Household Pollutants

Two environmentalists from Canada decided to test everyday products for the pollutions they carried. The results were shocking.

Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith, both members of the Canadian environmental organization Environmental Defence, spent 12 hours indoor in shifts to track the pollutants in everyday products. Eating three meals containing tuna more than doubled Lourie’s blood mercury from 7.55µg/L. The US Environmental Protection Agency said that mercury levels above 5.8µg/L could be dangerous. Biphenol A, an endocrine disruptor, increased 7.5x after eating canned foods heated in a microwavable plastic container. This disruptor is linked to breast and prostate cancer. Toothpaste, soap, and deodorant contained an antibacterial called Triclosan. After use, levels of Triclosan increased by 2900x. Though there is debate on its’ effects on thyroid function, the SCCP believes that Triclosan is safe.

These chemicals were found in the urine of Lourie and Smith, which means that the body is able to flush out most of them. This experiment shows the how quickly these chemicals can rise in our bodies. The levels in this experiment have been deemed safe by the Canadian and US authorities, though there is a worry about the effects of these levels on babies and young children.

Another test, conducted in Illinois, showed the levels of phthalates, bisphenol A and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in 35 people from different states. These chemicals can be found in baby bottles, shower curtains, cosmetics, upholstered furniture, computers, toys and many other household items. These chemicals have been linked to birth defects, cancer, learning disabilities, infertility, asthma, obesity, and other heath issues.

http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/toxic-free-communities/stop-toxic-pollution/report-toxic-chemicals-from-everyday-products-found-in-illinoisans-bodies

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/May/20050903.asp

Check out this site for a video on a sponge that helps to clean up waste from household products: http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0104-cleaning_up_our_water.htm

Air Pollution Effecting Us.

Contrary to popular belief, a new study shows that early morning fog actually cleans air pollution. For years it was believed that it increased air pollution, because of the traffic it causes. A particular type of fog, called radiation fog, which occurs early in the morning. On clear nights, warm air rises from the ground leaving cool air. When the temperature drops, water-droplets form around the pollution particles, and then get evaporated when the sun comes up.

It has been found that classroom air is significantly more polluted than the air outside. Tiny particles, which can be toxic if inhaled deeply into the lungs, have mainly been researched on outdoors because of the amount that vehicle emissions produce. Three elementary school classrooms were studied in Australia and compared to outdoor pollution, and it in each study the pollutants where much higher in the classroom.

Living near the ocean should give clean air, right? It has recently been found that the smoke from ships burning high-sulfur fuel can be accounted for half of the fine particles hazardous to human health. The coast of California now has a law, starting in July, that requires any ship to switch to a cleaner burning fuel if they are to come within 24 miles of the coast. Other international laws requiring this will be in effect, hopefully, in 2015. Some estimates show that ship smoke can be accountable for as many as 60,000 deaths worldwide.