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Published December 26, 2006
In this column I want to focus on the growing number of laboratory-made chemicals we breathe in, how they affect our health, where you can get more information and how you can reduce that health burden.
Did you know that indoor air can be as much as 100 times more polluted than outdoor air? Yes. Why? Because we have "tightened up" our homes to save heating and cooling costs, and because we bring so many smelly items into our home.
Here is a very short list of products that contribute to indoor air pollution: furniture and floor polish, oven cleaners, chlorine bleach, tub and tile cleaners, drycleaning solvents in clothing, nail polish, hair-permanent solutions, kerosene, laundry detergents (does going down the detergent aisle in the grocery store really bother your nose or lungs?) and cosmetics.
In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta sampled the blood and urine of 2,500 people from across the United States for laboratory-made chemicals. Researchers found traces of all 116 chemicals they tested for, and the average number per person was 91.
Your nose is the first tool you can use to identify indoor air pollution.
Walk around your home and really pay attention to the odors. If they come from substances made by nature, they probably will not negatively affect your health.
If they are laboratory-made, be wary. Also be aware that you may suffer from "olfactory fatigue," where your nose is so used to the smell that you can't tell it's present.
These airborne chemicals affect your health in a wide variety of ways including neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, depression, attention deficit disorder, reproductive disorders, fatigue, headaches, allergies, asthma and other breathing disorders, muscle and vision problems and a reduced ability to handle stress.
While there are many sources of information about indoor air pollution, here are three. First, in her book: "Home Safe Home: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Harmful Household Products," Debra Lynn Dadd devotes one chapter to each major class of indoor pollutants.
Second, the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) reports on what they call "Body Burden - The Pollution in People." This site also provides information on 14,841 skin products - lotions, lip balms, deodorants, sunscreens and more.
Third, the October, 2006 issue of National Geographic has three articles written by David Ewing Duncan: "The Pollution Within," where he tells his own story of being tested for 320 toxic chemicals; "Our Toxic Homes," which is a room-by-room inventory of toxic chemicals; and "A World of Hurt," which looks at accidents worldwide that endanger people and the results.
