Resources

Where can I go for truth?

We have all been hearing lately about the Pet Food recalls. It can sure be scary knowing that there are dangers to our health and wellness (and our pets, and family members) lurking in places we like to think are safe.

It is hard too, to know where to look for good information. I find it frustrating and I know many of my friends do also. Is the e-mail that was forwarded true or false? Is the local news or local paper telling me the whole picture and about all the products? Where can I go for truth?

Well I offer some help!

First off when you have someone on your e-mail list that forwards you information, make sure that BEFORE you pass it on you make sure it is true.

A simple, FREE, and dependable site is snopes.com

Snopes does a great job of tracking down the truth and letting you know what is true, what is false, and what is not yet verifiable (perhaps true, maybe not) and also to let you know the WHEN part. One of the things you find in email forwards is they may have been true at one point, but no longer are. You also find one part of it is true, but not the rest (a known fact added to the tale to make it seem true) of the information.

You can sort through all the facts there with an easy to use search function, and frankly you may even enjoy snooping about some, and seeing some e-mails that you have gotten (and maybe passed on) that were not true; especially about BIG animals and such.

There is another site that I was just introduced to called recalls.org

I like how it breaks it down with FACTS, and in areas such as Food, Drugs, and Veterinary.

For example, have you heard yet that Poptarts were recalled this month? It was for a mislabeling you bought blueberry and ended up with hot fudge sundae flavor (who knew there were hot fudge sundae pop tarts?!?!)

What about more serious things like the LONG list from this month on baby wipes that were recalled for possible contamination of with Burkholderia cepacia, a recall that was for all of the states and Canada and involved 194,924 units?

Or the metal particles in some Little Debbie Products had you heard about that? I had not!

And this just in -McNEIL-PPC, Inc. (the “Company”) is recalling all lots of the GLACIER MINT™ and BUBBLE BLAST™ flavors of LISTERINE® AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse after the Company determined that the preservative system is not adequate against certain microorganisms. The Company is recalling all bottles of AGENT COOL BLUE™ Plaque-Detecting Rinse, an estimated 4 million, from both retailers and consumers.

Therefore, it seems more and more often, the work of being a safe shopper falls only in your hands, I hope you find some value in the links I have shared. Remember that regardless of where you shop and what you buy be aware.

Recycle

Hi there, I know it has been awhile since I did a Toxin Free Homes newsletter. I came across a couple of cool things on recycling though and had to share.

First is a cute cartoon, about Sam Suds he is on the case of PVC The Poison Plastic. Check it out here: http://www.pvcfree.org/video.htm

Topic two; have you ever wondered what the products you recycle become? Well here is a small list for you. Aluminum cans may get a new life as cookware, bicycles, car parts and even home appliances. Plastic containers can become goggles, benches, fleece or polyfill jackets and even carpets. Paper products may become your next grocery bag, newspaper or magazine and the lower grades egg cartons, fruit trays and even home insulation. Glass is cool because is can be recycled over and over again but can also be a part of marbles, surf boards, roads, sidewalks and even tiles!

Then again trying to know what you can recycle and how to do it can be a place many folks stop, before they even start. So taken from Body + Soul magazine July/August 2007 is a great recycling 101-tip page. Of course, it is always best to check with your local providers.

Recycling 101
While recycling programs vary from city to city, a few rules hold true for most curbside collection programs. To find out about your local regulations or learn how to start a recycling program in your building, neighborhood, or city, visit earth911.org.

Hazardous Waste
This group includes household products that have corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients, such as rodent poisons, paints, batteries, electronics, cleaners, fluorescent lightbulbs, and thermometers.

Do Read product labels for disposal information.

Do Follow the “reduce-reuse-recycle” hierarchy. Reduce the amount of hazardous waste in your home, and use up as much as possible. Donate leftovers (find out where at earth911.org). As a last resort, arrange for disposal through community collection programs (call 1-800-CLEANUP or your local solid waste agency for dates and locations).

Do Participate in take-back and trade-in programs for batteries, computers, cartridges, and some electronics. See company Web sites for instructions.

Don’t Pour hazardous waste down the drain, storm sewer, or in your yard.

Don’t Put electronics out with your trash or recycling. Learn about the impact of “e-waste” and how you can help at svtc.org.

Metals
Do Recycle all aluminum cans. (If you’re not certain if a can is aluminum, test it with a refrigerator magnet. Aluminum isn’t magnetic.)

Do Rinse out tin cans (the kind that soup and pet food come in) before putting them in your bin. You don’t need to remove labels, but if they’re paper and come off easily, recycle them.Do Find out if your program accepts clean aluminum foil.

Do Remove plastic caps from metal containers and recycle them separately.

Do Check to see if your program accepts empty aluminum

Plastic
Do Rinse out containers before recycling.

Do Look beyond the number. Although pro­ducts may have the same number, they may not all be recyclable. For example, #2 bottles may be acceptable but not #2 wide-mouthed tubs. Check local rules to find out what’s okay.

Do Find out if your program requires removal of plastic bottle caps, which are often a different type of plastic. When in doubt, remove the cap and throw it away.

Don’t Mix plastic bags, film wrap, or molded plastic with your recyclables. Put film wrap in the garbage and recycle bags at a local supermarket. Donate usable products, such as chairs and kids’ toys, made with molded plastic.

Glass
Do Check local guide­lines to see which colors of glass (green/blue, brown, clear) jars and bottles you can recycle.

Do Remove caps, lids, and corks from jars and bottles.

Do Rinse out glass containers.

Don’t Put ceramics, heat-resistant ovenware (such as Pyrex and CorningWare), mirrors, windows, lightbulbs, drinking glasses, garden pots, or broken container glass (bottles and jars) into the mix.

Don’t Drive 50 miles to recycle a few bottles. If you don’t have curbside pickup, find a local collection facility or buy-back center (often located at supermarkets).

Paper
Do Keep it clean and dry. For many programs, a greasy pizza box or damp paper towels can render a whole bin useless. Limit moisture by putting recycling out on collection day, rather than the night before.

Do Flatten cardboard.

Do Recycle junk mail, including envelopes with plastic windows, unless local guidelines specify not to.

Do Recycle magazines after removing all samples and non-paper inserts.

Don’t Throw in wax paper, Styrofoam, or heavily soiled paper (like oil-soaked fast-food wrappers).

Don’t Bundle papers together with tape, wire, plastic, or rope. If local guidelines allow bundling, use lightweight string.

Be well!

Over the Counter

Just in case you still believe that what you can buy at the grocery store is safe - that is NOT a given! Are you looking for some tools and honest practical advice to help you sort through some of what is out there?

I am ALWAYS learning more things, and looking for more tools. Here is something I came across recently that I think you will want to bookmark and utilize.

Many brand name and generic medications cause depletions in our bodies. Here are some examples:

Anti-inflammatory Medications

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Depletions – Iron, Melatonin, Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid), Zinc

Now say you want to know what a deficiency of each of those substances looks like; for example Zinc:

Signs and symptoms of zinc deficiency include loss of appetite or sense of taste, growth retardation, skin changes, and increased susceptibility to infection.

On the other hand, want to take it a step further to say Ibuprofen; complete with the brand names and the foreign brand names after all with the entire media blitz on medications how does a person keep them all straight?

So say Ibuprofen; do you know when NOT to use it?

• If you have an allergy to aspirin, another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs), ibuprofen, or any other part of the medicine. A few examples of NSAIDs are naproxen, diclofenac, nabumetone, and ketoprofen.

How to store it:

• Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room temperature.

• Store liquid (suspension) and chewable tablets at room temperature.

Alternatively, say the COMMON side effects of taking it:

• Feeling sleepy or unable to think clearly. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.

• Belly pain, heartburn, cramps, diarrhea, gas.

• Constipation. More liquids, regular exercise, or a fiber-containing diet may help. Talk to healthcare provider about a stool softener or laxative.

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.

• Stomach bleeding or ulceration. Watch stools for dark, tarry black color. Talk with healthcare provider.

When you miss a dose? When to call for medical help? Precautions to take?

Now would you like to have a resource that could tell you all of that and more?

I would and I have found one –

http://www.alternativemedicine.com/common/adam/DisplayMonograph.asp?name=ConsLookups_DepletionsByDrug&storeID=02AD61F001A74B5887D3BD11F6C28169

Some of you may recall I sat on a jury trial not that long ago; it was a wrongful death case. A man who was overweight, had high blood pressure, history of heart disease, and was borderline diabetic; died suddenly one day. NOT painlessly, nor did he die instantly. There was not enough time between the 911 call and the emergency room treatment for any of his family to even say goodbye.

The case hinged on who was at fault, it was that the medication he was taking that had caused a “rare” (it has since been pulled from pharmacies) side effect that seemed a lot like the flu. Did they know enough, were the possible side effects, specifically the serious ones, explained accurately and adequately? Honestly, the day it happened, that family’s biggest concern was he was a large man and his wife could not move him with the weakness in his legs. He was not being able to walk to the car so they called 911. The belief was that he had the flu and it was worse and had caused is sugars to be in the wrong place. Sadly it was much more then that.

It goes to show we ALL need to be very aware of what we are taking, and what we are giving our loved ones. Especially those that do not have a voice, like our children or the seniors in our lives OR those that are ill. It is much harder to keep track of what you took when, and how many; when you are sick and feel like just curling up in a ball and sleeping. It is truly a time in your life to not only ask for help for yourself, but also to offer help to others.

Be healthy and well!

I want you to know I have been doing all of my personal care and cleaning product shopping since December 2005 from an Idaho based Warehouse Shopping Club. I order online or by a 1-800# and they UPS it right to my door. I never have to worry about any hidden toxins and I have saved a lot of time and money. If you are interested, I can show you how and you will even get $100 in free shopping. I will tell ya too, I get a thank you check for each referral. FYI for my friends in Canada, they deliver to you too!

Now in the theme of safer Toxin Free Homes here are some facts you may or may not already know. I know for a fact that the air quality in the toxic home I lived in on Columbus adversely effected my health, and nearly cost me my life when my cancer came out of remission.

The United States of America Federal Code of Regulations exempts manufacturers from full labeling of products if used for personal, family or household care. [USA FCR: Section 1910.1200C, Title 29, Section 1500.82 2Q1A]

Environmental Protection Agency studies have shown that indoor air pollution can be 3 to 70 times higher than outdoors.

Almost 50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality [1989 State of Massachusetts Study]

The EPA conducted a study that found that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution.

Of 2,983 chemicals analyzed that are found in personal care products:

• 884 are toxic

• 146 can cause tumors

• 218 can cause reproductive complications

• 778 cause acute toxicity

• 314 can cause biological mutations

• 376 can cause skin and eye irritations

[Source: United States House of Representatives Report through NIOSH, 1989]

Hand Gel

Ok to be fair, this newsletter, may make you think of the Darwin Awards, shake your head or even use a sentence like “thinning the herd”; BUT there is more to it.

I can be a bit of a freak about germs out in public, door handles, shopping cart handles, public bathrooms, port- potties…oh don’t get me started! (Yet I DO let my kid’s use the 10-second rule on food they drop on the floor…okay maybe I am a hypocrite but let’s continue). So like many people I was excited to hear about waterless hand cleaners. They seem magic! Clear and you rub them into your hands, and the germs go away, and magically so does the gel. Ahh perfection, right?

Well recently in Maryland at least one inmate got to reading the sides of the hand sanitizer and saw that, it says alcohol on the side. The product in question was Purell and it is 70% alcohol. The inmate who is generally described as calm and quiet, suddenly was “’red-eyed,’ ‘loony,’ ‘combative,’ and ‘intoxicated, lecturing everyone about life’,” 1

The Maryland prison incident was detailed in the Feb. 1, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Hospital tests showed the inmate’s blood-alcohol level to be .33 percent.

He is not the only one, an alcoholic was also treated he had been hospitalized for chest pain and tests; and he drank some from the bathroom dispenser. He explained that since it had MORE alcohol content then Vodka, he couldn’t pass it up.

Now it is a different type of alcohol, but it can still give you alcohol poisoning. Authorities are now considering, the places to use it and supervision needed; and have expressed concern over teens trying it. Well I have a question, what about a small child? How much do you think it takes a small child to ingest from a small bottle you carry in your purse, diaper bag or car?

Alcohol poisoning may result from accidental ingestion, particularly among children:

• Ethanol, for example, is found in alcoholic beverages as well as common household items such as after-shaves, colognes, perfumes, mouthwashes and medications.

• Isopropyl alcohol is commonly found in rubbing alcohol, lotions, some cleaning products and antifreeze.

• Methanol is found in items such as solvents, paints, varnishes, antifreeze and windshield washer fluid.

Signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:

• Confusion, stupor

• Vomiting

• Seizures

• Slow or irregular breathing

• Blue-tinged skin or pale skin

• Low body temperature (hypothermia)

• Unconsciousness (”passing out”)

It is not necessary for all of these symptoms to be present before seeking help. A person who has become unconscious, or cannot be roused, is at risk of dying.

One simple solution (especially if you have small children) is to use a hand sanitizer wipe. I have some suggestions, get those that are biodegradable and make sure you know what all of the ingredients in the product are. For example, make sure it contains NO bleach of any kind.

Also, it is good to know what to do if you suspect alcohol poisoning. If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning, even if they don’t have all of the signs and symptoms, seek immediate medical care. If the person is unconscious, call 911 or your local emergency number. If the person is conscious, call 800-222-1222 and you will be automatically routed to your local poison control center. The staff at the poison control center or at the emergency call center can instruct you as to whether you should take the person directly to a hospital.

Do not leave an unconscious person alone. While waiting for help, do not try to make the person vomit. A person who has alcohol poisoning has an impaired gag reflex and may choke on his or her own vomit or accidentally inhale (aspirate) vomit into his or her lungs, which could cause lethal lung injury.

Tell hospital or emergency personnel, if you know, the type and quantity of alcohol the person ingested, and when. 2

• 1. Dr. Suzanne Doyon of the Maryland Poison Center and Dr. Christopher Welsh of the University of Maryland School of Medicine wrote in one letter.

  2. from the MayoClinic.com

Please make your home safe, regardless of what products you choose because you are worth it!

Wishing it was spring? I am!

Well I have learned some new stuff and wanted to pass it on.

The first thing is about the plug-in gels. Do you use those? If you do, stop reading and go pull them out of the wall and throw them in the trash then come back. It really is that important to your health.

Basically what they are is perfumed formaldehyde once you learn how many things have formaldehyde in them it is no wonder we have so many more cases of cancer each year. From vehicles to personal care products, to carpeting to “make your house smell good” and more.

Of course, since manufacturers can call it any number of things it is hard to identify.

Also baby wipes, sadly a large number of them are filled with chemicals you would never use on you, much less a baby.

Here are some facts on one example of what to look for and why – compliments of the Environmental Working Group.

If your wipes contain – HYDROQUINONE who knows what that means right? And after all it is in Huggies Natural Care Wipes so that sounds safer right? Nope sorry.

Hydroquinone is in fact ranked a 10 or high hazard ingredient. The scale starts at 1 meaning things like water as an ingredient and 10 the highest or worst offender.

Why? Well for a number of reasons, it is considered to be a fragrance ingredient, and a skin bleaching agent (you also find it classified as an antioxidant and hair colorant).

So you will find it in anti aging products, and hair colors, skin fading and lightener products and more - and baby wipes.

It is a known human immune system toxicant (National Library of Medicine) and there is strong evidence that it is also a human skin toxicant (Cosmetic Review Assessments CRA); but allergies and immune toxicity are not the only concerns.

In fact the CRA says well it is safe IF you use it for brief discontinuous use and follow with a through rinsing.

Now when I have used baby wipes, I use them to clean up a mess, and be the whole cleaning and rinsing process. I do not use them to clean a baby’s bottom or hands and face, and then take them to a sink and do a full rinsing to clean the wipe off their skin.

Do you?

Also if you use a wipe with this in it on the face you need to be aware that this is a product that is both an eye and respiratory irritant. So if you have a child that is prone to sniffles, ear or sinus infections and you are “washing” their face with wipes you are adding to the problem.

It is also linked to cancer and to developmental and reproductive toxicity, neuro-toxicity, and endocrine disruption.

Some of the over the counter products that receive the BEST rankings on that 1-10 scale are:

Seventh Generation Unscented Baby Wipes with Aloe Vera & Vitamin E (1)

Tushies Baby Wipes with Aloe Vera, Unscented (1)

Mother Nature Wipes Unscented Natural Formula Flushable Wipes (2)

Avalon Baby and Avalon Organics Flushable Biodegradable Baby Wipes (2)

Chlorine Bleach

Do you know that it is in truth a registered pesticide? PESTICIDE! That means a chemical or biological agent intended to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate plant or animal life and any substance intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant, including insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, herbicides, nematocides, and biocides; “pesticide” does not include a new animal drug, as defined in 21 U.S.C. 321

How many people (maybe even YOU) use it in their homes on a regular basis? With out even knowing what the proper handling procedures are for this dangerous chemical.

According to Department of Heath & Family Services in Wisconsin, it is recommended that for levels in the air be no higher than 0.01 parts per million. Most people can smell chlorine when levels reach 0.02-3.4 ppm. If you can smell chlorine in your home, the level may be too high to be safe. Now spend just a moment and think about how you smell chlorine bleach when it is being used.

Why do people use it?? Well it is hard to know, once you learn what it can and cannot do. While a chlorine solution CAN kill Staph and E. Coli, it does not kill bacteria spores and is only partially effective in fungi, viruses and Candida. In fact, according to OSHA’s Mold Remediation/ Clean Up Methods guidelines, bleach itself is 99% water.  Water is one of the main contributors of the growth of harmful bacteria and mold.  Current situations using bleach re-grew and regenerated mold and bacteria twice the CFU (colony-forming unit a biology term,) counts than were originally found before bleaching, within a short period of time. It can cause respiratory problems, skin irritation, chest pain, and vomiting, coughing, and excess fluid in the lungs.

(Think about those that are especially vulnerable to chlorine bleach, they young, elderly, those with health concerns including respiratory issues and anyone that is exposed to too much or for too long; that includes repetitive uses.)

In addition, if you dilute it and use it to clean up surfaces or food, the proper protocol is to go back and use fresh water, to wash off all of the remaining pesticide. Sadly, many people choose to use it in their homes, and not rinse it off. MOREOVER, in many daycares, schools, preschools, and even senior centers (just to name a few) the “proper procedure” is to mix up some bleach water and spray it and let it dry…

Chlorine bleach’s effectiveness is diminished significantly, as the bleach sits in warehouses, on grocery store shelves or inside your home or business 50% loss in killing power in just the first 90 days inside a never opened jug or container. Chlorine constantly escapes through the plastic walls of its containers. That means that even if you have a closed plastic jug sitting in your home, waiting to be used it is STILL affecting not only the air quality of your home but also your health.

Of course, by now everyone knows you cannot mix it with ammonia or urine and MANY other chemicals, with out creating a dangerous chemical reaction. So again, why would anyone buy it?

Wherever you choose to shop, please buy products that are safer for you and your family.

Beauty products are supposed to help your skin look prettier…right? Nourish your skin, and help your body’s largest organ, your skin to be healthier and more attractive. HOWEVER, there are some scary ingredients in some products, so make sure your products do not have them. Here are FIVE to look for and to avoid.

One of the most common is a suds agent called Sodium Laurel or Laureth Sulfate this is actually a skin irritant that can cause drying and allergies. More importantly though when used it can be damaging to your immune system, and shows up in your heart, liver and lungs.

Propylene Glycol, now keep in mind folks that handle this in factories have to be trained and must wear gloves, because skin contact causes eye and skin irritations, headaches, nausea and vomiting. In addition, it is used in brake fluid and antifreeze. Hmm brake fluid, antifreeze and cosmetics, which one of these things DOESN’T belong?

How about the new buzzword in the media about Parabens, hmm I have heard that but why is it bad? On the other hand, is it good? Don’t you hate when the media runs with something and you are left just NOT knowing? Well according to the Environmental Protection Agency, these are antimicrobial preservatives. The EPA further states that they have hormone-disrupting effects.

Hair care products are another concern, PVP/VA Copolymer is harmful when inhaled. Not good since it is used in hairsprays and other styling products to help hold you hair in place. This comes from petroleum chemicals.

Synthetic fragrances, this is a sad one to attempt to explain because the laws are not designed to protect you, OR to give you knowledge of what is in a product in detail. On top of that, add the fact that catchall phrases, like synthetic fragrances, are allowed, concealing thousands of synthetic ingredients. Fragrance oils have been linked to birth defects, cancer, brain damage, respiratory problems, chronic skin reactions and environmental damage to list a few.

You do not tolerate mystery ingredients in your food do you?? Then do not tolerate it in the things you digest and inhale and spread on your skin.

It has been awhile, since I sent out a Toxin Newsletter…ah the irony of my moving from a TOXIC house ~ laughs

Anyway this is some good information and I wanted to share it.

Take Care of YOU!

love
t

Are Toxic Household Chemicals Poisoning Your Family?

The Environmental Protection Agency defines chemical hazards as “acute” or “chronic:”

1. Acute hazard, includes highly toxic, or corrosive chemicals which cause an adverse effect to an organ after short-term exposure.

2. Chronic hazard, includes carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals which cause an adverse effect over a long-term exposure.

The Federal Code of Regulations defines “Hazardous Chemicals” in Section 1910.1200c Title 29. However, the term “Hazardous” does NOT include hazardous ingredients used in products designed for personal, family, or household use.

The Federal Code of Regulations section 1500.82, EXEMPTS manufacturers from full labeling, allowing them to exclude “Hazardous” chemicals from their labels.

The EPA reports toxic chemicals in our home cleaning and personal care products are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outside pollutants.

The President’s Toxic Substances Strategy Committee warns 90% of all cancers are triggered by toxic chemicals in our home environment.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission connects 150 toxic chemicals in our homes to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities.

The EPA warns toxic chemicals in household cleaners cause women working at home to have a 55% HIGHER cancer risk than women working outside the home.

The EPA warns the nation’s worst pollution is inside our homes. A number of homes tested have toxic chemical levels 70 times higher inside the home than outside.

The Mayo clinic warns Formaldehyde in our household and personal care products can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions, and trigger heart palpitations.

The Harvard School of Public Health warns Formaldehyde can cause headaches, depression, joint pain, chronic fatigue, chest pains, ear infections, dizziness, and loss of sleep.

The California Public Research Group warns Phenol, which is used in most household disinfectants, can cause cancer, deactivate the sensory nerve endings, damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

HERE IS A LIST OF KNOWN TOXINS IN SOME OF OUR EVERYDAY PRODUCTS

Dove Beauty Bar : Quaternium 15 : (Formaldehyde) - Carcinogen. Causes cancer, dermatitis, neurotoxic, sensitizer-poisonious, irritant to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Butylated Hydroxytoluene , (BHT) Carcinogen.

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo: Quaternium 15 : FD&C RED 40: Carcinogen, and causes dermatitis.

Crest Tarter Control Toothpaste: Saccharin: Carcinogen, contains Phenol Fluoride: Carcinogen If you accidentally swallow more than a pea-sized amount of this, you must contact the Poison Control Center immediately. This warning does not appear on the tube.

Tide & Cheer Detergent: Detergent : Can cause temporary respiratory tract irritation. Symptoms include stinging, swelling, or redness. Sodium Silicate : Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed. Sodium Sulfate : Corrosive, Severe eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Can cause asthma attacks. Trisodium Nitrilotriacetate : Carcinogen

Clorox: Sodium Hypochlorite : Corrosive. Sensitizer: Can be fatal if swallowed. Eye, skin, and respiratory irritant. Especially hazardous to people with heart conditions or asthma.

Cascade: Sodium Hypochlorite: (see above) Sodium Silicate : Can be corrosive. Can cause burns to the eyes and tissue damage to the skin, as well as cause burns to the mouth, throat, and stomach if swallowed.

Fantastic, Formula 409: Butyl Cellosolve: Neurotoxic. Eye and skin irritant. Damages central nervous system, kidney, and liver. Readily absorbed through the skin. Damages blood and body’s ability to make blood.

Windex Aerosol Glass Cleaner: Butyl Cellosolve (see above) Isobutane: Neurotoxic

Lysol Disinfectant: Dioxin ; Carcinogen. 500,000 times more deadly than DDT Ethyl Alcohol : Eye, skin, respiratory tract irritant.

Details on the above data are available in “The Safe Shopper’s Bible” by Dr. Samuel Epstein, MD. & David Steinman. Macmillian, 1995. Lysol data from “The Environmental Health Newsletter.”

Formaldehyde is a highly toxic substance. It is a known cancer-causing agent. It damages the neurological connectors in the body. It is an irritant to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs and may cause:

*    skin reactions                             *     joint pain                                   *     phlebitis

* ear infections                            *     dizziness                                          *     fatigue

* headache                                    *     mental confusion                             *     vomiting

* depression                                *     sleep disturbances                *  nausea

* asthma                                       *     disorientation                                  *     laryngitis

Ø One in five people are sensitive to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is commonly found in:

*     drugs                                        *     hair setting lotions *     waxes

*     mouthwash                                *     shampoo                          *     air fresheners

* hairspray                                   *     fingernail polish      *     fungicides

*     cosmetics                                    *     floor polishes               *    dry cleaning solvents

*     cleaning products                        *     toothpaste                    *      laundry spray starch

*     perfumes                                        *     antiperspirants           *     …just to name a few

DO YOU STILL WANT TO USE PRODUCTS IN YOUR HOME THAT CONTAIN FORMALDEHYDE?

Ø Due to the increase in toxic buildup in our bodies, including the toxic buildup of formaldehyde, dead bodies are not decomposing as fast as they used to.

• Bodies now start to decompose within 7 to 10 days after death.

• During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese bodies started to decompose within 24 to 48 hours. However, Americans didn’t start to decompose for 4 to 5 days.

• Twice as much formaldehyde was needed to embalm a person 20 years ago compared to today.

How many of these names would you have recognized as formaldehyde?

• Formalin                                    Fannoform*                                    Bfv*

• Methanal                                    Formol*                                        Fyde*

• Methyl Aldehyde                        Karsan*                                        Methaldehyde

• Methylene Oxide                        Formalith*                                    Methylene Glycol

• Oxymethylene                            Ivalon*                                            Oxomethane

• Formalin 40                              Formalin                                        Formic Aldehyde

• Hoch                                          Paraform                                        Lysoform*

• Morbocid                                    Trioxane                                        Polyoxmethylene

* denotes trade name