people suffering asthmatic symptoms - SafeHomeProducts Safety Quiz #4

Safe Home Products Safety Quiz #4:

For people suffering from asthmatic symptoms:

How much do you know about the dangers of odors in confined spaces?

Asthma symptoms are caused by a sensitive reaction to:

a.	Chemicals in the environment.
b.	Biological contaminants such as ragweed, mold and spores, dust mites.

True or False. The "new vehicle" smell in your RV or trailer might be the cause of your stinging watery eyes and runny nose, shortness of breath, etc.

The product with the highest formaldehyde emission is:

a.	Particle board
b.	Fingernail polish hardener
c.	Latex paint
d.	Acid-cured wood floor finish
e.	New permanent press shirts

The population groups shown to suffer greatest distress from formaldehyde exposure in the home are:

a.	Infants
b.	Children under age 12
c.	adults over age 55

True or False. Levels of formaldehyde in a building or motor home increase when temperatures and humidity increase.

True or False. Physical symptoms of formaldehyde exposure develop at 0.05 ppm (parts per million) concentrations.

Formaldehyde has proven to be a cause of:

a.	Cancer in humans.
b.	Headaches.
c.	Watery itchy eyes.
d.	Respiratory distress.
e.	Depression

Answers:

1	Both	Asthma symptoms can be triggered by a number of causes. Many people have an extremely strong reaction to very small amounts of chemicals in their environment. Reactions to formaldehyde, benzene, gasoline, bleach, cigarette smoke, or many other chemicals can cause extreme discomfort. While there is a long list of chemicals that can cause serious reactions, particular attention should be paid to formaldehyde. Not only is formaldehyde a known cancer-causing carcinogen in humans; but, it is also by far the most prevalent of the chemical triggers of asthma symptoms. Usually asthma triggers can be removed from the environment, or additional ventilation will reduce the irritant to an acceptable level. Biological asthma triggers cannot be ignored. These tend to be caused by unwanted biological infestations that are present in the home. Whether it is grass clippings or dander brought into the home by pets, ragweed, mold, or spores that enter through a window, or dust mites. First identify the source of each irritant and then implement corrective action for the identified problem. Safe Home Products is working with various laboratories and manufactures to assemble necessary test kits or educational materials to assist you in identifying and eliminating as many of these causes as possible.
2	True	That "smell" might be formaldehyde being emitted from glue or adhesives in the particle board, hardwood plywood, medium density fiber board or coatings in the RV or trailer. Formaldehyde causes allergy, cold or asthma-like symptoms in sensitive persons.
3	D	Acid-cured wood floor finish. In a test 24 hours after application, the floor finish emitted 11,000 micrograms per square meter per hour. The polish hardener emitted 300; the latex paint, 9; the particle board 240; and the permanent press shirts, 110.
4	All	Infants, children under age 12, and people over 55 tend to be much more sensitive to formaldehyde because of diminished lung capacity.
5	True	The higher the temperature and the more humid the environment, the more formaldehyde will be released. Formaldehyde tends to double its level of out gassing for every 10°F increase in temperature.
6	True	The World health Organization (WHO) has determined that formaldehyde exposure symptoms develop in some people at levels as low as 0.05 parts per million.
7	All	Formaldehyde has been found to cause all of these symptoms and many more.

Chemical pollution in your home - a risk to your health:

Have you noticed that like most people, you, your children, and other loved ones, spend nearly 90% of your life indoors? Have you noticed an increase in allergy and asthma symptoms? Have you started or are you currently using allergy and asthma medications? Studies performed by the United States and Canadian EPA's show that exposure to even low levels of the chemical formaldehyde can cause allergic symptoms. Many people develop allergy and asthma from exposure to chemical triggers in their home, work place, and/or school.

Ever get congested or a headache while using latex paint or doing your fingernails? How about watery eyes and runny nose after entering a clothing store when new seasonal merchandise is on display? Wonder why you feel sick after having that high gloss finish applied on your wood floor?

Formaldehyde may well be the culprit. Some people wonder if they’ve contracted the common cold or a flu virus or asthma. Maybe air pollutants might be causing the burning eyes, nose, and throat and fatigue. First, you need to rule out formaldehyde as the cause.

What is Formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is an important industrial chemical used to make other chemicals, building materials and household products. It is a volatile organic compound or VOC. Volatile means the compound vaporizes or becomes a gas at normal room temperatures. Formaldehyde is used in the glue or adhesive in particle board, hardwood plywood, and medium density fiber board, acts as a preservative in some paints, coatings, and cosmetics, provides the permanent press quality to fabrics and draperies, is used to coat paper products, and is contained in certain insulation materials such as urea formaldehyde foam and fiberglass insulation. Formaldehyde is also released into air by burning natural gas, wood, and kerosene, by cars and by cigarettes. Also it occurs naturally and can "off-gas" from materials made with it.

This colorless, strong smelling gas may cause cancer in humans. More likely is a long list of physical problems at levels in the air about 0.05 ppm. These symptoms mimic other diseases: skin rashes, chest tightness, nausea, coughing, and allergic reactions. Groups particularly aggravated by chemical exposure include infants, children, and population over the age of 55.

Anyone who has taken an animal biology lab remembers the smell of this preservative. Many common household products emit formaldehyde. Pressed wood products used in house construction and furniture also off-gas formaldehyde. In an attempt to meet current United States HUD Standards, mobile home and manufactured houses have labels in them indicating the formaldehyde content. It should be recognized that the HUD standard of 0.5 ppm of formaldehyde is ten times the level that causes serious reactions in some humans.

Formaldehyde emissions of some common products are as follows. The emissions are calculated in micrograms emitted per square meter of the product per hour. All wet products were tested 24 hours after application;

Acid-cured wood floor finish: 11,000

Fingernail polish hardener: 300

Latex paint: 9

Fiber board cabinet door: 360

Particle board: 240

Cabinet door with acid-cured finish: 450

Plywood: 4

New permanent press shirts: 110

Washed permanent pres shirts: 42 Products such as carpets or gypsum board contain no significant amounts of formaldehyde when new. However, they may trap fumes emitted from other sources and then later release the fumes into the air when the temperature and humidity change. The higher the temperature and the more humid the environment, the more formaldehyde will be released. Also decreasing the flow of outdoor air by sealing a residence or office increases the levels in indoor air.

To reduce existing levels, ventilate, seal surfaces of those products not already coated or laminated, and/or remove the product that is releasing the gas. Sometimes this means replacing carpeting or gypsum board.

Never attempt to chemically treat products emitting formaldehyde gas with strong ammonia because of the dangers of handling that substance. Also ammonia may increase fire and explosion dangers if it damages the brass fittings of a natural gas system.

Test the level of formaldehyde in your home or office with a test kit.

Safe Home Products is pleased to offer the AirScan Formaldehyde Monitor Test Kits and can custom order similar test kits for Ethylene Oxide, Glutaraldhyde, Xylene, Methyl Alcohol, or Propylene Oxide. These latter kits are for specific industrial or medical applications and are available in lots of 6 or more.

The AirScan passive gas monitors for OSHA compliance eliminate the delays associated with mail-in analysis. Because you get real-time results with the AirScan monitors, on-site analysis capability allows you to respond to results immediately. The AirScan monitors are factory calibrated using NIOSH methods and meet or exceed OSHA accuracy/precision requirements.