Government offices and hospitals ban fragrances

Policies promise relief to allergy sufferers and chemically sensitive persons

Public buildings with a no-scent policy can help
provide relief to allergy and MCS sufferers.

As chemical sensitivity and allergy rates soar, many public buildings have become a “no-scent” zone to accommodate those who may react to strong fragrances and perfumes.

In Tuttle, Oklahoma, city hall visitors wearing perfumes are asked to remain at the front of the building. City workers in Portland, Oregon, have been banned from using fragrance.

A medical center in Bremerton, Washington, also asks employees and visitors to skip scents and to choose less fragrant flowers, while a hospital in Windom, Minnesota has been fragrance-free since 1999.

Why are fragrances and perfumes bad?

Perfumes and fragrances, or aroma compounds, are chemical compounds that have a smell or odor.

Perfumes can also contain essential oils, solvents and fixatives. The precise formula of commercial perfumes and fragrances is often kept secret.

Evidence in peer-reviewed journals shows that some fragrances can cause asthmatic reactions in some individuals, especially those with severe or atopic asthma. Many fragrance ingredients can also cause headaches, allergic skin reactions or nausea.

In a two-phase population study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, perfume was one of three main culprits of triggering attacks in people with chemical sensitivities, along with cleaning agents and pesticides.

Source: USA Today, other

Ban perfumes and irritants from your surroundings

AllerAir's air purifiers clean
the air around the clock.

Public spaces are not the only danger zones when it comes to people suffering from allergies or chemical sensitivities.

The air inside our homes can be polluted by chemical and irritating substances as well.

AllerAir offers proven and safe air filtration technologies to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants from the ambient air, including chemicals, gases and odors, particles, dust, mold, bacteria and viruses.

AllerAir has developed air purifiers for the home and office that provide general purpose air cleaning strength as well as specialized air purifiers for:

• Allergy and Asthma
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
• Odor and Chemical Control

For more information, contact AllerAir at 888-852-8247.

May is MCS Awareness Month

A growing number of people are suffering from adverse reactions to chemicals and environmental toxins

Chemical sensitivities can affect people of all races,
ages and genders, experts say.

Environmental sensitivities, or multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), affect more than 48 million men, women and children of all races, according to MCS America.

While the medical community is still divided about how to deal with this mild to disabling condition that can involve a wide range of symptoms and triggers, it is not an entirely new phenomenon.

MCS was first documented in the 1950s by allergist Dr. Theron Randolph, who had a patient with adverse reactions to the petrochemicals in the Chicago area environment.

Environmental sensitivities often develop after a chemical injury or prolonged exposure to even small amounts of chemicals, and commonly cited culprits include pesticides, solvents, smoke, scented products and even toxic mold.

The entire month of May is dedicated to raise public awareness about chemical sensitivities and chemical injury. If you would like to organize something, you can get MCS America’s event planning kit here.

You can also learn more about chemical sensitivities in a free webinar on MCS offered by Air Quality Academy.

Filtered air for MCS relief

AllerAir is no stranger to MCS and has taken special care to develop air purifiers with the most inert materials and best features to remove chemicals, gases and odors from the ambient air, as well as particles and other pollutants.

AllerAir’s MCS-friendly features include:

• The deepest beds of activated carbon for maximum efficiency of gaseous adsorption
• The most tolerable carbon blends, determined for each customer by a special
• Carbon Test Kit
• Unbleached, organic cotton pre-filters
• Inert HEPA material that contains no binder, glue or other irritants
• Powder-coated finish on all metal surfaces – including air purifier housing, filter caps and more
• Possibility for negative and positive air configuration
• Burnt-in motor to reduce new motor smells

An air purifier for MCS needs many pounds of activated carbon to remove airborne chemicals, gases and odors. AllerAir’s air purifiers can be run 24/7 on a low setting and are very effective at removing the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

For more information and recommendations, contact AllerAir today.
 

Supporting Loved Ones with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome and Reducing Chemical Exposures

Seeking refuge from the many chemicals and toxins that threaten their health and well-being often forces people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome into isolation. A positive, supportive attitude can have a big impact on a friend or family member suffering with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome. Living with Environmental sensitivities can mean enduring rejection and life in quarantine. People suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome experience severe symptoms that interfere with their day-to-day activities, and so their goal is to reduce their chemical exposures.

For those suffering with Environmental sensitivities, finding a home that doesn’t make them sick can be overwhelming. Newer homes are built with materials that emit chemicals like formaldehyde and benzene, while air fresheners, plug-ins and a variety of toxic cleaning chemicals leave behind a toxic trail of over 400 airborne pollutants.

Older homes present other air quality problems like mold, lead, asbestos and radon. They also tend to have poor ventilation systems, so just imagine the chemical exposures. If finding a safe home presents such a unique set of challenges, how difficult must it be to venture into a world that is clueless about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome and the dangers of chemical exposures?

In a world that glorifies the signature scent and equates cleanliness with the smell of pine, is it really necessary to question why an MCS sufferer finds his/her self in isolation? Central nervous system depressants and carcinogens are present in everyday products affecting indoor air quality in homes, schools and offices around the world.

People are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of chemicals and of how real chemical allergies really are. Once referred to as a “spurious disease,” the growing numbers of people suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome worldwide is sparking interest and support.

There are choices that we can make everyday to reduce chemical exposures and indoor air pollution. Firstly, we must begin by redefining the meaning of a clean home.

Help your loved one stay involved and active by following these simple rules.

1. Put yourself in their shoes
2. Find out which products your loved one can tolerate
3. Try using dye and perfume free laundry detergent
4. Try crystal stick deodorants
5. Use an air purifier in your home

Avoid:

1. Clothes washed with regular laundry detergent
2. Wearing dry cleaned clothes
3. Wearing clothes that have spent time next to items with any type of fragrance
4. Wearing nail polish
5. Wearing leather, suede, or any other material that requires protective sprays
6. Anything that is scented (shampoo, hairspray, creams, perfumes, body sprays, etc.)
7. Chewing gum, breath mints, etc.
8. Cosmetics

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome is real. Chemical exposures can have a real impact on your health, eventually leading to environmental sensitivities and a life of discomfort. Showing compassion for a loved one with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome can even improve your quality of life, because it means reducing your chemical exposures. Seems worth it to me.

AllerAir Deals for May: $50 off the purchase of any unit

In recognition of MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) awareness month we’re offering $50 off the purchase of any unit. For your coupon code visit http://www.allerair.com/. Click on the MCS button, then “Gift Certificate Code”. The coupon code is valid until June 15, 2010 and is only applicable towards the purchase of a unit (not valid for filters, test kits or accessories). Offer limited to one coupon per purchase.

Airborne Chemicals to Blame for Travolta Death?

It’s always a shame when it takes a tragedy to shed light on an otherwise much-ignored topic. Shortly into the New Year, on Friday January 2, 16-year old Jett Travolta, son of acclaimed actor John Travolta, was found dead at his family’s vacation home in the Bahamas.

The cause of the young boy’s death will not be known until the results of the autopsy can be analyzed and released to the public. It is known that Jett had a seizure, and hit his head on a bathtub when he collapsed.

The family, however, has long upheld that Jett suffered from Kawasaki disease, a condition that is largely misunderstood, and under-researched. It is also difficult to diagnose since there are no known tests that can confirm or deny its presence.

According to a Children's Hospital Boston / Harvard Medical school information page on the disease, “Some studies have found associations between the occurrence of Kawasaki disease and recent exposure to carpet cleaning or residence near a body of stagnant water; however, cause and effect have not been established.”

Kelly Preston, John’s wife and Jett’s mother, had worked tirelessly to purify her home of all airborne chemicals, such as those found in carpet cleaners.

I imagine over the next few days and weeks, many will argue over the legitimacy of Kawasaki disease. There will be, I suspect, the same who argue that chemical sensitivities, like those that plague people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) are merely... figments of their imagination. Exaggerations. Lies.

Not only do we not agree with this, but we’ve also based much of what we stand for at AllerAir on the sole purpose of raising awareness about the dangers associated with poor indoor air quality (IAQ), and developing air purifiers that offer alternatives to breathing dangerous airborne chemicals and gases.

For more information on harmful airborne toxins and chemicals, visit www.allerair.com. To speak to one of our Indoor Air Quality Experts, call 1.888.852.8247.

Enough is Enough, for Bubble Woman

Okay, that’s it. I’ve been following the story about Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes, the woman who set up a structure in her backyard, now being referred to as the “bubble”, because she has Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and is extremely sensitive to the chemicals found in our environment.

The woman lives in a bubble. In her backyard. In a bubble.

And her neighbors want her beloved bubble torn down. Oh, it’s ugly, she didn’t get a permit, it’s not hooked up to the utility line, yada, yada.

Let’s rewind to the part where this woman lives in a bubble. Do ya think we could cut her a break? I mean, why do these people care so much? My neighbor’s yard looks terrible. There are toys everywhere, garbage strewn and he only cuts his grass about twice a year. It looks horrendous.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes has a clean yard that is well kept. Her loving husband made her the bubble so she could enjoy some quality of life… again, in her bubble.

Paul Carpenter wrote a great article about the subject the other day, saying that if this story were about some cute puppy that couldn’t live outside his special bubble without being in agonizing pain, there would be uproar at the idea of tearing down his shelter. All the activists would gather, there would be placards… the media would be all over this story.

But it’s just so much fun to keep torturing this bubble woman, isn’t it? I mean, really, she lives in a bubble. It’s just too easy.

Enough already. Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes has enough troubles on her plate. She’s not a witch. Let’s not burn her at the stake.

Janice Scrim is an Indoor Air Quality Expert with AllerAir Industries. Many AllerAir customers are people just like Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes, who have serious conditions like MCS that require serious indoor air quality solutions.

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures for Environmental Illness and MCS Sufferers; IAQ Experts Say Talk to a Professional

Air quality is important to everyone. But for one Allentown, Pennsylvania woman who suffers from environmental illness, it has called for desperate measures.

Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes, 52, is extremely sensitive to chemicals, allergens and other everyday substances. As a result she suffers from migraines, joint pain, bladder inflammation, seizures and even temporary paralysis.

So her husband built her a safe-zone structure in their backyard—- what the couple lovingly refers to as their “bubble”.

But yesterday, the county court ordered the couple to dismantle the unsightly shelter that was built without a permit and does not conform to building regulations.

Feudale-Bowes maintains that the chemicals and substances in the air make her so violently ill, that without the bubble, where she spends 10 hours a day, she is unable to function.

The county and the couple’s neighbors want the structure down by the end of the month. The couple is threatening to sue the township under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

This story is controversial and is making headlines. But the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Experts at AllerAir say they hear stories just like this one on a regular basis.

“We receive phone calls on a weekly basis from people just like Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes, who are desperate, and as a result take some pretty desperate measures,” said Karen Hand, chemical engineer and IAQ Expert at AllerAir. “Their illness is often viewed by society and the medical community as psychological, and support is often lacking.”

Hand says that people suffering with Environmental Illness (EI) and similar chronic conditions such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) often turn to air purifiers to help them create a safe-zone, like the one that Feudale-Bowes’ husband made for her in their backyard.

“Being outfitted with the wrong air purifier is often worse than not having one at all,” warns Hand. “Only an air purifier with pounds of activated carbon can help adsorb dangerous airborne chemicals—- but what many air purifier companies don’t know, or don’t say, is that EI and MCS sufferers can be sensitive to the carbon itself.”

Hand says choosing the right blend of carbon is key to finding the right air purifier. She recommends the AirMedic MCS with EcoFlow TM Technology, which comes standard with a test kit. “The client is given the test kit with different blends of carbon and is able to then choose the type of carbon that best suits their chemical sensitivities. This greatly limits a negative reaction to the unit itself.”

Hand also says that EI and MCS sufferers must stay away from air purifiers designed with plastics. These units, she says, have dangerous off gassing that can be detrimental to EI and MCS sufferers.

“Air purifiers aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution,” said Hand. “A HEPA air filter is not designed to remove chemicals, so it’s another perfect example of an air purifier that won’t work for this purpose.”

Hand suggests that people who have serious sensitivities and extreme IAQ problems speak to a air purifier professional, and not just pick up a random unit at the hardware store. “This move can often make a bad situation worse, and lead to circumstances like the one with Elizabeth Feudale-Bowes, where desperate measures are taken in desperate situations.”

To speak to an AllerAir IAQ Expert, call 1.888.852.8247.

Air Purifiers for MCS and Severe Allergy Sufferers

New Customizable Air Purifiers for MCS and Severe Allergy Sufferers!

New Relief for MCS and Severe Allergy Sufferers

AllerAir Industries is pleased to offer Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) and severe allergy sufferers new relief from chemical and particle irritations, with the release of its AirMedic MCS with EcoFlowä Technology, an air purifier designed with a customizable carbon blend to provide users with the cleanest indoor air.

“One of the biggest challenges for MCS sufferers is finding an air purifier that does not worsen their symptoms because they are sensitive to the unit itself,” said Sam Teitelbaum, President of AllerAir. “The AirMedic MCS is customizable with up to five different carbons, depending on the sensitivities of each individual, and is designed with materials that do not emit troublesome off-gases.”

To customize each unit, a test kit is first provided to each user to determine which of the five carbons is best suited for their specific sensitivities.

“MCS sufferers need a carbon filter in their air purifier—a HEPA filter simply won’t work,” said Mr. Teitelbaum. “Finding the right carbon is the key to giving MCS sufferers a better quality of life. This is what sets the AirMedic MCS apart from other air purifiers on the market.”

Many MCS sufferers are also sensitive to electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions, so the AirMedic MCS unique design includes a shielded cable, a special feature that virtually eliminates all EMF emissions from the actual cable.

The AirMedic MCS is designed without the use of bonding agents, which can also trigger significant reactions. Other features include a sealed motor, powder-coated carbon canister, a 100% metal casing, and an organic cotton pre-filter. These unique features further contribute to the unit’s inert design.

AllerAir is a manufacturer of advanced residential, commercial and industrial air purification systems who specialize in chemical, gas, odor and particle abatement. Their products are currently being used by hospitals, police departments, the military and thousands of North American families. For more information on the AirMedic MCS unit, please visit http://allerair.com.