line is that the nation´s kids matter and to do their best in class, research shows they need clean air!ReferenceHaverinen-Shaughnessy U, Moschandreas DJ, Shaughnessy RJ. Association between substandard classroom ventilation rates and students' academic achievement. Indoor Air. 2010 Aug 24. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2010.00686.x. [Epub ahead of print]This article originally appeared in the MCS America News, December 2010 Issue
Lourdes Salvador
November 28, 2010
Parents are addressing air quality issues at their children´s schools with increasing frequency. Commonly addressed issues include poor ventilation, mold, fragrance, new carpeting, pesticides, and a myriad of cleaning products used on a routine basis to maintain schools. Now, researchers at the University of Tulsa, Indoor Air Program agree that increasing the ventilation rates in classrooms translates into improved academic achievement for students.The researchers studied 100 elementary schools in the US in two different districts. Ventilation rates were measured along with students´ standardized test scores.Eighty-seven of the 100 classrooms evaluated had ventilation rates below the recommended guidelines, indicating a need for the average school to improve indoor air quality.The results of the study found that for every unit of ventilation rate increase, 2.9% more students passed the standardized test for math and reading. This is a significant finding in terms of academic achievement. Increasing ventilation rates reduces the amount of contaminants in the air. Less pollution and better air allows students to think and focus better. Symptoms of attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities appear to also diminish when ventilation rates and air quality improve. Other methods of reducing indoor air pollution include the use of fragrance free, non-toxic cleaning products, avoiding the use of fragranced personal care products by students and staff, cleaning up mold and mildew, avoiding pesticide use or using an integrative pest management practice, and using low or no-voc, non-toxic materials for building and renovations. This would include no-voc paints and avoiding varnishes, floor waxes, carpets, and other materials which release gases in to the air.
google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
One common product that has made its way into schools that pollutes indoor air is hand sanitizer. These germicidal products contain both fragrance and ingredients which are registered pesticides. Instead of relying on hand sanitizers, schools can encourage hand washing and provide fragrance free, non-toxic soap in restrooms. Scientific evidence shows that better air means better grades and better behavior. Many schools are starting to take this seriously and creating new policies and procedures. Still others are resistant to change either due to time or perceived increased cost of initiating new procedures, and sometimes simply due to long-standing habits.Yet the change is for the benefit of students, which means cost savings long term for special education and remedial programs. Oftentimes a change to less toxic products also means less cost for on-the-job injuries.The bottom line is that the nation´s kids matter and to do their best in class, research shows they need clean air!ReferenceHaverinen-Shaughnessy U, Moschandreas DJ, Shaughnessy RJ. Association between substandard classroom ventilation rates and students' academic achievement. Indoor Air. 2010 Aug 24. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2010.00686.x. [Epub ahead of print]This article originally appeared in the MCS America News, December 2010 Issue
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Article on House Plants and Indoor Air Quality
Household Plants More Than Room Decor
Antananarivo : Madagascar Nov 03, 2010
By Debbie Nicholson
1 0
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7223365-household-plants-more-than-room-decor';
tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
Views: 96
Health Benefits of Some of the Healthiest Plants We all use plants to brighten up our rooms and bring some of nature indoors. Other than looking great and adding energy to our room they actually provide health benefits to the body. Problems of headaches, stress and even heart issues seem to lessen with these plants around. One of the best parts is they can bring in clean air.Chicago cardiologist Dr. Bruno Cortis, states house plants do relax a person. Studies have proven that patients in hospitals who have a garden view from a window have a faster recovery rate than those who face a wall.In Norway, the University of Agriculture, conducted a study on indoor plants. Their study had shown that these plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore-throats and other types of cold associated illness by at least 30%. The main reason is the plants increase humidity while decreasing dust.
Large known corporations and even offices are starting to add plants indoors to boost employee morale and health.Benefits of houseplantsThey heighten a persons positive feelings while reducing negative ones like anger.Reduce sound and stress levels.Ability to control humidity to optimal levels of health.They absorb carbon dioxide and bring in fresh air and oxygen.Makes room appearance look clean and fresh.Improves concentration levels.Why purify the home with plantsSome of the biggest contributions to poor health our actually found in the home. There are plants which can remove and guard their harmful effects.Benzene which is found in tobacco smoke, paint and other types of material. Benzene can cause health issues such as headaches, dizziness and respiratory problems.Formaldehyde which easily is found in permanent-press clothing, pressed wood furniture, some paper products and even carpeting. Formaldehyde can irritate asthma and produce headaches. It to have been associated to certain cancers.Trichloroethylene is also a substance that can cause cancer in both humans and animals. It can come from numerous sources including tobacco.Carbon monoxide causes drowsiness and headaches. Can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.Some of the top choice plants aroundAreca Palm This plant is from Madagascar. It is also known under names such as the butterfly plant, yellow palm and golden cane.It is labeled as an exotic houseplant for indoors. It brings an air of tropics into your home. It takes all indoor toxins out of the air and purifies it. Large amounts of moisture get released into the air. It thrives wonderfully indoors.Boston FernThis fern was popular back in the Queen Victoria era of the 19th century. Then in Boston during the year 1914 it had began to appear. Now it is increasingly popular plant today in many homes.The plant takes formaldehyde out of the air. Formaldehyde coming from things such as pressed wood products, cigarette smoke. Formaldehyde occurs naturally in the environment and has been associated to increased risks of cancer.They need lots of sunlight so a window location is best.English IvyEnglish Ivy has been proven to effectively eliminate airborne mold and feces along with formaldehyde.If you own pets it is great plant to have and works well placed near litter boxes and cages.The plant needs bright light to grow but do not use direct sunlight.Peace LilyThe Peace Lily has the ability to remove benzene and xylene and toluene which is found in nail polish removers, paints and solvents.The plant will thrive in low light and any well draining potting mix. You need to wash the leaves now and then for the prevention of insect attacks.Bamboo plantThis is one extremely popular plant today. In Asia it is a symbol of good fortune and has been around for 4,000 years. They are considered non-toxic for pets expect for the Chinese Sacred or Heavenly Bamboo. It too removes benzene from the air.Aloe VeraAloe Vera plants not only maintain clean air quality and eliminate toxins it is well known for its medical benefits as well.As we all know the gel from this plant is extremely useful. Just cut off a section and the gel spills out. Just dab on wound or cut to speed up healing. It is an antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral which can also soothe any inflammation.Lady FernMuch like the Aloe Vera plant. It is also one of the oldest variety of ferns. Just grab a leaf and mash it in palm of hand. It's juices will rapidly ease the sting from nettle burns other burns and stings along with minor cuts.NASA Research and EPA Has The Final StatementNASA and the EPA had invested twenty-five years of research into hazardous volatile organic carbons. In the studies it has indicatHousehold Plants More Than Room Decor
Antananarivo : Madagascar Nov 03, 2010
By Debbie Nicholson
1 0
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7223365-household-plants-more-than-room-decor';
tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
Views: 96
Health Benefits of Some of the Healthiest Plants We all use plants to brighten up our rooms and bring some of nature indoors. Other than looking great and adding energy to our room they actually provide health benefits to the body. Problems of headaches, stress and even heart issues seem to lessen with these plants around. One of the best parts is they can bring in clean air.Chicago cardiologist Dr. Bruno Cortis, states house plants do relax a person. Studies have proven that patients in hospitals who have a garden view from a window have a faster recovery rate than those who face a wall.In Norway, the University of Agriculture, conducted a study on indoor plants. Their study had shown that these plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore-throats and other types of cold associated illness by at least 30%. The main reason is the plants increase humidity while decreasing dust.
Large known corporations and even offices are starting to add plants indoors to boost employee morale and health.Benefits of houseplantsThey heighten a persons positive feelings while reducing negative ones like anger.Reduce sound and stress levels.Ability to control humidity to optimal levels of health.They absorb carbon dioxide and bring in fresh air and oxygen.Makes room appearance look clean and fresh.Improves concentration levels.Why purify the home with plantsSome of the biggest contributions to poor health our actually found in the home. There are plants which can remove and guard their harmful effects.Benzene which is found in tobacco smoke, paint and other types of material. Benzene can cause health issues such as headaches, dizziness and respiratory problems.Formaldehyde which easily is found in permanent-press clothing, pressed wood furniture, some paper products and even carpeting. Formaldehyde can irritate asthma and produce headaches. It to have been associated to certain cancers.Trichloroethylene is also a substance that can cause cancer in both humans and animals. It can come from numerous sources including tobacco.Carbon monoxide causes drowsiness and headaches. Can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.Some of the top choice plants aroundAreca Palm This plant is from Madagascar. It is also known under names such as the butterfly plant, yellow palm and golden cane.It is labeled as an exotic houseplant for indoors. It brings an air of tropics into your home. It takes all indoor toxins out of the air and purifies it. Large amounts of moisture get released into the air. It thrives wonderfully indoors.Boston FernThis fern was popular back in the Queen Victoria era of the 19th century. Then in Boston during the year 1914 it had began to appear. Now it is increasingly popular plant today in many homes.The plant takes formaldehyde out of the air. Formaldehyde coming from things such as pressed wood products, cigarette smoke. Formaldehyde occurs naturally in the environment and has been associated to increased risks of cancer.They need lots of sunlight so a window location is best.English IvyEnglish Ivy has been proven to effectively eliminate airborne mold and feces along with formaldehyde.If you own pets it is great plant to have and works well placed near litter boxes and cages.The plant needs bright light to grow but do not use direct sunlight.Peace LilyThe Peace Lily has the ability to remove benzene and xylene and toluene which is found in nail polish removers, paints and solvents.The plant will thrive in low light and any well draining potting mix. You need to wash the leaves now and then for the prevention of insect attacks.Bamboo plantThis is one extremely popular plant today. In Asia it is a symbol of good fortune and has been around for 4,000 years. They are considered non-toxic for pets expect for the Chinese Sacred or Heavenly Bamboo. It too removes benzene from the air.Aloe VeraAloe Vera plants not only maintain clean air quality and eliminate toxins it is well known for its medical benefits as well.As we all know the gel from this plant is extremely useful. Just cut off a section and the gel spills out. Just dab on wound or cut to speed up healing. It is an antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral which can also soothe any inflammation.Lady FernMuch like the Aloe Vera plant. It is also one of the oldest variety of ferns. Just grab a leaf and mash it in palm of hand. It's juices will rapidly ease the sting from nettle burns other burns and stings along with minor cuts.NASA Research and EPA Has The Final StatementNASA and the EPA had invested twenty-five years of research into hazardous volatile organic carbons. In the studies it has indicated that greater than 107 of various VOCs are associated to cancer. They also can cause damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.Findings have indicated that indoor plants can eliminate dangerous of these toxins. Many studies have proved that indoor plants contain a huge capacity for the absorbtion of chemicals while purifying the air.The EPA states that VOCs are put into the air daily from simple household items such as paint, furniture and carpeting. These are higher indoors by up to two to five times more than if they were present outdoors.Additional studies by NASA also have shown that indoor plants effectively eliminate several main pollutants which are present indoors.Indoor plants not convert carbon dioxide into oxygen but also eliminate benzene, tricholorethylene and formaldehyde.There we have evidence from two top agencies that indoor plants do provide health benefits and are just more than a way to brighten up a room.ed that greater than 107 of various VOCs are associated to cancer. They also can cause damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.Findings have indicated that indoor plants can eliminate dangerous of these toxins. Many studies have proved that indoor plants contain a huge capacity for the absorbtion of chemicals while purifying the air.The EPA states that VOCs are put into the air daily from simple household items such as paint, furniture and carpeting. These are higher indoors by up to two to five times more than if they were present outdoors.Additional studies by NASA also have shown that indoor plants effectively eliminate several main pollutants which are present indoors.Indoor plants not convert carbon dioxide into oxygen but also eliminate benzene, tricholorethylene and formaldehyde.There we have evidence from two top agencies that indoor plants do provide health benefits and are just more than a way to brighten up a room.
Antananarivo : Madagascar Nov 03, 2010
By Debbie Nicholson
1 0
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7223365-household-plants-more-than-room-decor';
tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
Views: 96
Health Benefits of Some of the Healthiest Plants We all use plants to brighten up our rooms and bring some of nature indoors. Other than looking great and adding energy to our room they actually provide health benefits to the body. Problems of headaches, stress and even heart issues seem to lessen with these plants around. One of the best parts is they can bring in clean air.Chicago cardiologist Dr. Bruno Cortis, states house plants do relax a person. Studies have proven that patients in hospitals who have a garden view from a window have a faster recovery rate than those who face a wall.In Norway, the University of Agriculture, conducted a study on indoor plants. Their study had shown that these plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore-throats and other types of cold associated illness by at least 30%. The main reason is the plants increase humidity while decreasing dust.
Large known corporations and even offices are starting to add plants indoors to boost employee morale and health.Benefits of houseplantsThey heighten a persons positive feelings while reducing negative ones like anger.Reduce sound and stress levels.Ability to control humidity to optimal levels of health.They absorb carbon dioxide and bring in fresh air and oxygen.Makes room appearance look clean and fresh.Improves concentration levels.Why purify the home with plantsSome of the biggest contributions to poor health our actually found in the home. There are plants which can remove and guard their harmful effects.Benzene which is found in tobacco smoke, paint and other types of material. Benzene can cause health issues such as headaches, dizziness and respiratory problems.Formaldehyde which easily is found in permanent-press clothing, pressed wood furniture, some paper products and even carpeting. Formaldehyde can irritate asthma and produce headaches. It to have been associated to certain cancers.Trichloroethylene is also a substance that can cause cancer in both humans and animals. It can come from numerous sources including tobacco.Carbon monoxide causes drowsiness and headaches. Can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.Some of the top choice plants aroundAreca Palm This plant is from Madagascar. It is also known under names such as the butterfly plant, yellow palm and golden cane.It is labeled as an exotic houseplant for indoors. It brings an air of tropics into your home. It takes all indoor toxins out of the air and purifies it. Large amounts of moisture get released into the air. It thrives wonderfully indoors.Boston FernThis fern was popular back in the Queen Victoria era of the 19th century. Then in Boston during the year 1914 it had began to appear. Now it is increasingly popular plant today in many homes.The plant takes formaldehyde out of the air. Formaldehyde coming from things such as pressed wood products, cigarette smoke. Formaldehyde occurs naturally in the environment and has been associated to increased risks of cancer.They need lots of sunlight so a window location is best.English IvyEnglish Ivy has been proven to effectively eliminate airborne mold and feces along with formaldehyde.If you own pets it is great plant to have and works well placed near litter boxes and cages.The plant needs bright light to grow but do not use direct sunlight.Peace LilyThe Peace Lily has the ability to remove benzene and xylene and toluene which is found in nail polish removers, paints and solvents.The plant will thrive in low light and any well draining potting mix. You need to wash the leaves now and then for the prevention of insect attacks.Bamboo plantThis is one extremely popular plant today. In Asia it is a symbol of good fortune and has been around for 4,000 years. They are considered non-toxic for pets expect for the Chinese Sacred or Heavenly Bamboo. It too removes benzene from the air.Aloe VeraAloe Vera plants not only maintain clean air quality and eliminate toxins it is well known for its medical benefits as well.As we all know the gel from this plant is extremely useful. Just cut off a section and the gel spills out. Just dab on wound or cut to speed up healing. It is an antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral which can also soothe any inflammation.Lady FernMuch like the Aloe Vera plant. It is also one of the oldest variety of ferns. Just grab a leaf and mash it in palm of hand. It's juices will rapidly ease the sting from nettle burns other burns and stings along with minor cuts.NASA Research and EPA Has The Final StatementNASA and the EPA had invested twenty-five years of research into hazardous volatile organic carbons. In the studies it has indicatHousehold Plants More Than Room Decor
Antananarivo : Madagascar Nov 03, 2010
By Debbie Nicholson
1 0
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7223365-household-plants-more-than-room-decor';
tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
Views: 96
Health Benefits of Some of the Healthiest Plants We all use plants to brighten up our rooms and bring some of nature indoors. Other than looking great and adding energy to our room they actually provide health benefits to the body. Problems of headaches, stress and even heart issues seem to lessen with these plants around. One of the best parts is they can bring in clean air.Chicago cardiologist Dr. Bruno Cortis, states house plants do relax a person. Studies have proven that patients in hospitals who have a garden view from a window have a faster recovery rate than those who face a wall.In Norway, the University of Agriculture, conducted a study on indoor plants. Their study had shown that these plants can reduce fatigue, coughs, sore-throats and other types of cold associated illness by at least 30%. The main reason is the plants increase humidity while decreasing dust.
Large known corporations and even offices are starting to add plants indoors to boost employee morale and health.Benefits of houseplantsThey heighten a persons positive feelings while reducing negative ones like anger.Reduce sound and stress levels.Ability to control humidity to optimal levels of health.They absorb carbon dioxide and bring in fresh air and oxygen.Makes room appearance look clean and fresh.Improves concentration levels.Why purify the home with plantsSome of the biggest contributions to poor health our actually found in the home. There are plants which can remove and guard their harmful effects.Benzene which is found in tobacco smoke, paint and other types of material. Benzene can cause health issues such as headaches, dizziness and respiratory problems.Formaldehyde which easily is found in permanent-press clothing, pressed wood furniture, some paper products and even carpeting. Formaldehyde can irritate asthma and produce headaches. It to have been associated to certain cancers.Trichloroethylene is also a substance that can cause cancer in both humans and animals. It can come from numerous sources including tobacco.Carbon monoxide causes drowsiness and headaches. Can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.Some of the top choice plants aroundAreca Palm This plant is from Madagascar. It is also known under names such as the butterfly plant, yellow palm and golden cane.It is labeled as an exotic houseplant for indoors. It brings an air of tropics into your home. It takes all indoor toxins out of the air and purifies it. Large amounts of moisture get released into the air. It thrives wonderfully indoors.Boston FernThis fern was popular back in the Queen Victoria era of the 19th century. Then in Boston during the year 1914 it had began to appear. Now it is increasingly popular plant today in many homes.The plant takes formaldehyde out of the air. Formaldehyde coming from things such as pressed wood products, cigarette smoke. Formaldehyde occurs naturally in the environment and has been associated to increased risks of cancer.They need lots of sunlight so a window location is best.English IvyEnglish Ivy has been proven to effectively eliminate airborne mold and feces along with formaldehyde.If you own pets it is great plant to have and works well placed near litter boxes and cages.The plant needs bright light to grow but do not use direct sunlight.Peace LilyThe Peace Lily has the ability to remove benzene and xylene and toluene which is found in nail polish removers, paints and solvents.The plant will thrive in low light and any well draining potting mix. You need to wash the leaves now and then for the prevention of insect attacks.Bamboo plantThis is one extremely popular plant today. In Asia it is a symbol of good fortune and has been around for 4,000 years. They are considered non-toxic for pets expect for the Chinese Sacred or Heavenly Bamboo. It too removes benzene from the air.Aloe VeraAloe Vera plants not only maintain clean air quality and eliminate toxins it is well known for its medical benefits as well.As we all know the gel from this plant is extremely useful. Just cut off a section and the gel spills out. Just dab on wound or cut to speed up healing. It is an antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral which can also soothe any inflammation.Lady FernMuch like the Aloe Vera plant. It is also one of the oldest variety of ferns. Just grab a leaf and mash it in palm of hand. It's juices will rapidly ease the sting from nettle burns other burns and stings along with minor cuts.NASA Research and EPA Has The Final StatementNASA and the EPA had invested twenty-five years of research into hazardous volatile organic carbons. In the studies it has indicated that greater than 107 of various VOCs are associated to cancer. They also can cause damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.Findings have indicated that indoor plants can eliminate dangerous of these toxins. Many studies have proved that indoor plants contain a huge capacity for the absorbtion of chemicals while purifying the air.The EPA states that VOCs are put into the air daily from simple household items such as paint, furniture and carpeting. These are higher indoors by up to two to five times more than if they were present outdoors.Additional studies by NASA also have shown that indoor plants effectively eliminate several main pollutants which are present indoors.Indoor plants not convert carbon dioxide into oxygen but also eliminate benzene, tricholorethylene and formaldehyde.There we have evidence from two top agencies that indoor plants do provide health benefits and are just more than a way to brighten up a room.ed that greater than 107 of various VOCs are associated to cancer. They also can cause damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system.Findings have indicated that indoor plants can eliminate dangerous of these toxins. Many studies have proved that indoor plants contain a huge capacity for the absorbtion of chemicals while purifying the air.The EPA states that VOCs are put into the air daily from simple household items such as paint, furniture and carpeting. These are higher indoors by up to two to five times more than if they were present outdoors.Additional studies by NASA also have shown that indoor plants effectively eliminate several main pollutants which are present indoors.Indoor plants not convert carbon dioxide into oxygen but also eliminate benzene, tricholorethylene and formaldehyde.There we have evidence from two top agencies that indoor plants do provide health benefits and are just more than a way to brighten up a room.
Monday, November 1, 2010
BPA Article from Scientific American
Everyday BPA Exposure Decreases Human Semen Quality
The more bisphenol A men were exposed to--at work or through the environment--the worse off their sperm were, according a new study that finds the link in humans
By Katherine Harmon October 28, 2010 10
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MAN DOWN: Levels of BPA way below those currently tolerated by government agencies seem to have negative effects on the viability of sperm. Image: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/GILBERTO SANTA ROSA
The common industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to many ills, including reproductive abnormalities, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Much of the evidence for these associations, however, has been drawn from animal or in vitro research and has been somewhat controversial as to its precise implications for human health.Now, a human study has found strong links between BPA levels and semen quality—and the findings are not looking good, especially for men frequently exposed to the compound on the job.Researchers studied the urine (where BPA can be measured) and semen of 218 male factory workers in China, some of whom make BPA or put it into other products (such as plastics and epoxy resins that line cans), and the remainder, whose work did not put them in direct contact with the chemical.Compared with the control group, the men who worked in the BPA-based factories had more than four times the chance of having lowered sperm counts and more than double the risk of having lower sperm motility (swimming ability). The results of the analysis, which controlled for potentially confounding factors (including age, heavy metal and other chemical exposures, chronic disease, smoking, alcohol use, sexual history, etcetera), were published online October 28 in Fertility and Sterility in a study led by De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.The men in the study group who had not been exposed to BPA in the workplace nonetheless had been subject to everyday environmental contact, such as with BPA-containing food or beverage containers. But even these men, whose levels were slightly lower than those found in a typical U.S. man, showed decreased semen quality that correlated with their relative BPA levels.The precise mechanisms by which BPA might be affecting sexual function and semen quality are not yet well understood. The chemical is thought to be seen by the body as an estrogen and anti-androgen and likely disrupts hormones and hormone receptors, thus, possibly affecting hormone-dependent semen production and survival.Previous studies by Li and his colleagues had linked environmental BPA exposure in U.S. men to sexual dysfunction. The new analysis, however, presents more objective data and implies "that BPA may have even more toxicity than we thought," Li says.The new findings help corroborate results from another human study published earlier this year, which found that men who had the highest levels of BPA in their urine had about 23 percent lower sperm concentrations. This study, published online in July in Reproductive Toxicology, had recruited male subjects via a fertility clinic. John Meeker, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, who led the July study and was not involved in the newest research, notes that the latest work from Li's group helps strengthen the case that BPA might not just be passing inertly through our bodies.Li hopes that his team's work will help add to a growing body of literature that suggests current regulatory standards for BPA concentrations are outdated. "U.S. regulation is way out of whack," Li says. The men in his team's study who worked in the BPA-processing plants had median concentrations of about 38.7 micrograms of BPA per liter of urine, which was about 40 times higher than the control group (which had about 1.4 micrograms per liter—lower than average U.S. male levels, 2.3 micrograms per liter). Current U.S. regulatory standards, however, place daily intake limits at about 70 times the amount (2,687.5 micrograms per liter) that the BPA factory workers had. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in the process of reviewing current safety data on the chemical, and as of this March the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had listed it as a "chemical of concern."Both Li and Meeker emphasize the importance of consistent findings in human studies, which "gives you some more confidence in the existence of an association," Meeker says. And, says Li, "Our findings are consistent with animal studies," which can provide clues as to the biological processes behind the changes.
The more bisphenol A men were exposed to--at work or through the environment--the worse off their sperm were, according a new study that finds the link in humans
By Katherine Harmon October 28, 2010 10
OAS_AD("x81");
MAN DOWN: Levels of BPA way below those currently tolerated by government agencies seem to have negative effects on the viability of sperm. Image: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/GILBERTO SANTA ROSA
The common industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to many ills, including reproductive abnormalities, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Much of the evidence for these associations, however, has been drawn from animal or in vitro research and has been somewhat controversial as to its precise implications for human health.Now, a human study has found strong links between BPA levels and semen quality—and the findings are not looking good, especially for men frequently exposed to the compound on the job.Researchers studied the urine (where BPA can be measured) and semen of 218 male factory workers in China, some of whom make BPA or put it into other products (such as plastics and epoxy resins that line cans), and the remainder, whose work did not put them in direct contact with the chemical.Compared with the control group, the men who worked in the BPA-based factories had more than four times the chance of having lowered sperm counts and more than double the risk of having lower sperm motility (swimming ability). The results of the analysis, which controlled for potentially confounding factors (including age, heavy metal and other chemical exposures, chronic disease, smoking, alcohol use, sexual history, etcetera), were published online October 28 in Fertility and Sterility in a study led by De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.The men in the study group who had not been exposed to BPA in the workplace nonetheless had been subject to everyday environmental contact, such as with BPA-containing food or beverage containers. But even these men, whose levels were slightly lower than those found in a typical U.S. man, showed decreased semen quality that correlated with their relative BPA levels.The precise mechanisms by which BPA might be affecting sexual function and semen quality are not yet well understood. The chemical is thought to be seen by the body as an estrogen and anti-androgen and likely disrupts hormones and hormone receptors, thus, possibly affecting hormone-dependent semen production and survival.Previous studies by Li and his colleagues had linked environmental BPA exposure in U.S. men to sexual dysfunction. The new analysis, however, presents more objective data and implies "that BPA may have even more toxicity than we thought," Li says.The new findings help corroborate results from another human study published earlier this year, which found that men who had the highest levels of BPA in their urine had about 23 percent lower sperm concentrations. This study, published online in July in Reproductive Toxicology, had recruited male subjects via a fertility clinic. John Meeker, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, who led the July study and was not involved in the newest research, notes that the latest work from Li's group helps strengthen the case that BPA might not just be passing inertly through our bodies.Li hopes that his team's work will help add to a growing body of literature that suggests current regulatory standards for BPA concentrations are outdated. "U.S. regulation is way out of whack," Li says. The men in his team's study who worked in the BPA-processing plants had median concentrations of about 38.7 micrograms of BPA per liter of urine, which was about 40 times higher than the control group (which had about 1.4 micrograms per liter—lower than average U.S. male levels, 2.3 micrograms per liter). Current U.S. regulatory standards, however, place daily intake limits at about 70 times the amount (2,687.5 micrograms per liter) that the BPA factory workers had. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is in the process of reviewing current safety data on the chemical, and as of this March the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had listed it as a "chemical of concern."Both Li and Meeker emphasize the importance of consistent findings in human studies, which "gives you some more confidence in the existence of an association," Meeker says. And, says Li, "Our findings are consistent with animal studies," which can provide clues as to the biological processes behind the changes.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Carbon Dioxide from Gas Dryers
Nassau County, NY -- Dryer vent cleaning helps eliminate several home hazards including dryer fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, mold and mildew damage and appliance failure. Dryer vent cleaning and proper dryer vent installation is especially important for those who own a gas dryer. Poorly vented gas appliances can be a carbon monoxide risk.Bob Dougherty, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard, was recently interviewed. He explained how gas dryers can be a carbon monoxide threat. “Many people only associate carbon monoxide threats with their furnace,” said Dougherty. Few are aware that poorly vented gas dryers can allow dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to enter their home.”Bob went on to explain, “the number of home fires and carbon monoxide poisonings increases during the fall and winter months. Dryer vent cleaning and proper dryer vent installation helps to eliminate these hazards.”The snowstorm that hammered the east coast last winter prompted New York lawmakers to require everyone in the state to install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes. Amanda’s Law went into effect after a girl died from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2009. Dryer vents are typically installed on the outside of a home about two feet off the ground. Drifting snow can easily block the dryer vent and block air flow.
Monday, October 25, 2010
EPA Awards $2.4 Million to Improve Air Quality
Release date: 10/20/2010
Contact Information: Stacy Kika, kika.stacy@epa.gov, 202-564-0906, 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding 17 cooperative agreements to nonprofit organizations and a university, totaling approximately $2.4 million to improve indoor air quality nationwide. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors where levels of air pollution may be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Indoor air pollutants, such as dust mites, can trigger asthma attacks and radon can cause lung cancer.
“EPA is proud to be working with our partners nationwide to improve the air we breathe at school, work and home,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “American communities face serious health and environmental challenges from air pollution. This effort gives us an opportunity to improve indoor air quality by increasing awareness of environmental health risks.”
The goal of these projects is to educate Americans on how to reduce the environmental health risks of indoor contaminants through demonstrations, education projects, trainings and outreach efforts. EPA is placing particular emphasis on reaching households with children, low income families, and minorities because they are disproportionately impacted by poor indoor air quality.
The cooperative agreements will:
· Promote positive indoor air quality management practices in schools nationwide, including holistic approaches to environmental issues.
· Create awareness to reduce asthma triggers in the home and encourage the use of an asthma management plan.
· Increase the number of homes tested for radon and built with radon-resistant features, and increase mitigation of radon in existing homes.
· Increase effective indoor air quality practices in office buildings.
· Motivate Americans to improve their home’s indoor air quality.
Contact Information: Stacy Kika, kika.stacy@epa.gov, 202-564-0906, 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding 17 cooperative agreements to nonprofit organizations and a university, totaling approximately $2.4 million to improve indoor air quality nationwide. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors where levels of air pollution may be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Indoor air pollutants, such as dust mites, can trigger asthma attacks and radon can cause lung cancer.
“EPA is proud to be working with our partners nationwide to improve the air we breathe at school, work and home,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “American communities face serious health and environmental challenges from air pollution. This effort gives us an opportunity to improve indoor air quality by increasing awareness of environmental health risks.”
The goal of these projects is to educate Americans on how to reduce the environmental health risks of indoor contaminants through demonstrations, education projects, trainings and outreach efforts. EPA is placing particular emphasis on reaching households with children, low income families, and minorities because they are disproportionately impacted by poor indoor air quality.
The cooperative agreements will:
· Promote positive indoor air quality management practices in schools nationwide, including holistic approaches to environmental issues.
· Create awareness to reduce asthma triggers in the home and encourage the use of an asthma management plan.
· Increase the number of homes tested for radon and built with radon-resistant features, and increase mitigation of radon in existing homes.
· Increase effective indoor air quality practices in office buildings.
· Motivate Americans to improve their home’s indoor air quality.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Formaldehyde in School Furniture
by Tanya Chilcott
From: The Courier-Mail
October 15, 2010 12:00AM
SOMETHING IN THE AIR: Furniture that elevates the level of formaldehyde above recommended levels may not be limited to Manly State School. Source: The Courier-Mail
NEW furniture blamed for emitting elevated levels of a potentially toxic chemical in bayside classrooms could have been installed in other schools.
Consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff warned the State Government in a report that large quantities of the building material E1 MDF (medium-density fibreboard) used in desks, shelves, white boards and building materials at Manly State School had "collectively contributed" to elevated levels of formaldehyde.
It recommended formaldehyde levels be brought below 120 micrograms per cubic metre in classrooms, in line with international air quality guidelines.
Levels of up to 192 micrograms per cubic metre were found at Manly but those levels have since been reduced.
"These products have collectively contributed to formaldehyde concentrations that are greater than the concentration levels recommended (by indoor air quality benchmarks).
"It is further recommended that E1 MDF not be purchased for use in new furniture, fixtures or construction materials in schools without a protocol in place to test for indoor formaldehyde air concentrations," the report said.
Manly is one of a number of bayside state Schools of Tomorrow which have been refurbished since 2008.
Education Queensland acting deputy director-general Graham Atkins said all had similar furniture installed.
He confirmed materials containing formaldehyde were commonly used in building products.
Earlier this week he revealed another school, Wynnum West, was being treated for potentially toxic gases after complaints of a bad smell.
But he said the Manly case "appears to be anomalous . . . and the department has moved to address concerns wherever they have been raised".
"Recommendations made by Parsons Brinckerhoff in the most recent report are already being implemented by the department.
"The department has been informed that the health risks are extremely low, with only a small number of areas on some rooms at Manly State School capable of causing discomfort or an adverse reaction."
Staff have raised complaints of skin rashes, headaches and a noxious smell.
From: The Courier-Mail
October 15, 2010 12:00AM
SOMETHING IN THE AIR: Furniture that elevates the level of formaldehyde above recommended levels may not be limited to Manly State School. Source: The Courier-Mail
NEW furniture blamed for emitting elevated levels of a potentially toxic chemical in bayside classrooms could have been installed in other schools.
Consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff warned the State Government in a report that large quantities of the building material E1 MDF (medium-density fibreboard) used in desks, shelves, white boards and building materials at Manly State School had "collectively contributed" to elevated levels of formaldehyde.
It recommended formaldehyde levels be brought below 120 micrograms per cubic metre in classrooms, in line with international air quality guidelines.
Levels of up to 192 micrograms per cubic metre were found at Manly but those levels have since been reduced.
"These products have collectively contributed to formaldehyde concentrations that are greater than the concentration levels recommended (by indoor air quality benchmarks).
"It is further recommended that E1 MDF not be purchased for use in new furniture, fixtures or construction materials in schools without a protocol in place to test for indoor formaldehyde air concentrations," the report said.
Manly is one of a number of bayside state Schools of Tomorrow which have been refurbished since 2008.
Education Queensland acting deputy director-general Graham Atkins said all had similar furniture installed.
He confirmed materials containing formaldehyde were commonly used in building products.
Earlier this week he revealed another school, Wynnum West, was being treated for potentially toxic gases after complaints of a bad smell.
But he said the Manly case "appears to be anomalous . . . and the department has moved to address concerns wherever they have been raised".
"Recommendations made by Parsons Brinckerhoff in the most recent report are already being implemented by the department.
"The department has been informed that the health risks are extremely low, with only a small number of areas on some rooms at Manly State School capable of causing discomfort or an adverse reaction."
Staff have raised complaints of skin rashes, headaches and a noxious smell.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
PCBs in a variety of schools
Earlier this week, some 100 parents attended a meeting hosted by the Lexington Public Schools in Massachusetts regarding removal of caulk containing polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) from its Joseph Estabrook Elementary School, wrote Boston.com.
We recently wrote that the New York City Department of Education—with the City of New York and the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA)—reached an agreement earlier this year with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 (EPA) regarding assessment and remediation of PCB caulk in New York City public schools. The City initiated a pilot study to evaluate both the presence of PCB caulk in public school buildings and preferred remedial alternatives. Parents in New York are concerned about PCB levels there, as well.
In Massachusetts, the Joseph Estabrook Elementary School closed when removal of PCB caulk did not sufficiently lower PCB levels there, said Boston.com. Administrators announced that the second phase of the cleanup has begun and officials are planning to reopen the school on Tuesday, following the three-day weekend, noted Boston.com. But, test results are not expected until at least next Thursday, said Boston.com, after the school’s scheduled opening.
Tests last spring revealed unsafe PCB levels in the school’s caulking and a plan was created and approved by the EPA for removal to begin August 24th, said Boston.com, citing Gerard Cody, the town’s health director. The plan was scheduled for completion prior to the school opening Tuesday; however, the Lexington Health Division determined even higher unsafe levels of PCBs, according to the school’s director of public facilities, Pat Goddard, wrote Boston.com.
Some parents are up in arms, urging the school be closed until the risk is eradicated. “My children will not go back,” said Angela Gharabegian, whose two young daughters attend Estabrook. “I don’t trust what is safe and what is not—it doesn’t mean anything to me at this point,” she added, quoted Boston.com.
PCBs—which include some 200 compounds—are a class of very toxic chemicals ubiquitously found in construction materials and electrical products in many buildings from the 1950s until 1978, when they were phased out. Despite the phase-out, PCBs may be found in products and materials produced before the 1979 ban because PCBs were an element in school construction and electrical products during this time, as well, noted NY1 previously.
School Superintendent Paul Ash announced at this week’s meeting in Massachusetts that he will convene an expert panel, that will include three parents, to look at the information and come to some decisions, but only after results are received, said Boston.com. The school actually opened for students on Tuesday; however, parents did not learn of the unsuccessful removal of PCB until Tuesday evening at the meeting, said Boston.com.
Parents are concerned that Ash allowed students to return to a school known to be PCB contaminated. “You never gave us a choice,” Gharabegian said to a group of administrators, experts, and consultants, quoted Boston.com. “You did not give us the parental right to protect our children, and you withheld numbers from us,” she added.
According to Ash, the school remained open following information from the EPA. Kim Tisa, a representative from EPA for New England told Ash that if PCB levels exceed so-called “screening” numbers, the building should be examined, not necessarily closed; Ash also blamed pressure to remain open citing the number of days mandated under state law and that closing school so early in the school year would reduce vacation time, said Boston.com. “Who cares about vacation?” Gharabegian said. “If it comes down to our children’s’ health?” wrote Boston.com.
We recently wrote that the New York City Department of Education—with the City of New York and the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA)—reached an agreement earlier this year with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 (EPA) regarding assessment and remediation of PCB caulk in New York City public schools. The City initiated a pilot study to evaluate both the presence of PCB caulk in public school buildings and preferred remedial alternatives. Parents in New York are concerned about PCB levels there, as well.
In Massachusetts, the Joseph Estabrook Elementary School closed when removal of PCB caulk did not sufficiently lower PCB levels there, said Boston.com. Administrators announced that the second phase of the cleanup has begun and officials are planning to reopen the school on Tuesday, following the three-day weekend, noted Boston.com. But, test results are not expected until at least next Thursday, said Boston.com, after the school’s scheduled opening.
Tests last spring revealed unsafe PCB levels in the school’s caulking and a plan was created and approved by the EPA for removal to begin August 24th, said Boston.com, citing Gerard Cody, the town’s health director. The plan was scheduled for completion prior to the school opening Tuesday; however, the Lexington Health Division determined even higher unsafe levels of PCBs, according to the school’s director of public facilities, Pat Goddard, wrote Boston.com.
Some parents are up in arms, urging the school be closed until the risk is eradicated. “My children will not go back,” said Angela Gharabegian, whose two young daughters attend Estabrook. “I don’t trust what is safe and what is not—it doesn’t mean anything to me at this point,” she added, quoted Boston.com.
PCBs—which include some 200 compounds—are a class of very toxic chemicals ubiquitously found in construction materials and electrical products in many buildings from the 1950s until 1978, when they were phased out. Despite the phase-out, PCBs may be found in products and materials produced before the 1979 ban because PCBs were an element in school construction and electrical products during this time, as well, noted NY1 previously.
School Superintendent Paul Ash announced at this week’s meeting in Massachusetts that he will convene an expert panel, that will include three parents, to look at the information and come to some decisions, but only after results are received, said Boston.com. The school actually opened for students on Tuesday; however, parents did not learn of the unsuccessful removal of PCB until Tuesday evening at the meeting, said Boston.com.
Parents are concerned that Ash allowed students to return to a school known to be PCB contaminated. “You never gave us a choice,” Gharabegian said to a group of administrators, experts, and consultants, quoted Boston.com. “You did not give us the parental right to protect our children, and you withheld numbers from us,” she added.
According to Ash, the school remained open following information from the EPA. Kim Tisa, a representative from EPA for New England told Ash that if PCB levels exceed so-called “screening” numbers, the building should be examined, not necessarily closed; Ash also blamed pressure to remain open citing the number of days mandated under state law and that closing school so early in the school year would reduce vacation time, said Boston.com. “Who cares about vacation?” Gharabegian said. “If it comes down to our children’s’ health?” wrote Boston.com.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Laboratory Safety Checklist
The following checklist applies to general laboratory activities. There are more specific requirements under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard – 29 CFR 1910.1200 and Laboratory Standard – 29 CFR 1910.1450.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Broken glass containers not in use
Expired first aid supplies
Chemical containers and labels are compromised or illegible
Eyewash missing or has degrading covers
Chemicals stored alphabetically
Flammable safety cans have flame arrester removed
Chemicals that degrade/decompose (such as peroxides and peroxide formers) are not dated
Goggles not used for handling liquids
Concentrated nitric acid and concentrated acetic stored together
Incompatible gas cylinders stored together
Containers labeled improperly
MSDSs unavailable and/or out-of-date
Current chemical inventory list out-of-date
No logbook for weekly eyewash inspections
Electrical cords used for permanent installations
Old, expired, and/or hazardous chemicals left in inventory when they should be removed because they are unneeded
Synthesized sample labeling not traceable to laboratory notebook
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience offers a variety of services to assist you in maintaining compliance with OSHA's standards. These services include 1) chemical inventory management, 2) chemical hygiene plan development and management, 3) chemical hazards identification, 4) chemical storage, 5) training, 6) waste management, 7) inspections, and more A Certified Chemical-Hygiene Officer, Certified Industrial-Hygienist, and/or another laboratory safety expert will provide you with guidance on maintaining a safe and compliant workplace setting. Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience has years of experience providing consulting services to industrial clients of all sizes and of diverse backgrounds.
Download a copy of this checklist in PDF
For more information contact:Craig A. Calvert, Ph.D., C-CHO146 Hartford RoadManchester, CT 06040
ccalvert@fando.com(860) 646-2469 x5571
For more information visit: www.craigcalvert.webs.com/ , www.schoolsafetyinfo.blogspot.com/p/lab-safety-links.html
Addressing your environmental needs with professional, safe innovative, responsive, and economical solutions.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Laboratory Safety Checklist- Healthy Buildings
Craig A. Calvert, Ph.D., C-CHO
September 4, 2010
Welcome to the September issue of the Industrial Safety Newsletter. There are many components to a laboratory safety program, and it is easy to miss some of the little things. With this in mind, below is a short checklist of common deficiencies that I have found when I perform laboratory inspections. I hope that you find this newsletter useful, and as always, we look forward to providing you with the quality service and information that has made Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience successful.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following checklist applies to general laboratory activities. There are more specific requirements under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 and Laboratory Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450.
*Listed alphabetically
¨ Broken glass containers not in use
¨ Chemical containers and labels are compromised or illegible
¨ Chemicals stored alphabetically
¨ Chemicals that degrade/decompose (such as peroxides and peroxide formers) are not dated
¨ Concentrated nitric acid and concentrated acetic stored together
¨ Containers labeled improperly
¨ Current chemical inventory list out-of-date
¨ Electrical cords used for permanent installations
¨ Expired first aide supplies
¨ Eyewash missing or has degrading covers
¨ Flammable safety cans have flame arrester removed
¨ Goggles not used for handling liquids
¨ Incompatible gas cylinders stored together
¨ MSDSs unavailable and/or out-of-date
¨ No logbook for weekly eyewash inspections
¨ Old, unneeded, and/or hazardous chemicals
¨ Safety showers not inspected regularly
¨ Synthesized sample labeling not traceable to laboratory notebook
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience offers a variety of services to assist you in maintaining compliance with OSHA’s standards. These services include 1) chemical inventory management, 2) chemical hygiene plan development and management, 3) chemical hazards identification, 4) chemical storage, 5) training, 6) waste management, 7) inspections, and more… A Certified-Chemical Hygiene Officer, Certified Industrial Hygienist, and/or another laboratory safety expert will provide you with guidance on maintaining a safe and compliant workplace setting. Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience has years of experience providing consulting services to industrial clients of all sizes and of diverse backgrounds .
For more information contact:
Craig A. Calvert, Ph.D., C-CHO
ccalvert@fando.com
(860) 646-2469 x5571
On the web, for more information visit: www.craigcalvert.webs.com/
www.schoolsafetyinfo.blogspot.com/p/lab-safety-links.html
Addressing your needs with professional, safe, innovative, responsive, and economical solutions.
September 4, 2010
Welcome to the September issue of the Industrial Safety Newsletter. There are many components to a laboratory safety program, and it is easy to miss some of the little things. With this in mind, below is a short checklist of common deficiencies that I have found when I perform laboratory inspections. I hope that you find this newsletter useful, and as always, we look forward to providing you with the quality service and information that has made Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience successful.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following checklist applies to general laboratory activities. There are more specific requirements under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 and Laboratory Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450.
*Listed alphabetically
¨ Broken glass containers not in use
¨ Chemical containers and labels are compromised or illegible
¨ Chemicals stored alphabetically
¨ Chemicals that degrade/decompose (such as peroxides and peroxide formers) are not dated
¨ Concentrated nitric acid and concentrated acetic stored together
¨ Containers labeled improperly
¨ Current chemical inventory list out-of-date
¨ Electrical cords used for permanent installations
¨ Expired first aide supplies
¨ Eyewash missing or has degrading covers
¨ Flammable safety cans have flame arrester removed
¨ Goggles not used for handling liquids
¨ Incompatible gas cylinders stored together
¨ MSDSs unavailable and/or out-of-date
¨ No logbook for weekly eyewash inspections
¨ Old, unneeded, and/or hazardous chemicals
¨ Safety showers not inspected regularly
¨ Synthesized sample labeling not traceable to laboratory notebook
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience offers a variety of services to assist you in maintaining compliance with OSHA’s standards. These services include 1) chemical inventory management, 2) chemical hygiene plan development and management, 3) chemical hazards identification, 4) chemical storage, 5) training, 6) waste management, 7) inspections, and more… A Certified-Chemical Hygiene Officer, Certified Industrial Hygienist, and/or another laboratory safety expert will provide you with guidance on maintaining a safe and compliant workplace setting. Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience has years of experience providing consulting services to industrial clients of all sizes and of diverse backgrounds .
For more information contact:
Craig A. Calvert, Ph.D., C-CHO
ccalvert@fando.com
(860) 646-2469 x5571
On the web, for more information visit: www.craigcalvert.webs.com/
www.schoolsafetyinfo.blogspot.com/p/lab-safety-links.html
Addressing your needs with professional, safe, innovative, responsive, and economical solutions.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Job Posting- Senior CIH/Hazmaterials Manager
Looking for a Senior Level CIH with 15 plus years experience in dealing with hazardous materials in buliding structures (asbestos, lead, IAQ, PCBs, Mold, Mercury,etc.). The position will be located in our Manchester, CT office.
Please contact.
Kevin W. Miller, Ph.D.
Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience, LLC
kmiller@fando.com
Please contact.
Kevin W. Miller, Ph.D.
Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience, LLC
kmiller@fando.com
Allergy and Extra Weight?
Antihistamine Use Linked to Extra Pounds
Published August 26, 2010
Reuters
People who use prescription antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms may be more likely than non-users to carry excess pounds, a new study suggests, although the significance of the connection is not yet clear.
In a study of 867 U.S. adults, researchers at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, found that prescription antihistamine users were more likely to be overweight or obese than non-users were.
Among the 268 antihistamine users, 45 percent were overweight, versus 30 percent of the 599 study participants not on the medications.
The researchers stress, however, that the findings do not prove that antihistamines are the cause of the extra pounds. This type of study, known as an observational study, can only point to an association between two variables — in this case, antihistamine use and body weight — and cannot prove cause-and-effect.
It's possible that some other factor explains the link, according to lead researcher Dr. Joseph Ratliff, a postdoctoral associate in Yale's department of psychiatry.
"There have been studies that show allergies and asthma themselves are associated with obesity," he told Reuters Health in an email, "so these conditions themselves may have an effect."
Still, in a report in the journal Obesity, Ratliff and his colleagues say the findings point to an important question for future studies to explore.
According to Ratliff, the researchers were interested in looking at the relationship between antihistamines and weight because of what's known about medications called atypical antipsychotics.
Those drugs — such as olanzapine (Zyprexa) and risperidone (Risperdal) — are used to treat schizophrenia and other mental illnesses and carry the side effect of weight gain. They also have antihistamine effects.
Histamine is a chemical produced in the body that is best known for its role in promoting the inflammation associated with allergic responses; blocking histamine is a good thing when it comes to relieving hay fever symptoms, for instance.
But cells throughout the brain have receptors for histamine, and the chemical appears to have a hand in a number of physiological functions — with appetite control and calorie burning being among them.
So in theory, Ratliff explained, antihistamines could contribute to overeating and slower fat breakdown.
The current findings are based on 867 adults who took part in a government health survey in 2005 and 2006. All participants had their weight and height measured, as well as their blood sugar, cholesterol and levels of the blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin.
On average, antihistamine users had a higher body mass index (BMI) — at about 31, which falls into the category of obesity. That compared with a BMI of about 28 among non-users, which correlates to being moderately overweight. BMI is a standard measure of weight in relation to height used to gauge obesity.
When the researchers accounted for participants' age and sex, antihistamine use was linked to a 55 percent increase in the odds of being overweight versus non-use. The medications were not linked to higher odds of elevated blood sugar, insulin or cholesterol, however.
More studies are needed to see whether antihistamines do in fact have an effect on body weight.
The question is important, Ratliff and his colleagues note, as an estimated 50 million Americans have allergies, and anywhere from 35 percent to 50 percent of them use antihistamines.
For now, Ratliff recommended that people with allergies talk with their doctors about all the potential side effects of the different treatment options, and try to find one that works best for them.
Other allergy treatments include corticosteroid nasal sprays and eye drops, decongestants, cromolyn sodium nasal sprays and allergy shots. Non-drug tactics to managing allergies include limiting exposure to symptom triggers — such as pollen, mold or pet dander — and using salt-water nasal washes.
Published August 26, 2010
Reuters
People who use prescription antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms may be more likely than non-users to carry excess pounds, a new study suggests, although the significance of the connection is not yet clear.
In a study of 867 U.S. adults, researchers at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, found that prescription antihistamine users were more likely to be overweight or obese than non-users were.
Among the 268 antihistamine users, 45 percent were overweight, versus 30 percent of the 599 study participants not on the medications.
The researchers stress, however, that the findings do not prove that antihistamines are the cause of the extra pounds. This type of study, known as an observational study, can only point to an association between two variables — in this case, antihistamine use and body weight — and cannot prove cause-and-effect.
It's possible that some other factor explains the link, according to lead researcher Dr. Joseph Ratliff, a postdoctoral associate in Yale's department of psychiatry.
"There have been studies that show allergies and asthma themselves are associated with obesity," he told Reuters Health in an email, "so these conditions themselves may have an effect."
Still, in a report in the journal Obesity, Ratliff and his colleagues say the findings point to an important question for future studies to explore.
According to Ratliff, the researchers were interested in looking at the relationship between antihistamines and weight because of what's known about medications called atypical antipsychotics.
Those drugs — such as olanzapine (Zyprexa) and risperidone (Risperdal) — are used to treat schizophrenia and other mental illnesses and carry the side effect of weight gain. They also have antihistamine effects.
Histamine is a chemical produced in the body that is best known for its role in promoting the inflammation associated with allergic responses; blocking histamine is a good thing when it comes to relieving hay fever symptoms, for instance.
But cells throughout the brain have receptors for histamine, and the chemical appears to have a hand in a number of physiological functions — with appetite control and calorie burning being among them.
So in theory, Ratliff explained, antihistamines could contribute to overeating and slower fat breakdown.
The current findings are based on 867 adults who took part in a government health survey in 2005 and 2006. All participants had their weight and height measured, as well as their blood sugar, cholesterol and levels of the blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin.
On average, antihistamine users had a higher body mass index (BMI) — at about 31, which falls into the category of obesity. That compared with a BMI of about 28 among non-users, which correlates to being moderately overweight. BMI is a standard measure of weight in relation to height used to gauge obesity.
When the researchers accounted for participants' age and sex, antihistamine use was linked to a 55 percent increase in the odds of being overweight versus non-use. The medications were not linked to higher odds of elevated blood sugar, insulin or cholesterol, however.
More studies are needed to see whether antihistamines do in fact have an effect on body weight.
The question is important, Ratliff and his colleagues note, as an estimated 50 million Americans have allergies, and anywhere from 35 percent to 50 percent of them use antihistamines.
For now, Ratliff recommended that people with allergies talk with their doctors about all the potential side effects of the different treatment options, and try to find one that works best for them.
Other allergy treatments include corticosteroid nasal sprays and eye drops, decongestants, cromolyn sodium nasal sprays and allergy shots. Non-drug tactics to managing allergies include limiting exposure to symptom triggers — such as pollen, mold or pet dander — and using salt-water nasal washes.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Mequon School Closes For Mold
Mequon School Latest to Close Due to Mold
Posted Tuesday September 7, 2010
MEQUON, Wis. (WTAQ) - Another Wisconsin school has been hit with mold.
The Oriole Lane Elementary School in Mequon is closed Tuesday, after officials found mold in the building.
An air quality expert tells WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee that at least 30 Wisconsin schools have had some kind of mold problem – and he blames it on the hot and damp summer. He says it takes a thorough cleaning to get rid of it.
At the Stone Bank school near Oconomowoc, crews worked around the clock for 4 days to remove the mold they had. Schools in Middleton and Crivitz were also among those losing class time early in this school year.
Mequon school officials could not say how long Oriole Lane would be closed due to the latest mold discovery.
For original posting visit: www.whbl.com/news/articles/2010/sep/07/mequon-school-latest-close-due-mold/
Posted Tuesday September 7, 2010
MEQUON, Wis. (WTAQ) - Another Wisconsin school has been hit with mold.
The Oriole Lane Elementary School in Mequon is closed Tuesday, after officials found mold in the building.
At the Stone Bank school near Oconomowoc, crews worked around the clock for 4 days to remove the mold they had. Schools in Middleton and Crivitz were also among those losing class time early in this school year.
Mequon school officials could not say how long Oriole Lane would be closed due to the latest mold discovery.
For original posting visit: www.whbl.com/news/articles/2010/sep/07/mequon-school-latest-close-due-mold/
Is Raw Milk Safe?
Got E. coli? Raw Milk's Appeal Grows Despite Health Risks
Bacterial outbreaks are traced back to nonpasteurized milk, yet proponents claim it is healthier and tastes better
By Terri Peterson Smith (Scientific American)
UNSAFE OR THE REAL DEAL?: Raw milk has a loyal following, but the unpasteurized product is also linked to illnesses contracted from bacteria that may lurk in milk that comes straight from a cow or goat.
Milk is well known as a great dietary source of protein and calcium, not to mention an indispensable companion to cookies. But "nature's perfect food," a label given to milk over time by a variety of boosters, including consumer activists, government nutritionists and the American Dairy Council, has become a great source of controversy, too. The long-running dispute over whether milk, both from cows and goats, should be consumed in raw or pasteurized form—an argument more than a century old—has heated up in the last five years, according to Bill Marler, a Washington State lawyer who takes raw milk and other food poisoning cases.A bumper crop of recent illness related to raw milk accentuates the problem. Last month, at least 30 people, including two children, tested positive for strains of campylobacter and Escherichia coli bacteria traced to raw (nonpasteurized) goat milk. In June five people in Minnesota were diagnosed with E. coli traced to raw cow's milk from a local dairy. One, a toddler, was hospitalized after he developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure that is a potentially deadly E. coli complication.They are hardly isolated cases. In fact, there have already been more reports of raw milk-related illness outbreaks this year in the U.S. than in any of the past five years.Such outbreaks are largely preventable if milk is pasteurized, says Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The process (known as high temperature, short time (HTST) pasteurization) was invented more than a century ago and relies on heat at least 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds to kill the stew of E. coli, campylobacter, Listeria, salmonella and other microbes that may lurk in milk that comes straight from a cow or goat. Medical experts consider pasteurization as one of the major breakthroughs in public health history. "A triumph," Tauxe adds.Keeping it realRaw milk proponents, including The Weston A. Price Foundation, deny its dangers and praise its superior flavor. They believe raw milk obtained from healthy, pasture-fed animals strengthens the immune system in a manner similar to human breast milk and that it cures digestive tract conditions such as Crohn's disease. Sally Fallon Morell, the foundation's president and founder of the Campaign for Real Milk, disputes the claims of raw milk-related illness. "We have analyzed those reports, and 95 percent should go in the trash can because they're biased," she says. "The pasteurization argument is based on 40-year-old science."Raw milk advocates also claim that pasteurization destroys key nutrients. "Real milk contains a complex system of enzymes, fats, carbohydrates and fragile proteins that are wonders of the microscopic world," Fallon Morell says. "They are destroyed with rapid heating."That assertion is debatable. As with any cooking process, pasteurization causes some chemical change, says Jennifer Nelson, a nutritionist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., although she says that nutrition researchers are still testing to see if nutrients, enzymes and other health-related components are significantly altered. Whatever the nutritional change, Nelson cautions, "Raw milk can carry pathogens that can cause illness and death." Certain high risk groups should never drink raw milk: infants, growing children, the elderly and people who are immune compromised because their immune systems may not be strong enough to fight off the pathogens often found in raw milk, she adds.Given the number of disease outbreaks related to raw milk, one might expect the demand for raw milk to dry up. Not so—in fact, demand for raw milk has risen faster than cream in a milk bottle, commanding prices as high as $10 per gallon. Despite the warnings of public health officials, including the Web site Real Raw Milk Facts, raw milk has become a national cause célèbre, and dairymen who sell it have become local folk heroes."It's a political issue," Fallon Morell says. "It's also a health, small farm and economic issue. I'm not advocating that we all go back and live on farms, but the pendulum has gone too far in the direction of industry. What we need [are] small farms with Space Age technology."
Bacterial outbreaks are traced back to nonpasteurized milk, yet proponents claim it is healthier and tastes better
By Terri Peterson Smith (Scientific American)
UNSAFE OR THE REAL DEAL?: Raw milk has a loyal following, but the unpasteurized product is also linked to illnesses contracted from bacteria that may lurk in milk that comes straight from a cow or goat.
Milk is well known as a great dietary source of protein and calcium, not to mention an indispensable companion to cookies. But "nature's perfect food," a label given to milk over time by a variety of boosters, including consumer activists, government nutritionists and the American Dairy Council, has become a great source of controversy, too. The long-running dispute over whether milk, both from cows and goats, should be consumed in raw or pasteurized form—an argument more than a century old—has heated up in the last five years, according to Bill Marler, a Washington State lawyer who takes raw milk and other food poisoning cases.A bumper crop of recent illness related to raw milk accentuates the problem. Last month, at least 30 people, including two children, tested positive for strains of campylobacter and Escherichia coli bacteria traced to raw (nonpasteurized) goat milk. In June five people in Minnesota were diagnosed with E. coli traced to raw cow's milk from a local dairy. One, a toddler, was hospitalized after he developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure that is a potentially deadly E. coli complication.They are hardly isolated cases. In fact, there have already been more reports of raw milk-related illness outbreaks this year in the U.S. than in any of the past five years.Such outbreaks are largely preventable if milk is pasteurized, says Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The process (known as high temperature, short time (HTST) pasteurization) was invented more than a century ago and relies on heat at least 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds to kill the stew of E. coli, campylobacter, Listeria, salmonella and other microbes that may lurk in milk that comes straight from a cow or goat. Medical experts consider pasteurization as one of the major breakthroughs in public health history. "A triumph," Tauxe adds.Keeping it realRaw milk proponents, including The Weston A. Price Foundation, deny its dangers and praise its superior flavor. They believe raw milk obtained from healthy, pasture-fed animals strengthens the immune system in a manner similar to human breast milk and that it cures digestive tract conditions such as Crohn's disease. Sally Fallon Morell, the foundation's president and founder of the Campaign for Real Milk, disputes the claims of raw milk-related illness. "We have analyzed those reports, and 95 percent should go in the trash can because they're biased," she says. "The pasteurization argument is based on 40-year-old science."Raw milk advocates also claim that pasteurization destroys key nutrients. "Real milk contains a complex system of enzymes, fats, carbohydrates and fragile proteins that are wonders of the microscopic world," Fallon Morell says. "They are destroyed with rapid heating."That assertion is debatable. As with any cooking process, pasteurization causes some chemical change, says Jennifer Nelson, a nutritionist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., although she says that nutrition researchers are still testing to see if nutrients, enzymes and other health-related components are significantly altered. Whatever the nutritional change, Nelson cautions, "Raw milk can carry pathogens that can cause illness and death." Certain high risk groups should never drink raw milk: infants, growing children, the elderly and people who are immune compromised because their immune systems may not be strong enough to fight off the pathogens often found in raw milk, she adds.Given the number of disease outbreaks related to raw milk, one might expect the demand for raw milk to dry up. Not so—in fact, demand for raw milk has risen faster than cream in a milk bottle, commanding prices as high as $10 per gallon. Despite the warnings of public health officials, including the Web site Real Raw Milk Facts, raw milk has become a national cause célèbre, and dairymen who sell it have become local folk heroes."It's a political issue," Fallon Morell says. "It's also a health, small farm and economic issue. I'm not advocating that we all go back and live on farms, but the pendulum has gone too far in the direction of industry. What we need [are] small farms with Space Age technology."
Friday, September 3, 2010
Shrimp in your drinking water?
Invisible shrimp could very well be living in every drop of water you drink -- but that's OK, they're nothing to worry about.
A photo posted to the online sharing site Reddit has the Internet abuzz. It shows a tiny animal -- a shrimp-like crustacean called a copepod -- and announces that the reader found it in his New York City tap water.
"You swallow these invisible shrimp with every gulp of NYC tap water," trumpeted online blog Gizmodo about the discovery. Time magazine's website also announced the find breathlessly, exhorting New Yorkers to "drink up" -- but noting that the critters may pose a problem for many of the city's Jewish residents.
"Besides a serious 'ick' factor, the copepods are technically crustaceans, which means they aren't kosher for the city's large Orthodox, observant Jewish population," the site warned.
It's all true. There are, indeed, copepods in New York's drinking water -- and the reason they're there is that the city's water is superb for drinking. In fact, people across the country with excellent natural water supplies swallow invisible bugs like these every day.
Most copepods are so small -- barely 1 to 2 millimeters long -- that they're more or less transparent. And they can be found in most freshwater habitats, including the reservoirs that supply public drinking water to cities like New York.
"It's one of those interesting facts you learn about local drinking water -- but it's in no way dangerous," Farrell Sklerov, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), told FoxNews.com.
He explained that many cities filter their water, but if the water quality exceeds federal standards -- which New York City tap water does -- it doesn't require filtering, a process that would remove the copepods. Among other cities that don't filter their water are Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Sklerov said.
He said the copepods "pose no risk to human health. It's not something that's regulated because there's no harmful effects from them."
A representative of NOAA's Fisheries Services explained that copepods are a form of plankton, the minuscule creatures that form the majority of the biomass in the ocean and feed many animals, notably whales.
"There are areas that have blooms of copepods at certain times of year, such as Cape Cod bay in the spring," said NOAA's Teri Frady. "Right whales eat them, and that's why you see right whales near Cape Cod at that time of year."
They're also harmless for humans, though if you're disturbed, simply pass your water through an ordinary, over-the-counter filter.
Many people do have allergies to crustaceans
A photo posted to the online sharing site Reddit has the Internet abuzz. It shows a tiny animal -- a shrimp-like crustacean called a copepod -- and announces that the reader found it in his New York City tap water.
"You swallow these invisible shrimp with every gulp of NYC tap water," trumpeted online blog Gizmodo about the discovery. Time magazine's website also announced the find breathlessly, exhorting New Yorkers to "drink up" -- but noting that the critters may pose a problem for many of the city's Jewish residents.
"Besides a serious 'ick' factor, the copepods are technically crustaceans, which means they aren't kosher for the city's large Orthodox, observant Jewish population," the site warned.
It's all true. There are, indeed, copepods in New York's drinking water -- and the reason they're there is that the city's water is superb for drinking. In fact, people across the country with excellent natural water supplies swallow invisible bugs like these every day.
Most copepods are so small -- barely 1 to 2 millimeters long -- that they're more or less transparent. And they can be found in most freshwater habitats, including the reservoirs that supply public drinking water to cities like New York.
"It's one of those interesting facts you learn about local drinking water -- but it's in no way dangerous," Farrell Sklerov, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), told FoxNews.com.
He explained that many cities filter their water, but if the water quality exceeds federal standards -- which New York City tap water does -- it doesn't require filtering, a process that would remove the copepods. Among other cities that don't filter their water are Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Sklerov said.
He said the copepods "pose no risk to human health. It's not something that's regulated because there's no harmful effects from them."
A representative of NOAA's Fisheries Services explained that copepods are a form of plankton, the minuscule creatures that form the majority of the biomass in the ocean and feed many animals, notably whales.
"There are areas that have blooms of copepods at certain times of year, such as Cape Cod bay in the spring," said NOAA's Teri Frady. "Right whales eat them, and that's why you see right whales near Cape Cod at that time of year."
They're also harmless for humans, though if you're disturbed, simply pass your water through an ordinary, over-the-counter filter.
Many people do have allergies to crustaceans
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Cadmium in Jewerly -TSCA Section 6
Yesterday EPA accepted the petition from Sierra Club and the Empire State Consumers Project to ban cadmium from toy jewelry under TSCA Section 6 if CPSC fails to act. EPA stated:
"Though it is EPA's understanding that CPSC is currently developing exposure limits for cadmium in certain children's products, if CPSC does not act, EPA will initiate a rulemaking under TSCA section 6 as your petition requests. EPA will work closely with CPSC to determine the most effective means for addressing cadmium in toy metal jewelry and other consumer products, and to determine whether action by CPSC should have precedence. It is EPA's understanding that CPSC's work to develop exposure limits for cadmium will take more time than is available to EPA under TSCA section 21 . Thus, EPA plans to grant your petition and continue working with CPSC, and to initiate a section 6 rulemaking only if this effort does not result in action by CPSC or if EPA concludes that some form of joint action is appropriate."
EPA also granted the TSCA 8(d) request to require companies to report positive results for cadmium to EPA. EPA stated:
"EPA is granting your request that EPA use its authority under section 8( d) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require reporting by producers, importers, and processors of cadmium and cadmium compounds that are reasonably likely to be incorporated into consumer products. EPA will propose a rule to require the submission of lists and/or copies of ongoing and completed unpublished health and safety studies relevant to the determination on whether a potential hazard exists and whether a product may be a banned hazardous substance as outlined in CPSC guidelines."
This information will help CPSC get the information it (or EPA) needs to adopt the rules.
Sierra Club and Empire State Consumer Project also submitted the petition to CPSC requesting action. On August 19, 2010, CPSC requested comments. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov on docket number CPSC-2010-0087.
"Though it is EPA's understanding that CPSC is currently developing exposure limits for cadmium in certain children's products, if CPSC does not act, EPA will initiate a rulemaking under TSCA section 6 as your petition requests. EPA will work closely with CPSC to determine the most effective means for addressing cadmium in toy metal jewelry and other consumer products, and to determine whether action by CPSC should have precedence. It is EPA's understanding that CPSC's work to develop exposure limits for cadmium will take more time than is available to EPA under TSCA section 21 . Thus, EPA plans to grant your petition and continue working with CPSC, and to initiate a section 6 rulemaking only if this effort does not result in action by CPSC or if EPA concludes that some form of joint action is appropriate."
EPA also granted the TSCA 8(d) request to require companies to report positive results for cadmium to EPA. EPA stated:
"EPA is granting your request that EPA use its authority under section 8( d) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to require reporting by producers, importers, and processors of cadmium and cadmium compounds that are reasonably likely to be incorporated into consumer products. EPA will propose a rule to require the submission of lists and/or copies of ongoing and completed unpublished health and safety studies relevant to the determination on whether a potential hazard exists and whether a product may be a banned hazardous substance as outlined in CPSC guidelines."
This information will help CPSC get the information it (or EPA) needs to adopt the rules.
Sierra Club and Empire State Consumer Project also submitted the petition to CPSC requesting action. On August 19, 2010, CPSC requested comments. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov on docket number CPSC-2010-0087.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Sewer Backups
Testing For Bacterial Contamination and Cleaning Up Sewage Backups in Buildings
buildings for indoor air quality or other contaminants which may affect occupant health should not omit inspecting and taking site history for evidence of sewage or septic system backups into the structure or basement or crawl space areas below the structure. Gray water and black water (sewage) can cause a wide range of fungal, bacteriological, viral, and parasitic hazards in buildings.
Both a one-time event and recurrent sewage leaks into a building would be a concern, particularly if prompt and competent cleaning were not performed. If recurrent sewage contamination has occurred more extensive building cleaning and treatment are likely to be required. One reason that experts recommend very prompt treatment is the wish to avoid transmission of bacterial contamination to other building areas.
Examples of sewage bacteria and virus transmission might be by movement of people from contaminated areas to other building areas (tracking contaminated soil), and air movement of aerosolized particles or contaminated dust through the building by natural convection, heating and air conditioning equipment, or other sources of air and dust movement.
In fact a very high level of pathogens can present on the concrete, on the lower portions of furnishings, and on and inside of paneled wall cavity.
Demolition, cleaning, and disinfection may needed. These surfaces need to be then re-tested after cleaning and disinfection were complete.
Additional testing should be conducted to confirm that the workers did not contaminate other building areas during this cleanup.
While sewage may contain many pathogens harmful to building occupants, testing for this problem usually focuses on indicator organisms including total coliform, fecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Enterococcus as these species are expected in human sewage waste. They are potentially harmful themselves as well as serving as an indicator of sewage contamination.
Typical sampling methods to test for sewage contamination in buildings include use of sterile swabs on sample surfaces both in the suspected area and as a control in other building areas where low or no contamination is expected.
Bulk samples of debris or building materials may also be collected, such as drywall suspected of having been wet with a sewage backup. Samples are sent to a qualified laboratory for culture and examination for these bacteria.
Since there are a variety of tests for bacteria and for possible sewage contamination, specification of the definitive lab test for sewage contamination is important where health concerns are at stake. Be sure to review the test choices with your laboratory before ordering a specific test as test accuracy and cost vary widely.
buildings for indoor air quality or other contaminants which may affect occupant health should not omit inspecting and taking site history for evidence of sewage or septic system backups into the structure or basement or crawl space areas below the structure. Gray water and black water (sewage) can cause a wide range of fungal, bacteriological, viral, and parasitic hazards in buildings.
Both a one-time event and recurrent sewage leaks into a building would be a concern, particularly if prompt and competent cleaning were not performed. If recurrent sewage contamination has occurred more extensive building cleaning and treatment are likely to be required. One reason that experts recommend very prompt treatment is the wish to avoid transmission of bacterial contamination to other building areas.
Examples of sewage bacteria and virus transmission might be by movement of people from contaminated areas to other building areas (tracking contaminated soil), and air movement of aerosolized particles or contaminated dust through the building by natural convection, heating and air conditioning equipment, or other sources of air and dust movement.
In fact a very high level of pathogens can present on the concrete, on the lower portions of furnishings, and on and inside of paneled wall cavity.
Demolition, cleaning, and disinfection may needed. These surfaces need to be then re-tested after cleaning and disinfection were complete.
Additional testing should be conducted to confirm that the workers did not contaminate other building areas during this cleanup.
While sewage may contain many pathogens harmful to building occupants, testing for this problem usually focuses on indicator organisms including total coliform, fecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Enterococcus as these species are expected in human sewage waste. They are potentially harmful themselves as well as serving as an indicator of sewage contamination.
Typical sampling methods to test for sewage contamination in buildings include use of sterile swabs on sample surfaces both in the suspected area and as a control in other building areas where low or no contamination is expected.
Bulk samples of debris or building materials may also be collected, such as drywall suspected of having been wet with a sewage backup. Samples are sent to a qualified laboratory for culture and examination for these bacteria.
Since there are a variety of tests for bacteria and for possible sewage contamination, specification of the definitive lab test for sewage contamination is important where health concerns are at stake. Be sure to review the test choices with your laboratory before ordering a specific test as test accuracy and cost vary widely.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Bed Bugs
Once thought to be eradicated from North America, the legendary little pests known as bed bugs have been making an unwelcome comeback in hotels and homes. Lest you think bed bugs are relegated to fleabag motels, they have been spotted in the posher locales as well. What Are Bed Bugs?Bed bugs are the common name for Cimex lectularius, a reddish-brown, oval-shaped insect that can grow to a quarter of an inch long. Bed bugs are wingless and survive by sucking blood from a host animal, preferably a human.Why Are They Called Bed Bugs?Bed bugs commonly hide in mattresses, carpets, behind peeling paint or wallpaper, and in crevices in wooden furniture (like in the cracks of the wooden headboard of a bed). Bugs are nocturnal and typically bite people while they sleep in an infested bed. Bugs are usually active just before dawn.Why Are Bed Bugs Reappearing?Bed bugs were once all but eradicated with broad-spectrum pesticides such as DDT, which killed a wide variety of bug types. Concerns about health and the environment led to many of these pesticides being removed from the market. Today, pest control methods are more focused, designed to kill a particular species (like cockroaches). Bed bugs, since they are not specifically being targeted, are slipping through the cracks. Where Did Bed Bugs Come From?Bed bugs travel surprisingly well, and are quite comfortable stowing away in luggage and even clothing. The bugs are increasingly found hiding in beds, upholstered furniture and behind baseboards in urban hotels in America. Since they tend to stow away and travel with humans, any place that sees a number of world travelers is susceptible. Pilots, wealthy people, and business travelers can bring bed bugs along unwittingly. What Can You Do to Avoid Bed Bugs?Look around. Bed bugs are large enough to see. Look particularly under the mattress and in the seams, in and around the bed frame, and along any cracks or peeling paint in the wall or picture frames. Check for bed bugs in the cracks of any wooden furniture, particularly antiques. You can also spot droppings from bed bugs, which may be tinged with blood. What Should You Do if You Are Bitten by Bed Bugs?Bed bugs bite exposed skin and leave behind small, red, itchy welts. The good news? Bed bugs are not generally thought to transmit any diseases. The damage is more emotional than physical. The CDC does say that bites from bed bugs can be treated with topical emollients or corticosteroids. You can also take an oral antihistamine. If you are exposed, you may consider treating your home as well. Most pest control companies are equipped to handle bed bugs.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Aldicarb to be banned.
August 18, 2010 Toxic Pesticide Banned after Decades of Use
Twenty-five years after the worst outbreak of pesticide poisoning in U.S. history, an agreement is announced that phases out all uses of aldicarb
CONTAMINATED COMESTIBLES: The U.S. EPA has announced plans to phase the use of aldicarb, a toxic insecticide commonly used on food crops.A farm chemical with an infamous history – causing the worst known outbreak of pesticide poisoning in North America – is being phased out under an agreement announced Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Manufacturer Bayer CropScience agreed to stop producing aldicarb, a highly toxic insecticide used to kill pests on cotton and several food crops, by 2015 in all world markets. Use on citrus and potatoes will be prohibited after next year.
Tuesday’s announcement comes 25 years after a highly publicized outbreak of aldicarb poisoning sickened more than 2,000 people who had eaten California watermelons.
New EPA documents show that babies and children under five can ingest levels of the insecticide through food and water that exceed levels the agency considers safe.
“Aldicarb no longer meets our rigorous food safety standards and may pose unacceptable dietary risks, especially to infants and young children,” the EPA said in announcing the agreement.
For infants, consumption of aldicarb residue – mostly in potatoes, citrus and water – can reach 800 percent higher than the EPA’s level of concern for health effects, while children between the ages of one and five can ingest 300 percent more than the level of concern, according to an Aug. 4 EPA memo.
In a statement, Bayer CropScience said Tuesday that its decision to agree to phase out aldicarb came after EPA’s new report calculated the health risks to children.
The company said it “respects the oversight authority of the EPA and is cooperating with them” even though it “does not fully agree” with the agency's new assessment. Bayer CropScience stressed that the analysis “does not mean that aldicarb poses an actual risk” to consumers.
One of the most acutely hazardous pesticides still used in the United States, aldicarb is a carbamate insecticide that is taken up by roots and carried into the fruit of a plant. High levels of aldicarb can have neurotoxic effects; it inhibits an enzyme that controls the transmission of messages to nerves.
“After thousands of poisonings, it is mind-boggling that aldicarb is still in use,” said Steve Scholl-Buckwald, managing director of the environmental group Pesticide Action Network North America. “The wheels just grind so, so slowly. It never should have been registered in the first place back in 1970 and by the mid-1980s there was sufficient data to suggest it should have been taken off the market.”
On the Fourth of July in 1985, three people who had eaten watermelon in Oakland, Calif., rapidly became ill with symptoms that included vomiting, diarrhea, muscle twitches and abnormally slow heart rates. At the same time, people in Oregon were falling ill, too, and tests of watermelons found extremely high levels of aldicarb, which was illegal to use on all melons.
California ordered an immediate ban on watermelon sales, which meant huge quantities had to be destroyed in fields and at stores at the height of the season. How aldicarb got into watermelons remains unknown, but experts suspected that some melon farmers used low levels of it intentionally and illegally and that some also might have flowed off nearby cotton fields.That summer, a total of 1,350 cases of aldicarb poisoning from watermelon were reported in California, plus another 692 cases in eight other states and Canada, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seventeen people were hospitalized. Six deaths and two stillbirths were reported in people who fell ill, but the pesticide was not listed as the cause of death in coroner reports.
Twenty-five years after the worst outbreak of pesticide poisoning in U.S. history, an agreement is announced that phases out all uses of aldicarb
CONTAMINATED COMESTIBLES: The U.S. EPA has announced plans to phase the use of aldicarb, a toxic insecticide commonly used on food crops.A farm chemical with an infamous history – causing the worst known outbreak of pesticide poisoning in North America – is being phased out under an agreement announced Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Manufacturer Bayer CropScience agreed to stop producing aldicarb, a highly toxic insecticide used to kill pests on cotton and several food crops, by 2015 in all world markets. Use on citrus and potatoes will be prohibited after next year.
Tuesday’s announcement comes 25 years after a highly publicized outbreak of aldicarb poisoning sickened more than 2,000 people who had eaten California watermelons.
New EPA documents show that babies and children under five can ingest levels of the insecticide through food and water that exceed levels the agency considers safe.
“Aldicarb no longer meets our rigorous food safety standards and may pose unacceptable dietary risks, especially to infants and young children,” the EPA said in announcing the agreement.
For infants, consumption of aldicarb residue – mostly in potatoes, citrus and water – can reach 800 percent higher than the EPA’s level of concern for health effects, while children between the ages of one and five can ingest 300 percent more than the level of concern, according to an Aug. 4 EPA memo.
In a statement, Bayer CropScience said Tuesday that its decision to agree to phase out aldicarb came after EPA’s new report calculated the health risks to children.
The company said it “respects the oversight authority of the EPA and is cooperating with them” even though it “does not fully agree” with the agency's new assessment. Bayer CropScience stressed that the analysis “does not mean that aldicarb poses an actual risk” to consumers.
One of the most acutely hazardous pesticides still used in the United States, aldicarb is a carbamate insecticide that is taken up by roots and carried into the fruit of a plant. High levels of aldicarb can have neurotoxic effects; it inhibits an enzyme that controls the transmission of messages to nerves.
“After thousands of poisonings, it is mind-boggling that aldicarb is still in use,” said Steve Scholl-Buckwald, managing director of the environmental group Pesticide Action Network North America. “The wheels just grind so, so slowly. It never should have been registered in the first place back in 1970 and by the mid-1980s there was sufficient data to suggest it should have been taken off the market.”
On the Fourth of July in 1985, three people who had eaten watermelon in Oakland, Calif., rapidly became ill with symptoms that included vomiting, diarrhea, muscle twitches and abnormally slow heart rates. At the same time, people in Oregon were falling ill, too, and tests of watermelons found extremely high levels of aldicarb, which was illegal to use on all melons.
California ordered an immediate ban on watermelon sales, which meant huge quantities had to be destroyed in fields and at stores at the height of the season. How aldicarb got into watermelons remains unknown, but experts suspected that some melon farmers used low levels of it intentionally and illegally and that some also might have flowed off nearby cotton fields.That summer, a total of 1,350 cases of aldicarb poisoning from watermelon were reported in California, plus another 692 cases in eight other states and Canada, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seventeen people were hospitalized. Six deaths and two stillbirths were reported in people who fell ill, but the pesticide was not listed as the cause of death in coroner reports.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
TSCA
Welcome to the August issue of the Industrial Safety Newsletter. As the current year starts passing us by and westart planning for next year, one important report is due – the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory (Form U submissions). In short, if you "manufacture (including import) 25,000 pounds or more of a chemical substance at a single site during calendar year 2010, you may need to report under the Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) regulation 40 CFR Part 710 subpart C" (USEPA). Please note that there are exceptions, so consult a TSCA expert to determine your exact requirements. This issue of the safety newsletter will review the reporting process. We hope that you find this newsletter useful and look forward to providing you with the quality service and information that has made Fuss & O'Neill EnviroScience successful.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TSCA was enacted to prevent particularly toxic chemicals from being produced*
Part of TSCA is the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, which tracks chemicals produced in the US.
The information is gathered by EPA to monitor the chemicals produced in the US
The definition of a chemical substance is:"any organic or inorganic substance of a particular molecular identity, including: (i) any combination of such substances occurring in whole or in part as a result of a chemical reaction or occurring in nature, and (ii) any element or uncombined radical." (EPA) Note: This includes certain microorganisms and there are exceptions.
Generation of the 2011 Report is based on 2010 manufacturing quantities:
Next IUR submission period is currently planned for June 1, 2011 - September 30, 2011
Changes are expected from the 2006 reporting procedure
Note to inorganic chemical manufacturers:
Inorganic chemicals are no longer partially exempt from the IUR rule
The partial exemption was a one-time exemption for 2006 reporting only
A summary of the data from the 2006 inventory is available in an EPA report*
EPA is working on a number of changes for 2011 reporting
Making the electronic reporting easier and more accessible to all potential reporters
Redesigning the electronic IUR reporting software
EPA is deliberating on changes to the specific reporting requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuss & O'Neill is a multi-disciplined industrial hygiene and environmental engineering firm that has provideda wide variety of regulatory reporting services. Our experts will work with your facility to ensure safe, timely,and legal submission of your Form U. In this process we will lead you through the process or take the lead foryou. The goal of our service is to provide timely and correct submission of your TSCA regulated chemicals.
For more information and questions contact:Craig A. Calvert, Ph.D., C-CHO146 Hartford RoadManchester, CT 06040
ccalvert@fando.com(860) 646-2469 x5571
For more information on TSCA visit: www.tscaconsulting.blogspot.com/For a copy of this message in PDF: click here
Addressing your environmental needs with professional, safe innovative, responsive, and economical solutions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TSCA was enacted to prevent particularly toxic chemicals from being produced*
Part of TSCA is the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, which tracks chemicals produced in the US.
The information is gathered by EPA to monitor the chemicals produced in the US
The definition of a chemical substance is:"any organic or inorganic substance of a particular molecular identity, including: (i) any combination of such substances occurring in whole or in part as a result of a chemical reaction or occurring in nature, and (ii) any element or uncombined radical." (EPA) Note: This includes certain microorganisms and there are exceptions.
Generation of the 2011 Report is based on 2010 manufacturing quantities:
Next IUR submission period is currently planned for June 1, 2011 - September 30, 2011
Changes are expected from the 2006 reporting procedure
Note to inorganic chemical manufacturers:
Inorganic chemicals are no longer partially exempt from the IUR rule
The partial exemption was a one-time exemption for 2006 reporting only
A summary of the data from the 2006 inventory is available in an EPA report*
EPA is working on a number of changes for 2011 reporting
Making the electronic reporting easier and more accessible to all potential reporters
Redesigning the electronic IUR reporting software
EPA is deliberating on changes to the specific reporting requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuss & O'Neill is a multi-disciplined industrial hygiene and environmental engineering firm that has provideda wide variety of regulatory reporting services. Our experts will work with your facility to ensure safe, timely,and legal submission of your Form U. In this process we will lead you through the process or take the lead foryou. The goal of our service is to provide timely and correct submission of your TSCA regulated chemicals.
For more information and questions contact:Craig A. Calvert, Ph.D., C-CHO146 Hartford RoadManchester, CT 06040
ccalvert@fando.com(860) 646-2469 x5571
For more information on TSCA visit: www.tscaconsulting.blogspot.com/For a copy of this message in PDF: click here
Addressing your environmental needs with professional, safe innovative, responsive, and economical solutions.
Monday, August 16, 2010
PCBS in Paint
It's possible. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 1.5 billion pounds of PCBs were produced in the U.S. before production ended in the late 1970s. Approximately 28% of these compounds were used in manufactured products such as paints and caulks. Prior to the late 1970s, PCBs were used in paints applied to land-based structures, as well as ships, in the U.S. These compounds were most frequently used as an additive for chlorinated rubber paint. PCBs were used in paints to
Reduce brittleness (i.e., act as a plasticizer),
Increase durability,
Provide chemical, water, and heat resistance, and
Serve as drying oils (resins).
Where have PCB-laden paints been found in the U.S.?
PCB-laden paints have been found on the following surfaces:
Walls, floors, stairs, handrails, and a parking garage in a government building
Boiler rooms and turbine platforms
Aircraft hangars
Swimming pools
Aquaculture tanks
A dry dock facility
Storage tanks
Ships
Railcars (in Canada)
Equipment, including extrusion presses, lathes, welders, ovens, furnaces, heat exchangers, and milling/grinding machinery
What exactly are PCBs?
PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are synthetic organic molecules that were used in products such as dielectric oils, hydraulic oils, heat-exchange oils, paints, caulks, and sealants. PCBs were popular because of their flame resistance, chemical stability, and insulating nature. The PCB molecule is comprised of two 6-carbon rings. The rings are joined via a chemical bond between two carbons, one from each ring. Chlorine atoms can be attached to any of the remaining carbons. Along the rings, 209 different chlorine arrangements, called congeners, are possible. The following figure illustrates the chemical structure of a tetrachlorinated biphenyl, with four chlorines bonded to the carbon rings.
In the U.S., PCBs were sold as different mixtures of congeners under the trade name "Arochlor." Arochlors are characterized using a 4-digit number. In most cases, the second two digits represent the percentage of chlorine atoms by weight in the mixture. As an example, Arochlor 1254, which was the most commonly used PCB mixture for paints in the U.S., contains 54% chlorine by weight. Arochlor 1254 consists of the following combination of chlorinated biphenyl compounds:
1% trichlorinated biphenyls
15% tetrachlorinated biphenyls
53% pentachlorinated biphenyls
26% hexachlorinated biphenyls
4% heptachlorinated biphenyls
1% other biphenyl compounds
Why should I be concerned about PCBs in paints?
According to the U.S. EPA:
"PCBs have been demonstrated to cause a variety of serious health effects. PCBs have been shown to cause cancer and a number of serious non-cancer health effects in animals, including effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, and endocrine system. Studies in humans provide supportive evidence for the potential carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenic effects of PCBs. The different health effects of PCBs may be interrelated, as alterations in one system may have significant implications for the other regulatory systems of the body." (http://www.epa.gov/pcb/pubs/effects.html) EPA has reported PCB concentrations in dried paint ranging from less than 1 part per million (ppm) to 97,000 ppm. PCBs can enter the human body in the following ways:
Absorption through skin by contact with dried paint
Ingestion of flaking or deteriorating paint
Inhalation of flaking or deteriorating paint Because of the potential health issues associated with PCBs, these compounds were banned by the U.S. Congress in the late 1970s.
What about caulks—do I work or live in buildings that contain PCB-laden caulks?
It's possible. In addition to use in paints, PCBs were used in some caulks until the late 1970s. PCBs made the caulk sticky and easier to apply to window frames. These PCB-laden caulks were used throughout the U.S. and the world.
In one northeastern U.S. city, caulks from 24 buildings were tested for PCBs. Of the buildings sampled, 13 had measurable levels of PCBs in caulks, and 8 had levels that were above the EPA threshold of 50 ppm for bulk PCB wastes. These buildings included the following:
A government office—35,600 ppm PCBs by mass
University student housing, a dormitory, classrooms, and offices—70.5 to 36,200 ppm PCBs by mass
An elementary, middle, and high school—5,010 to 7,740 ppm PCBs by mass
A synagogue—8,240 ppm PCBs by mass
Are PCB-laden paints and caulks an issue only in the U.S.?
No. PCB-laden paints and/or caulks have been found in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Canada. PCBs were manufactured and sold outside the U.S. under the trade names Clophen (Germany), Phenoclor (France), Fenclor (Italy), and Kanechlor (Japan). Other countries where PCBs were manufactured include Austria, Czechoslovakia, USSR, the Russian Federation, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Although the manufacture and new uses of PCBs in the U.S. was banned in the late 1970s, many Western European countries did not implement a ban until the mid-1980s.
Reduce brittleness (i.e., act as a plasticizer),
Increase durability,
Provide chemical, water, and heat resistance, and
Serve as drying oils (resins).
Where have PCB-laden paints been found in the U.S.?
PCB-laden paints have been found on the following surfaces:
Walls, floors, stairs, handrails, and a parking garage in a government building
Boiler rooms and turbine platforms
Aircraft hangars
Swimming pools
Aquaculture tanks
A dry dock facility
Storage tanks
Ships
Railcars (in Canada)
Equipment, including extrusion presses, lathes, welders, ovens, furnaces, heat exchangers, and milling/grinding machinery
What exactly are PCBs?
PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are synthetic organic molecules that were used in products such as dielectric oils, hydraulic oils, heat-exchange oils, paints, caulks, and sealants. PCBs were popular because of their flame resistance, chemical stability, and insulating nature. The PCB molecule is comprised of two 6-carbon rings. The rings are joined via a chemical bond between two carbons, one from each ring. Chlorine atoms can be attached to any of the remaining carbons. Along the rings, 209 different chlorine arrangements, called congeners, are possible. The following figure illustrates the chemical structure of a tetrachlorinated biphenyl, with four chlorines bonded to the carbon rings.
In the U.S., PCBs were sold as different mixtures of congeners under the trade name "Arochlor." Arochlors are characterized using a 4-digit number. In most cases, the second two digits represent the percentage of chlorine atoms by weight in the mixture. As an example, Arochlor 1254, which was the most commonly used PCB mixture for paints in the U.S., contains 54% chlorine by weight. Arochlor 1254 consists of the following combination of chlorinated biphenyl compounds:
1% trichlorinated biphenyls
15% tetrachlorinated biphenyls
53% pentachlorinated biphenyls
26% hexachlorinated biphenyls
4% heptachlorinated biphenyls
1% other biphenyl compounds
Why should I be concerned about PCBs in paints?
According to the U.S. EPA:
"PCBs have been demonstrated to cause a variety of serious health effects. PCBs have been shown to cause cancer and a number of serious non-cancer health effects in animals, including effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, and endocrine system. Studies in humans provide supportive evidence for the potential carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenic effects of PCBs. The different health effects of PCBs may be interrelated, as alterations in one system may have significant implications for the other regulatory systems of the body." (http://www.epa.gov/pcb/pubs/effects.html) EPA has reported PCB concentrations in dried paint ranging from less than 1 part per million (ppm) to 97,000 ppm. PCBs can enter the human body in the following ways:
Absorption through skin by contact with dried paint
Ingestion of flaking or deteriorating paint
Inhalation of flaking or deteriorating paint Because of the potential health issues associated with PCBs, these compounds were banned by the U.S. Congress in the late 1970s.
What about caulks—do I work or live in buildings that contain PCB-laden caulks?
It's possible. In addition to use in paints, PCBs were used in some caulks until the late 1970s. PCBs made the caulk sticky and easier to apply to window frames. These PCB-laden caulks were used throughout the U.S. and the world.
In one northeastern U.S. city, caulks from 24 buildings were tested for PCBs. Of the buildings sampled, 13 had measurable levels of PCBs in caulks, and 8 had levels that were above the EPA threshold of 50 ppm for bulk PCB wastes. These buildings included the following:
A government office—35,600 ppm PCBs by mass
University student housing, a dormitory, classrooms, and offices—70.5 to 36,200 ppm PCBs by mass
An elementary, middle, and high school—5,010 to 7,740 ppm PCBs by mass
A synagogue—8,240 ppm PCBs by mass
Are PCB-laden paints and caulks an issue only in the U.S.?
No. PCB-laden paints and/or caulks have been found in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Canada. PCBs were manufactured and sold outside the U.S. under the trade names Clophen (Germany), Phenoclor (France), Fenclor (Italy), and Kanechlor (Japan). Other countries where PCBs were manufactured include Austria, Czechoslovakia, USSR, the Russian Federation, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Although the manufacture and new uses of PCBs in the U.S. was banned in the late 1970s, many Western European countries did not implement a ban until the mid-1980s.
Friday, August 13, 2010
EPA Draft Formaldehyde Assessment Report
In early June of this year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde-Inhalation Assessment. The report is available for public comment and peer review for 90 days.
According to an EPA news release, “This assessment will help EPA and others to determine the level of risk it poses to Americans’ health. EPA undertook this assessment because there have been a number of potentially significant new studies published since EPA’s last review of formaldehyde toxicity.”
Exposure risks associated with formaldehyde typically comes from occupants inhaling contaminated air. Exposure to elevated levels of formaldehyde can trigger asthma attacks, nausea, watery eyes, headaches and difficulty breathing. The current “permissible exposure limits” (PELs) for formaldehyde in the workplace are 0.75 parts per million (ppm) as an 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA).
Formaldehyde is a chemical found in numerous products and common building materials. It is often used in the manufacturing process for building materials such as particleboard, fiberboard, plywood and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). It is also a by-product of combustion and numerous industrial processes.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen. In the United States many companies have turned to Core, a leading provider of indoor air quality (IAQ) services, to provide testing solutions for formaldehyde.
“Formaldehyde exposure can cause problems in some individuals at 0.1 parts per million,” reported Don Makin, Indoor Air Quality Director of Operations for Core. “It is important to know if this chemical is present to protect people from all the health effects associated with it. If it is found at high levels there are steps that can be taken to minimize exposure.”
According to an EPA news release, “This assessment will help EPA and others to determine the level of risk it poses to Americans’ health. EPA undertook this assessment because there have been a number of potentially significant new studies published since EPA’s last review of formaldehyde toxicity.”
Exposure risks associated with formaldehyde typically comes from occupants inhaling contaminated air. Exposure to elevated levels of formaldehyde can trigger asthma attacks, nausea, watery eyes, headaches and difficulty breathing. The current “permissible exposure limits” (PELs) for formaldehyde in the workplace are 0.75 parts per million (ppm) as an 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA).
Formaldehyde is a chemical found in numerous products and common building materials. It is often used in the manufacturing process for building materials such as particleboard, fiberboard, plywood and urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). It is also a by-product of combustion and numerous industrial processes.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen. In the United States many companies have turned to Core, a leading provider of indoor air quality (IAQ) services, to provide testing solutions for formaldehyde.
“Formaldehyde exposure can cause problems in some individuals at 0.1 parts per million,” reported Don Makin, Indoor Air Quality Director of Operations for Core. “It is important to know if this chemical is present to protect people from all the health effects associated with it. If it is found at high levels there are steps that can be taken to minimize exposure.”
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Mold in Classrooms
EASLEY, S.C. -- An Upstate high school building will undergo a massive cleanup on Tuesday in an effort to remove mold and mildew contaminating the school, according to a release from the Pickens County School District.
The thorough wipe-down of the building will prevent 19 teachers from getting into their classrooms this week as they prepare for the first day of school on Aug. 17, said Superintendent Dr. Henry Hunt.
A meeting was scheduled at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the high school to talk about the emergency cleaning measures, Hunt said.
The fungus was found last week during routine HVAC maintenance and repair, said District Representative Julie Thompson.
The building was built in 1979, according to the release.
The cleaning process will include vacuuming all surfaces with a HEPA vacuum, wiping all surfaces with an antimicrobial cleaner, and spraying with an antimicrobial disinfectant, Thompson said. Workers will also remove ceiling tiles that show any evidence of mold or mildew and will thoroughly clean all HVAC units, she said.
Adjustments have also been made to help reduce humidity in the building, said Hunt.
"We have replaced faulty equipment in the units and in exhaust fans," Hunt said. "We have also set all thermostats at the appropriate set point and then secured them so that they cannot be adjusted," he said.
Teachers were expected to be allowed back into the classrooms on Monday, Aug. 19, according to Hunt. "That gives them only one day to prepare their rooms for students' arrival on Tuesday, but we'll assist them all we can," Hunt said. "Teachers will be involved in staff development activities and can also work in other areas on the campus," he said.
After the clean-up process is complete, air quality in the building will be tested. If a health hazard exists, Hunt said officials would not allow teachers or students to occupy the building.
"We would make a call at that time and do what's necessary to ensure the health and safety of our students and our staff," Hunt said.
Copyright 2010 by WYFF4.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The thorough wipe-down of the building will prevent 19 teachers from getting into their classrooms this week as they prepare for the first day of school on Aug. 17, said Superintendent Dr. Henry Hunt.
A meeting was scheduled at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the high school to talk about the emergency cleaning measures, Hunt said.
The fungus was found last week during routine HVAC maintenance and repair, said District Representative Julie Thompson.
The building was built in 1979, according to the release.
The cleaning process will include vacuuming all surfaces with a HEPA vacuum, wiping all surfaces with an antimicrobial cleaner, and spraying with an antimicrobial disinfectant, Thompson said. Workers will also remove ceiling tiles that show any evidence of mold or mildew and will thoroughly clean all HVAC units, she said.
Adjustments have also been made to help reduce humidity in the building, said Hunt.
"We have replaced faulty equipment in the units and in exhaust fans," Hunt said. "We have also set all thermostats at the appropriate set point and then secured them so that they cannot be adjusted," he said.
Teachers were expected to be allowed back into the classrooms on Monday, Aug. 19, according to Hunt. "That gives them only one day to prepare their rooms for students' arrival on Tuesday, but we'll assist them all we can," Hunt said. "Teachers will be involved in staff development activities and can also work in other areas on the campus," he said.
After the clean-up process is complete, air quality in the building will be tested. If a health hazard exists, Hunt said officials would not allow teachers or students to occupy the building.
"We would make a call at that time and do what's necessary to ensure the health and safety of our students and our staff," Hunt said.
Copyright 2010 by WYFF4.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
NFL Lawsuit regarding Indoor Air Quality
FAIRFIELD, Conn., July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Former NFL center LeCharles Bentley's lawsuit against the Cleveland Browns raises new awareness and concerns about air quality in professional sports training facilities, locker room and stadiums, says Steve Levine, President and CEO of AtmosAir Solutions.
Bentley sued the Browns on July 22nd over a career-ending staph infection he says he contracted at the team's training facility.
"Assuring NFL facilities have clean air is not only crucial for a player's health, but when a team spends millions of dollars on its athletes, it's just a very smart way to protect your investment," says Levine, whose company already works with the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs.
Staph infections at athletic training facilities are often traced to contact with bacteria. Treating surfaces is generally temporary. A more permanent fix is installing air purification ionization systems, like those developed and installed by AtmosAir. They rid the root of these infections over extended time and help insure athletes remain healthy and germ free.
The AtmosAir bi-polar system (which can be integrated into HVAC systems in homes and buildings or used as standalone portable units) lets air pass through a patented ionization tube, which energizes the air to form bi-polar (or positive and negative) air ions. The airflow then distributes the ions into all of the spaces served by the duct system. There's no continual maintenance, no filters to keep changing or collector cells to constantly clean. The only maintenance required in most cases is a once yearly replacement of the ionization tube.
Bentley's attorney, Shannon Polk, said the lawsuit filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court seeks at least $25,000 in damages for alleged fraud and negligent misrepresentation. Polk said Bentley nearly died from the infection while he was rehabbing from a knee injury. The Browns declined to comment.
The Chicago Cubs minor league facility at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. recently installed an AtmosAir system and has reported positive results.
Bentley sued the Browns on July 22nd over a career-ending staph infection he says he contracted at the team's training facility.
"Assuring NFL facilities have clean air is not only crucial for a player's health, but when a team spends millions of dollars on its athletes, it's just a very smart way to protect your investment," says Levine, whose company already works with the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs.
Staph infections at athletic training facilities are often traced to contact with bacteria. Treating surfaces is generally temporary. A more permanent fix is installing air purification ionization systems, like those developed and installed by AtmosAir. They rid the root of these infections over extended time and help insure athletes remain healthy and germ free.
The AtmosAir bi-polar system (which can be integrated into HVAC systems in homes and buildings or used as standalone portable units) lets air pass through a patented ionization tube, which energizes the air to form bi-polar (or positive and negative) air ions. The airflow then distributes the ions into all of the spaces served by the duct system. There's no continual maintenance, no filters to keep changing or collector cells to constantly clean. The only maintenance required in most cases is a once yearly replacement of the ionization tube.
Bentley's attorney, Shannon Polk, said the lawsuit filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court seeks at least $25,000 in damages for alleged fraud and negligent misrepresentation. Polk said Bentley nearly died from the infection while he was rehabbing from a knee injury. The Browns declined to comment.
The Chicago Cubs minor league facility at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. recently installed an AtmosAir system and has reported positive results.
Friday, July 23, 2010
ASHRAE Publishes 2010 Residential IAQ Standard
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2010, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is the only nationally recognized indoor air quality standard developed solely for residences. It defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings. The 2010 standard encourages home retrofits to improve indoor air quality through allowance of alternative methods for meeting the standard’s requirements regarding kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans. The standard currently requires fans in those rooms. “This change makes the standard much easier to use in home retrofits, which is very important considering massive federal and state government efforts in this area,” Steven Emmerich, committee chair, said. “For example, installation of new equipment in some existing homes can be a barrier in terms of expense and practicality. Under the alternative compliance path, the overall whole-house ventilation rate can be increased to compensate for insufficient or non-existent bathroom exhaust.” The overall approach to residential ventilation in the standard has not changed since the 2007 version was published, such as whole house mechanical for most houses, local exhaust in baths and kitchens and some source control measures. Additional improvements to the standard include more accurate factors for intermittent whole-house systems; changes to better limit unintended (potentially contaminated) air transfer from garages, leaky ducts, adjacent housing units, and other such spaces; and deletion of an exception for certain climates that had allowed the use of windows instead of fans given that studies have shown that windows are not used enough and are unreliable for ventilation. The cost of Standard 62.2-2010 is $54 ($46, ASHRAE members). To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), fax 404-321-5478, or visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore. ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education
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