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Staying healthy indoors: toxics
Asbestos
Asbestos is a mineral found in some
older construction materials. It was
used in shingles for roofing and siding,
pipe and boiler insulation. It was also
used in floor tiles, ceiling panels (including
acoustical tiles), coatings, gaskets
and some vermiculite insulation, and in
brake linings and disc-brake pads of older
and some imported vehicles. Asbestos containing
materials in good condition
do not pose a health risk, so the safest,
easiest and least expensive option may
be to leave it alone. When construction
materials break down, are damaged or
disturbed, tiny fibers of the mineral can
be released into the air. Inhaling
asbestos fibers can cause
serious lung damage, including
lung cancer.
Action you can take:
If you decide to have asbestos removed, hire a state-certified asbestos abatement professional to remove any asbestos from your home. Do NOT do it yourself! Look in the phone book under “asbestos” for professionals in your area. Hire a professional mechanic to maintain or repair any vehicle parts that may contain asbestos.
Lead
Lead, once widely used in many different
materials, is still found in many older New
England homes. It was added to paint
before being banned in 1978. Lead paint
that is chipping, peeling or in high use
areas (like window sills, doors, or stairways)
can form dust. When this lead, contained
in dust and paint chips, is breathed
into the lungs or eaten, it poses a risk
to children. Toys may also pose risks.
5
staying healthy
indoors: toxics Some old toys contain lead or lead
paint, and toys can pick up lead from
contaminated soil or house dust. Lead
was also used in older pipes, solder and
plumbing fixtures that can corrode and
release lead into drinking water.
Exposure can result in lower intelligence
in children and has been associated with
behavioral and attention problems. It
can lead to kidney, liver, brain and nerve
damage. At very high levels, it can cause
seizures, coma and even death. In addition,
lead exposure can contribute to osteoporosis,
can cause high blood pressure and
heart disease, especially in men. Lead exposure
may also lead to anemia.
Get kids tested for lead by their doctor or health care provider.
Mercury
Mercury
is a potent neurotoxin that can cause damage to the brain and
central nervous system. The primary
route of human exposure is eating
fish that have acquired and accumulated
mercury in their tissues. Some
commercially available fish, especially
large fish such as shark, swordfish,
king mackerel and tilefish, tend to
have higher levels of mercury. Canned
light tuna has lower mercury levels
than albacore, fresh/frozen tuna and
canned white tuna. Get more information
at: www.epa.gov/mercury/advisories.htm.
Mercury can also enter the body by breathing vapors from broken mercury
thermometers, broken fluorescent
bulbs, or spilled liquid mercury. In addition,
some people may unknowingly
expose themselves to mercury (also
called azogue or vidajan) through
cultural and spiritual practices. These
practices, which include sprinkling
or burning mercury, release mercury
vapors into the home.
Exposure to mercury may result in
irritability and mood swings, changes
in vision, hearing or speech, and
memory and mental problems. It can
also cause serious kidney damage.
Children exposed to mercury, either
before they are born by the mother’s
exposure or as very young children,
may have developmental and learning
delays and disorders.
Drinking water
contaminants
Clean drinking water is necessary
for good health. High concentrations
of bacteria, synthetic chemicals
and natural contaminants
in drinking water all can pose a
threat to your health. Public water
supplies are monitored by the government
and the vast majority are
safe and dependable. Every year,
water suppliers are required to send
a water quality report to the households
they serve. In the rare case
when there is a problem with the
public water supply, the supplier
must alert, either by mail or through
the media, everyone who might be
affected. If you have a private well,
in most cases it is your responsibility
to have it tested. You should consider
testing it anually to ensure the
quality of your drinking water.
Pesticides and toxic
household products
Exposure to some household chemicals,
such as pesticides, may cause
harm to children, pets or the environment.
Always carefully read and
follow all instructions on product
labels regarding use and storage.
Examples of household pesticides include:
cockroach sprays and baits
Examples of household chemicals include:
By their nature, many pesticides may pose some risk to humans, animals, or the environment because they are designed to kill or otherwise adversely affect living organisms. At the same time, pesticides are often useful because of their ability to control disease- causing organisms, insects, weeds, or other pests. The pesticide label is your guide to using pesticides safely and effectively. It contains pertinent information that you should read and understand before you use a pesticide product. Poisoning from household chemicals may have a range of effects from mild distress like nausea or dizziness to more serious harm including injury to the lungs, or damage to the nervous, reproductive, endocrine and immune systems. Health effects depend on the toxicity of the product and the amount and length of exposure. EPA regulates pesticides in the United States under the pesticide law (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act). Before EPA allows a pesticide to be marketed for use in the U.S., EPA carefully reviews scientific data on the chemical to understand its toxicity and any potential concerns for human health and the environment. EPA periodically re-evaluates older pesticide chemicals to ensure that they conform to current health and safety standards. EPA also sets healthprotective standards on the amount of a pesticide residue that may remain on food if pesticides are applied to a crop. All pesticide product labels carry a signal word of “danger,” “warning” or “caution” to indicate relative hazards to people (from higher concern to lower concern). EPA requires certain pesticides to be in child-resistant packaging. It is important for parents to take precautions to keep all pesticides and other household chemicals in secure places safely out of the reach of children and pets.