Living close to a fracking site may harm your health: Study

Air pollution from hydraulic fracturing deemed a major health risk

Researchers named a
long list of health risks
linked to fracking.

As our colleagues from Electrocorp are reporting today, a new study has found a link between the air pollution caused by hydraulic fracturing and acute and chronic health problems for people living near the drilling sites.

Researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health concluded a three-year study that raises concerns about the levels of toxic chemicals in the air around natural gas drilling sites.

The chemicals in question are benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene, which are either known carcinogens or otherwise linked to serious health effects.

The study should ring an alarm bell for people living with a half mile from a natural gas drilling site, since it increases the risk of health effects (in Colorado, companies can drill for natural gas within 150 feet of homes or residential dwellings).

The air pollution caused by fracking may contribute to a number of health effects, including eye irritation, headaches, asthma symptoms and cancer.

The study report will be published in Science of the Total Environment, an article in the Los Angeles Times says.

Cleaner indoor air in homes

Activated carbon air purifiers can help remove harmful chemicals and gases like benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene.

AllerAir offers the most powerful air purifiers for the home and office, featuring deep-bed activated carbon filters for effective removal of gaseous pollutants.

Contact AllerAir for more information.
 
See also:

• VIDEO: Natural gas and air pollution 

   

Report lists hazardous chemicals in toys, household products

Many baby and children's toys contain
BPA, a report shows.

The Environmental Health Strategy Center in Maine has published a report entitled Poison in Paint, Toxics in Toys, which provides information on children’s products containing BPA (bisphenol A) as well as common household products such as paint, cleaning agents, wood finishes and more that may expose residents to NPEs (nonylphenol ethoxylates).

NP and NPEs are produced in large volumes, with uses that lead to widespread release to the aquatic environment and they are toxic to aquatic organisms., according to EPA.

The report includes more than 650 brand-name children’s products, including Playmobil sets and Chicco baby rattles that contain BPA.

BPA (bisphenol A) has been shown to cause reproductive and developmental effects in animal studies. BPA is used in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer and industrial products including food-can liners, hard polycarbonate plastics, epoxy paints and coatings, and thermal papers, even cash register receipts.

Releases of BPA to the environment exceed 1 million pounds per year.

While low levels of exposure to BPA is considered safe, studies have suggested the chemical may affect the brain, behavior and prostate glands in young children by mimicking the sex hormone estrogen.

The chemical industry is denying  that there are reasons for concern, saying that human safety has not been shown to be at risk by these compounds.

Source: Ann Arbor

Best advice: Reduce chemical exposure

As long as there isn’t foolproof evidence that a certain chemical poses a risk to human health, laws and regulations are slow to reflect growing concerns.

An air purifier with carbon + HEPA can
help remove harmful toxins.

But isn’t it better to be safe rather than sorry?

Common sense dictates that we should avoid chemical exposures as much as possible, by being aware of the risks, choosing more natural products whenever possible, demanding safe products and creating a safe environment in the home.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for the home and office can help remove a wide range of indoor air pollutants, including particles and dust, chemicals, odors and gases, bacteria, viruses and mold.

The complete air filter system features activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV light technology and can easily be moved from one room to the next.

For more information, contact AllerAir directly.

A toxic world: Women, men and children react differently to environmental pollution

You can't hide from environmental pollutants.

Most people in North America are being exposed to environmental toxins or chemicals on a continuous basis.

They are found in our home's building materials, our furniture, our household products, our food and our clothing.

As of now, environmental experts are relying on biomonitoring studies that take samples of people’s blood, hair or fingernails to find out which chemicals make up the body burden.

As our bodies accumulate more synthetic chemicals and our body burdens grow heavier, there is also an incidental rise in diseases and disorders like cancer, development syndromes, reproductive disorders and autoimmune diseases.

Most studies, however, don’t take into account how women, men and children may react differently to environmental pollutants and could suffer from different health outcomes.

Children, for example, are still developing their bodily systems and they breathe more and ingest more in relation to their body size. Women, too, may be more at risk, according to the director of the National Network on Environments and Women's Health.

In the organization's recent report Sex, Gender & Chemicals: Factoring Women into the Chemicals Management Plan, they examine Canada’s way to assess a chemical’s risk to determine whether it is toxic.

According to the report, there are several places where the government did not consider sex and gender in the risk assessments for common chemicals, and where -- if they had done so -- a chemical may have been listed toxic, but instead remains in circulation.

Examples include

• BHA, an additive used as a preservative in foods, drugs and personal care products. The government did not take into account that women use more personal care products than men, on average and may be exposed to much higher quantities
• HBCD, a flame retardant found in furniture and window coverings and carpets. The government did not consider higher exposure of northern communities or infants
• BPA, a common chemicals that was finally banned in baby bottles, but there was no action to ban it from other sources of exposure, including can linings and debit receipts.

The organization calls for more protection and to put people’s interest over industry interest, since there is limited individual control over exposures outside of the home (or with a limited budget).

Reduce chemical exposure at home

AllerAir's numerical series helps
keep the air clean.

There are many steps people can take to reduce their exposure to chemicals at home:

• Avoid products with synthetic chemicals as much as possible
• Keep the home well ventilated
• Use a room air purifier with activated carbon and HEPA

The activated carbon filters in AllerAir air purifiers can remove a wide range of chemicals, gases, odors, VOCs and fumes. The carbon boasts a large internal surface area where gaseous pollutants get trapped by way of a chemical reaction.

The HEPA and pre-filter in the multistage filtration system filter out airborne particles and dust as well as microorganisms (for extra protection against bacteria, mold and viruses, opt for UV germicidal filtration).

Contact AllerAir for more information.

How safe is your baby’s crib?

Sweet dreams? Crib mattresses can
contain toxic chemicals.

When it comes to babies, new parents often turn into serious health nuts in order to protect their loved ones from environmental exposure (as much as possible).

But what if they don’t have much of a choice?

Case in point: Crib mattresses in the United States.

A new report by Clean and Healthy New York entitled “The Mattress Matters: Protecting Babies from Toxic Chemicals While They Sleep,” found that while some crib mattress manufacturers have made products less toxic, most commercially available cribs still contained at least one chemical of concern.

According to an article by OMB Watch, The researchers found that most mattresses contained polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and additives called phthalates.

Phthalates are not chemically bound to the products and can easily be released into the ambient air.

Health authorities have expressed concern about phthalates because of their toxicity and because of high exposure levels in the public.

Phthalates are often used to soften PVC products and they can be found in adhesives and glues, electronics, building materials, personal-care products, medical devices, detergents and surfactants, packaging, children's toys, modelling clay, waxes, paints, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals, food products, and textiles.

Becoming more aware of the health risks is one of the first steps to promote change. As demand for safer baby’s toys and products such as cribs increases, more manufacturers will respond and use non-toxic products.

In the meantime, parents can make other changes to reduce their children’s exposure to environmental pollution, including buying organic foods whenever possible, using natural cleaning products, opting for low or zero-VOC paints and products and using a room air purifier to remove airborne pollutants.

Room air purifiers with many pounds
of activated carbon and HEPA.

AllerAir delivers powerful, portable air purifiers with activated carbon + HEPA filters to remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants, including chemicals, odors, gases, particles, bacteria, viruses and mold.

With highly efficient general purpose air purifiers, air purifiers for baby’s room or nursery and other specialized air purifiers, AllerAir can solve virtually any IAQ concern.

For more information, contact AllerAir.

Next time she’s asking for diamonds – buy her a candle?

Candlelight - romantic diamonds
or source of harmful toxins?

Scientists  have discovered that about 1.5 million tiny diamond nanoparticles are created every second as a candle burns.

The researchers from the University of St Andrews also found the diamond particles in tests on natural gas and wood flames.

“Unfortunately the diamond particles are burned away in the process, and converted into carbon dioxide, but this will change the way we view a candle flame forever,” explained Prof Wuzong Zhou, who led the research.

This may explain the magical glimmer of candles, but scented candles can burn much more than the tiny diamond particles.

Experts have warned that scented candles introduce harmful indoor air pollutants into your environment.

The smoke produced by many of them is laced with toxins linked to cancer, asthma and eczema, including toluene and benzene.

The odd candle is unlikely to do any harm, but we should avoid using them day after day in bathrooms and other poorly ventilated rooms, researchers say.

Use a home air purifier to remove indoor air pollutants

Interested in learning more about removing airborne pollutants? We have home air purifiers that remove airborne chemicals, gases, odors, particles and bacteria.

To connect with us:
Visit our website: http://www.allerair.com/
Start a live chat session with an indoor air quality expert
Follow us on Twitter
E-mail or phone 1-888-852-8247

California’s toxics law celebrates a quarter century of successful regulation

California toxics law turns 25

California is often seen as one of the frontrunners when it comes to passing and implementing environmental or consumer protection laws.

One of the reasons is the well-known Proposition 65, which was introduced 25 years ago and required businesses and buildings to offer warning labels about the potential for cancer or birth defects related to the use of their products or spaces.

Since its introduction a quarter century ago, the law has prompted companies worldwide to change their formulas or products in order to comply with the regulations and to avoid negative publicity and consumer wariness.

According to an article in the San Diego News, the list of altered items runs from correction fluid and nail polish to jewelry and vitamins. 

Thousands of consumer products changed

By one count, more than 12,000 kinds of consumer products have been reformulated directly because of Prop. 65 warnings — and an unknown number of others have been changed before they entered the legal process.

Even as some companies and individuals continue to complain about higher costs and more difficult production, fact is, the law put California at the forefront of an international movement to limit human exposure to dangerous chemicals and compounds.

The list now includes more than 840 substances “known to the state of California” to cause cancer or reproductive harm, up from 30 in 1987.

International influence of toxics law

Even though the law remains unmatched in other states or countries, many international companies have changed their products or have taken measures to follow the law, experts say,  because no business would want to get caught using one safer product in California and offer a different product anywhere else.

It may not be effective all the time – the law was and remains effective and has made many people aware of the risks of chemicals and other toxic substances.

Source: San Diego News

AirMedic Series: Superior
particle and chemical filtration.

Air cleaners remove harmful indoor air pollutants

One of the best ways to avoid toxins is to reduce chemical exposure – with source control and other measures such as air purification.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for the home and office use a powerful activated carbon and HEPA filter combination to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants from the air – including chemicals, VOCs, gases, particles and pollen.

Contact AllerAir for more information or browse our product line on the website.
 

Chemical Exposure During Pregnancy: How Exposure to Toxic Chemicals Affects Your Baby

Chemical exposure during pregnancy can have a serious impact on a child’s life. Studies reveal that exposure to toxic chemicals begins in the womb, and may result in behavioral and cognitive problems, chronic disorders, environmental injury, or cancer.

Pregnant women must protect their infants from toxic injury in the womb. A study conducted by the Endocrine Society revealed that chemical exposures during pregnancy, specifically BPA, lead to cancer in 33% of cases. In most instances, the cancers began at puberty or in young adulthood.

Similarly, an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study found 232 chemicals in the umbilical cords of ten babies. Avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals is now vital to a healthy pregnancy. The EWG insists that better measures are necessary in order to protect against chemical exposures during pregnancy.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contends that prenatal exposure to air pollutants contributes to low birth weight and early delivery, which in turn contributes to high infant mortality rates as well as a lifetime of disabilities.

What can you do to avoid chemical exposures during pregnancy to protect yourself and your unborn child?

Here are a few tips to help limit Your Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

1. Do not smoke.  Stay away from Second hand smoke. There are over 4,000 chemicals in second hand smoke and over 250 of these chemicals are considered carcinogenic. Ask people to smoke outside, not in your home or vehicle. Remember, even after the baby arrives, these chemicals can cause asthma among other chronic diseases.

2. Watch out for toxic cleaning chemicals

Many cleaning products contain hazardous chemicals, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and carcinogens.  Even commonly used aerosols inject over 80 distinct chemicals into your ambient air (EWG).  The use of green cleaning products, at home and at work, is just one way to limit your exposure to toxic chemicals.

A recent study conducted by EWG discovered over 457 chemical emissions from disinfectant powders, bleaches, aerosols, glass cleaners and more. Employ the use of natural cleaning agents such as baking soda and all-purpose enzyme cleaners.

At work and at home, having an air purifier with activated carbon will help keep gaseous and particle pollutants at bay, significantly reducing exposure to toxic chemicals. Look for an air purifier with at least 15 pounds of activated carbon that is ozone-free.

3. Limit your exposure to paint.

You’re expecting a new baby and it’s exciting, but remember that most paints contains VOCs. A freshly painted room is no place for an expecting mother. Once the room is painted, make sure it is well ventilated. Open the windows and if you have an air purifier, use it.

4. Watch out for ozone

Exposure to ozone can occur in two instances: through smog exposure or from ozone generators. Smog is a cocktail of air pollutants largely composed of ground level ozone, while ozone generators refer to personal air purifiers that emit ozone gas. Smog going outdoors when there are smog warnings in effect; however, smog (like other outdoor air pollutants) can find its way inside your home.

5. Steer clear of the dry cleaners

In your attempt to avoid Chemical exposure during pregnancy, opt to hand wash your delicates. The dry cleaning process involves the use of organic solvents like tetrachloride that are recognized as hazardous, causing liver, kidney and nervous system damage.

6. Go scent free

Many perfumes are concocted with a number of chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects and organ damage. A study conducted by the EPA revealed that most department store perfumes contain toluene---a proven carcinogen---while a number of other cosmetic products contain petrochemicals and pesticides. Studies reveal that perfume use can cause undue chemical exposure during pregnancy, and may lead to infertility in male babies.

7. Invest in an air purifier

An air purifier will remove chemicals and odors from the ambient air in your home. This is the best way to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. An air purifier with at least 15 pounds of granular activated carbon and a medical-grade HEPA filter will trap 99.97% of particle pollutants. Avoid air purifiers that use a thin layer of spray-on carbon; they are useless.

8. Pesticides are toxic

Do not use pesticides in your home. Also, when entering your home, remove your shoes and ask others to do the same. Wash all produce before consumption, and whenever possible, opt for organic fruits and vegetables.

Remember, chemical exposure during pregnancy can affect your child for the rest of their lives, so isn’t worth it to be careful? This time it’s easy to make smart choices. Avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals can only help.