Every day we’re exposed to smells that would make us sick with long exposure: chemical fumes like the hydrocarbons in car exhaust or the waft of decay from garbage cans or dumpsters. However, the biggest risks to your health are those things you can’t smell – sometimes because you slowly become accustomed to the smell or they have no smell at all because they are always with you in your own home. Today we’re going to look at one of those home health risks that grow on their own, bioaerosols, and how mold is one of the leading causes of them. [Read more…] about How Mold Causes Bioaerosols and Why They Make You Sick
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Dealing with Asbestos in Schools: Investigation and Abatement
In older schools and other childcare facilities, there’s a chance that asbestos is present. Especially in larger schools, the presence of asbestos in the structure and insulation of these public facilities is high. It’s important as a parent to know as much as you can about the state of schools your children attend, and there are resources out there. Learn about how AHERA (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act) guidelines provide regulations for your schools to follow, including documentation on asbestos inspections and abatement. [Read more…] about Dealing with Asbestos in Schools: Investigation and Abatement
Why is Lead Paint Still Present in Homes and Housing?
Today we still have the legacy of lead paint in homes and businesses across the United States, even though the risks and bans have been long known. When we discover that commonly used construction materials are toxic, it is a very gradual process to enact state and federal bans against it and begin recovery. The risks of lead from lead paint had been well known for decades if not centuries, but the slow march of government, intensive lobbying, and dragging lawsuits took a long time to enact change. Let’s look at why lead paint is still present in so many buildings, using an example that is close to home. [Read more…] about Why is Lead Paint Still Present in Homes and Housing?
Asbestos Filters: Risks for Businesses and Their Products
Asbestos was used far and wide in the US and other developed countries before being phased out in the 1980s as the health effects became more and more apparent to the public. While this blog generally focuses on asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) such as construction materials, asbestos was also used in many commercial and industrial products, including filters. Asbestos filters were generally used in commercial and industrial grade processes, with the possibility of tainting their products or sometimes being built into them. [Read more…] about Asbestos Filters: Risks for Businesses and Their Products
Talc Baby Powder Recall: Understanding Asbestos Contamination
On October 18th of this year, Johnson & Johnson – the massive corporation that makes everything from medical devices to skin cream – issued a voluntary recall on a single lot (33,000 units) of talc baby powder in “an abundance of caution” after regulators discovered trace amounts of asbestos in the product. While subsequent in-house testing by Johnson & Johnson turned up no asbestos contamination, it’s important to understand how asbestos ends up in talc powder and other products and the danger it represents. [Read more…] about Talc Baby Powder Recall: Understanding Asbestos Contamination
Dealing with Household Mold in Fall
The fall is a great time in New England: the leaves are falling, the air is brisk, and the holidays are starting. And you’re not the only one ready to have a party. Autumn also brings with it the start of the rainy season, and that same brisk weather means your home is locking down and heating up. These two factors: an increase in moisture and nowhere for it to go can start building the perfect environment for mold – and that’s not even counting any curveballs the weather can throw at you. [Read more…] about Dealing with Household Mold in Fall
