The following information came from www.redsofts.com
A dehumidifier is a device which removes excess moisture in the air. This device performs this process by condensing the moisture on a cool surface. A dehumidifier is simply an air conditioner. The air conditioner cools the temperature of a humid room by condensing the air in its cold coils.A dehumidifier has hot and cold coils that are built in the same box. The unit’s fan draws the air in the room through the cold coils of the dehumidifier to condense its moisture. When this happens, as in the case of window type air conditioning units, water drips out of the unit. Dry air then goes through the dehumidifier’s hot coils so it can we heated up again back to its previous temperature.An example of a dehumidifier is an air conditioning (AC) unit. It is a device that was designed to remove heat out of an area using the principles of refrigeration. An AC is a good example of a dehumidifier because it is designed to lower the humidity in the air which goes through it. Human bodies have natural dehumidifiers in form of sweat. When we sweat, our bodies cool because of the evaporating perspiration from our skin. Dry air, then coming from an AC unit creates provides comfort as it creates 40-60% relative humidity in an area.As a dehumidifier, an AC unit is basically another form of refrigerator without an insulated box. It uses a refrigerant like Freon for its evaporation to cool an area. Freon is one of the many non-flammable fluorocarbons which are in use today as refrigerants.In an AC unit, the evaporation cycle works in this manner: 1) cool Freon gas is compressed, making it high-pressure, hot gas; 2) the hot gas then goes through the set of coils in the AC unit so it can disperse its heat and then condenses into liquid form; 3) Freon goes through a valve, and through this process it becomes low-pressure, cold gas; and 4) the cold Freon gas then goes through a set of coils in the AC unit that will allow the gas to take in heat and chill the air within the area. A special type of oil is mixed with the Freon gas to lubricate the AC unit’s compressor.The coldness that a dehumidifier can provide depends on the air’s relative humidity and the barometric pressure (this is sea level normal pressure). When there is 50% humidity in the air, water temperature will drop at about 6 degrees to 89F. Change that to 20% air humidity and the temperature drops to 28 degrees to 67F. These small temperature drops affect energy consumption because the use of these AC units places a large demand on electricity especially on warm months when more units are operated. During these peak times, more power plants must be online to cater to the large demand for energy. Studies of residential air conditioning showed that AC units wasted 40% of energy. This energy gets wasted in the form of heat waiting to be pumped out. When you see large quantities of water running through plastic hoses at the backs of big buildings, you’ll know that there are dehumidifier units inside. Many apartment and office complexes now use centralized AC units and the chilled water coming out of these systems is directed to underground pipes.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Dangers of Processed Foods
The Six Thousand Hidden Dangers of Processed Foods (and What to Choose Instead)
by BodyEcology.com
This might be All American but if you knew what was really in it, you'd call Homeland Security!
A stroll down your grocery store's aisles can be a tempting experience. Rows and rows of delicious food all wrapped up in colorful packages, encouraging you to give it a try with catchy names and creative graphics.
Good food, delicious food that's appealing to the eye, and convenient to boot. Anything that yummy has to be nourishing, right?
Processed Foods Aren't Just What You Pick Up At A Drive Thru
The first image that comes to mind for most people when they hear the term "processed food" is a wrapped burger and a sleeve of fries served over a counter at a fast food joint.
But the truth is, the very food you have in your cabinets is processed.
What Exactly Is Processed Food Anyway?
If it's boxed, bagged, canned or jarred and has a list of ingredients on the label, it's processed. Methods used to process foods include:
Canning
Freezing
Refrigeration
Dehydration
Aseptic Processing
Processed foods have been altered from their natural state for "safety" and convenience reasons. And scary as it seems, about 90 percent of the money that Americans spend on food is used to buy processed items.1
Food Is Good The Way It Is, Why Process It?Processed foods are more convenient - that's what it comes down to. It's so much easier to bake a cake by opening up a box, pouring out a dry mix, and adding an egg and some oil than starting from scratch.
Having Jambalaya in five minutes after pouring hot water into a carton makes your prep time for lunch a breeze.
But convenience isn't the only thing you get when you eat processed foods. There's a whole list of ingredients that manufacturers add to2:
Color - It gives your orange soda that neon glow
Stabilize - So your gravy isn't watery
Emulsify - Who says oil and water can't mix?
Bleach - Let's disinfect and deodorize
Texturize - Nothing's worse than soggy cereal...
Soften - It's as if the ice cream was churned twice
Preserve - What if you want to eat the cupcake six months from now?
Sweeten - Sugar is sweet but saccharin and aspartame is sweeter
Hide Odors - Do you really want to smell the fish paste in your instant Pad Thai?
Flavor - Nothing like having the sweet taste of watermelon all year round
How kind of them!
If You Can't Pronounce It, Do You Want To Eat It?
The problem is, most processed foods have a laundry list of ingredients similar to that of a can of paint. It's not as simple as adding a little sugar to canned bisque or lemon juice to a scone mix.
Take a look at the list of ingredients from the strawberry flavoring of a milkshake served at a zip-through restaurant:
Amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamylvalerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl Nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerbate, heliotropin, hydroxphrenyl-2butanone(10% solution to alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbone, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl slicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobulyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, sore rum ether, g-undecalctone, vanillin, and solvent3
Looks delicious, doesn't it? And this is just a small sampling of the SIX THOUSAND chemicals used to process foods.4
That Wouldn't Go In My Body!
By now you might be thinking that you have nothing to worry about because you wouldn't dream of drinking a milkshake let alone anything else from a fast food restaurant.
But this goes far beyond fast food.
What's In Your Cabinet?
A study conducted at UCLA's Center on Everyday Lives of Families videotaped 32 families including their dinner routines for a three-year period. Although 70% of the dinners were home-cooked, most included moderate amounts of packaged food. 5
How many processed foods are you using each day?
Always The Last To Know
The FDA doesn't require food manufacturers to list additives as ingredients that they consider Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS). All the label has to say is "artificial flavor" or "artificial coloring" or (are you sitting down?) "natural".6
Yes, "NATURAL".
A Frozen Fish Stick Never Killed Anybody
Here are just a few reasons you might want to think twice before throwing a jar of Vienna Sausages in your shopping cart:
CANCER - Some synthetic chemicals used in the processed foods industry are known to have carcinogenic properties.
In fact, a seven-year study conducted by the University of Hawaii of almost 200,000 people found that those who ate the most processed meats (hot dogs, bologna) had a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate little or no meat products.7
OBESITY - Heavily processed foods are usually higher in sugar, fat and salt, and lower in nutrients and fiber than the raw foods used to create them, making them the perfect choice if you're interested in unhealthy weight gain and water retention.8
According to the World Health Organization, processed foods are to blame for the spike in obesity levels and chronic disease around the world.9
HEART DISEASE - Many processed foods have trans fatty acids (TFA), the dangerous type of fat you don't want in your diet. TFA's give a rise to LDL, the dangerous cholesterol, and squash HDL, the good one.
Harvard recently conducted a study which found that women who avoided high-carb processed foods cut their heart disease risk by 30%.10
And If That's Not Enough To Make You Avoid Processed Foods, Try Swallowing This:
Your taste buds become used to the strong flavors of processed foods and make you want to add more salt or sugar to the natural flavors of whole foods.
Some processed foods are filled with indistinguishable parts and pieces, like snouts, ears and esophagi (yum!).
To make up for the loss of nutrients during processing, synthetic vitamins and minerals are added to "enhance" their nutritional content.
Spending more on processed foods just means spending less on locally grown foods, particularly organic.
Eating a diet high in processed foods can lead to diabetes, and liver overload.
OK, You're Convinced, But What Are Some Options?
You wouldn't be the first person to think eating a natural, wholesome diet with nutrient-dense foods means eating foods that could easily be mistaken for Styrofoam. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Eating food in its natural state (food without ingredients!) is a great reminder for your palate of the clean, crisp tastes of nature. Try just one recipe from the Body Ecology Diet for example, and you'll know that to be true.
Take a look a the list of ingredients of a bowl of homemade carrot ginger soup found in the Body Ecology book versus canned carrot ginger soup - even if it's from your natural grocer - and you'll immediately know which is the better choice.
And The Benefits Are Endless...
The Body Ecology Diet is ideal for anyone interested in moving away from processed foods, toward a diet focused around eating only fresh, wholesome foods as nature created them.
This isn't your brown rice and tofu diet. This is a lifestyle rich in probiotic foods such as cultured vegetables and young coconut kefir to keep your gut flourishing with healthy bacteria and your immune system strong and protective.
At Body Ecology we don't think that a long list of ingredients is a necessarily a bad thing, as long as each ingredient's purpose is to nourish your body. Read the label of our VITALITY SuperGreen and you'll find it's an excellent source of:
Complete, easily assimilated protein
Enzymes
Vitamins
Minerals
Lignans
Essential Fatty Acids
Nucleic Acids
Beneficial Microflora
Not a chemical in the bunch!
Nourish yourself with VITALITY SuperGreen - a powerful whole foods and herbs combo with a list of ingredients that both you and your body will understand! . Learn More About Body Ecology's Vitality and Order Now!
Our Dong Quai fermented liquid beverage is another great example of delicious food brimming with nutrients and healthy bacteria and a list of ingredients that doesn't include the artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners you'd find in another bubbly drink.
Will I Spend My Life Cooking In The Kitchen?
Preparing all of your own food is ideal but we can definitely help out with some of the work! Healthful products are absolutely available such as the hearty wholegrain, gluten-free breads and the miracle no cal, no carb, fiber rich, gluten-free Konjaku Noodle For more information on other great ideas for delicious, wholesome foods, visit http://shop.bodyecology.com/ and get the extra fat, salt and sugar out of your diet today!
Sources:
1.) All the Health Risks of Processed Foods – In Just a Few Quick, Convenient Bites, SixWise.com, http://www.sixwise.com/newsletter/05/10//19/all_the_health_risks_of_processed_foods_-- …
2.) You Are What You Eat, Paul Chek, http://www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=42
3.) Schiosser E. :Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2001
4.) The Dangers of Preservatives and Additives, Freedom You, http://www.freedomyou.com/nutrition_book/enriched_fortified_synthetic_food.htm
5.) Convenience Foods Save Little Time, Lack Nutrients, Judith Groch, Senior Writer, MedPage Today, http:www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/dh/6368
6.) Convenience Foods Save Little Time, Lack Nutrients, Judith Groch, Senior Writer, MedPage Today, http:www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/dh/6368
7.) All the Health Risks of Processed Foods – In Just a Few Quick, Convenient Bites, SixWise.com, http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/10/19/all_the_health_risks_of processed_foods_--…
8.) Convenience Foods Save Little Time, Lack Nutrients, Judith Groch, Senior Writer, MedPage Today, http:www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/dh/6368
9.) Processed Foods to Blame for Obeisty and Chronic Disease, healingsearch.com, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2814253.stm
10.) NewsTarget.com, Women and Processed Foods, http:www.newstarget.com/021039.html
by BodyEcology.com
This might be All American but if you knew what was really in it, you'd call Homeland Security!
A stroll down your grocery store's aisles can be a tempting experience. Rows and rows of delicious food all wrapped up in colorful packages, encouraging you to give it a try with catchy names and creative graphics.
Good food, delicious food that's appealing to the eye, and convenient to boot. Anything that yummy has to be nourishing, right?
Processed Foods Aren't Just What You Pick Up At A Drive Thru
The first image that comes to mind for most people when they hear the term "processed food" is a wrapped burger and a sleeve of fries served over a counter at a fast food joint.
But the truth is, the very food you have in your cabinets is processed.
What Exactly Is Processed Food Anyway?
If it's boxed, bagged, canned or jarred and has a list of ingredients on the label, it's processed. Methods used to process foods include:
Canning
Freezing
Refrigeration
Dehydration
Aseptic Processing
Processed foods have been altered from their natural state for "safety" and convenience reasons. And scary as it seems, about 90 percent of the money that Americans spend on food is used to buy processed items.1
Food Is Good The Way It Is, Why Process It?Processed foods are more convenient - that's what it comes down to. It's so much easier to bake a cake by opening up a box, pouring out a dry mix, and adding an egg and some oil than starting from scratch.
Having Jambalaya in five minutes after pouring hot water into a carton makes your prep time for lunch a breeze.
But convenience isn't the only thing you get when you eat processed foods. There's a whole list of ingredients that manufacturers add to2:
Color - It gives your orange soda that neon glow
Stabilize - So your gravy isn't watery
Emulsify - Who says oil and water can't mix?
Bleach - Let's disinfect and deodorize
Texturize - Nothing's worse than soggy cereal...
Soften - It's as if the ice cream was churned twice
Preserve - What if you want to eat the cupcake six months from now?
Sweeten - Sugar is sweet but saccharin and aspartame is sweeter
Hide Odors - Do you really want to smell the fish paste in your instant Pad Thai?
Flavor - Nothing like having the sweet taste of watermelon all year round
How kind of them!
If You Can't Pronounce It, Do You Want To Eat It?
The problem is, most processed foods have a laundry list of ingredients similar to that of a can of paint. It's not as simple as adding a little sugar to canned bisque or lemon juice to a scone mix.
Take a look at the list of ingredients from the strawberry flavoring of a milkshake served at a zip-through restaurant:
Amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamylvalerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl Nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerbate, heliotropin, hydroxphrenyl-2butanone(10% solution to alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbone, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl slicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobulyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, sore rum ether, g-undecalctone, vanillin, and solvent3
Looks delicious, doesn't it? And this is just a small sampling of the SIX THOUSAND chemicals used to process foods.4
That Wouldn't Go In My Body!
By now you might be thinking that you have nothing to worry about because you wouldn't dream of drinking a milkshake let alone anything else from a fast food restaurant.
But this goes far beyond fast food.
What's In Your Cabinet?
A study conducted at UCLA's Center on Everyday Lives of Families videotaped 32 families including their dinner routines for a three-year period. Although 70% of the dinners were home-cooked, most included moderate amounts of packaged food. 5
How many processed foods are you using each day?
Always The Last To Know
The FDA doesn't require food manufacturers to list additives as ingredients that they consider Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS). All the label has to say is "artificial flavor" or "artificial coloring" or (are you sitting down?) "natural".6
Yes, "NATURAL".
A Frozen Fish Stick Never Killed Anybody
Here are just a few reasons you might want to think twice before throwing a jar of Vienna Sausages in your shopping cart:
CANCER - Some synthetic chemicals used in the processed foods industry are known to have carcinogenic properties.
In fact, a seven-year study conducted by the University of Hawaii of almost 200,000 people found that those who ate the most processed meats (hot dogs, bologna) had a 67 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those who ate little or no meat products.7
OBESITY - Heavily processed foods are usually higher in sugar, fat and salt, and lower in nutrients and fiber than the raw foods used to create them, making them the perfect choice if you're interested in unhealthy weight gain and water retention.8
According to the World Health Organization, processed foods are to blame for the spike in obesity levels and chronic disease around the world.9
HEART DISEASE - Many processed foods have trans fatty acids (TFA), the dangerous type of fat you don't want in your diet. TFA's give a rise to LDL, the dangerous cholesterol, and squash HDL, the good one.
Harvard recently conducted a study which found that women who avoided high-carb processed foods cut their heart disease risk by 30%.10
And If That's Not Enough To Make You Avoid Processed Foods, Try Swallowing This:
Your taste buds become used to the strong flavors of processed foods and make you want to add more salt or sugar to the natural flavors of whole foods.
Some processed foods are filled with indistinguishable parts and pieces, like snouts, ears and esophagi (yum!).
To make up for the loss of nutrients during processing, synthetic vitamins and minerals are added to "enhance" their nutritional content.
Spending more on processed foods just means spending less on locally grown foods, particularly organic.
Eating a diet high in processed foods can lead to diabetes, and liver overload.
OK, You're Convinced, But What Are Some Options?
You wouldn't be the first person to think eating a natural, wholesome diet with nutrient-dense foods means eating foods that could easily be mistaken for Styrofoam. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Eating food in its natural state (food without ingredients!) is a great reminder for your palate of the clean, crisp tastes of nature. Try just one recipe from the Body Ecology Diet for example, and you'll know that to be true.
Take a look a the list of ingredients of a bowl of homemade carrot ginger soup found in the Body Ecology book versus canned carrot ginger soup - even if it's from your natural grocer - and you'll immediately know which is the better choice.
And The Benefits Are Endless...
The Body Ecology Diet is ideal for anyone interested in moving away from processed foods, toward a diet focused around eating only fresh, wholesome foods as nature created them.
This isn't your brown rice and tofu diet. This is a lifestyle rich in probiotic foods such as cultured vegetables and young coconut kefir to keep your gut flourishing with healthy bacteria and your immune system strong and protective.
At Body Ecology we don't think that a long list of ingredients is a necessarily a bad thing, as long as each ingredient's purpose is to nourish your body. Read the label of our VITALITY SuperGreen and you'll find it's an excellent source of:
Complete, easily assimilated protein
Enzymes
Vitamins
Minerals
Lignans
Essential Fatty Acids
Nucleic Acids
Beneficial Microflora
Not a chemical in the bunch!
Nourish yourself with VITALITY SuperGreen - a powerful whole foods and herbs combo with a list of ingredients that both you and your body will understand! . Learn More About Body Ecology's Vitality and Order Now!
Our Dong Quai fermented liquid beverage is another great example of delicious food brimming with nutrients and healthy bacteria and a list of ingredients that doesn't include the artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners you'd find in another bubbly drink.
Will I Spend My Life Cooking In The Kitchen?
Preparing all of your own food is ideal but we can definitely help out with some of the work! Healthful products are absolutely available such as the hearty wholegrain, gluten-free breads and the miracle no cal, no carb, fiber rich, gluten-free Konjaku Noodle For more information on other great ideas for delicious, wholesome foods, visit http://shop.bodyecology.com/ and get the extra fat, salt and sugar out of your diet today!
Sources:
1.) All the Health Risks of Processed Foods – In Just a Few Quick, Convenient Bites, SixWise.com, http://www.sixwise.com/newsletter/05/10//19/all_the_health_risks_of_processed_foods_-- …
2.) You Are What You Eat, Paul Chek, http://www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=42
3.) Schiosser E. :Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2001
4.) The Dangers of Preservatives and Additives, Freedom You, http://www.freedomyou.com/nutrition_book/enriched_fortified_synthetic_food.htm
5.) Convenience Foods Save Little Time, Lack Nutrients, Judith Groch, Senior Writer, MedPage Today, http:www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/dh/6368
6.) Convenience Foods Save Little Time, Lack Nutrients, Judith Groch, Senior Writer, MedPage Today, http:www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/dh/6368
7.) All the Health Risks of Processed Foods – In Just a Few Quick, Convenient Bites, SixWise.com, http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/10/19/all_the_health_risks_of processed_foods_--…
8.) Convenience Foods Save Little Time, Lack Nutrients, Judith Groch, Senior Writer, MedPage Today, http:www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/dh/6368
9.) Processed Foods to Blame for Obeisty and Chronic Disease, healingsearch.com, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2814253.stm
10.) NewsTarget.com, Women and Processed Foods, http:www.newstarget.com/021039.html
Friday, November 2, 2007
Dangerous Toxins in Your Home
The following information came from www.getipm.com
The 10 most dangerous toxins in your house
Thursday, January 14, 1999
By Claude Morgan
Household toxins? Look no further than your kitchen cabinets.
It's official: Staying home is hazardous to your health. Toxins found in the home injured 789,000 Americans between 1992 and 1995, and new research suggests that this figure is underestimated.
"Toxins in U.S. homes now account for 90 percent of all reported poisonings each year," says Ross Ann Soloway, administrator of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. That's an epidemic of hazardous living by any standard. And while these figures include everything from non-fatal aspirin overdoses to the deadly consumption of drain cleaners, they fail to include long-term exposure to toxins like lead and asbestos.
To address the climbing domestic injury rates associated with household toxins, Congress and the Centers for Disease Control in 1992 created the Unintentional Injury Center to focus on the health dangers of consumer goods and modern home living. Other federal agencies are following suit. The EPA now has branches which deal with home indoor air quality, lead exposure and ubiquitous low-level toxicity, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes a pollution look-out list for first-time home buyers.
The short list of toxins under your roof may surprise you:
Formaldehyde offgasses (evaporates) from cushions, particleboard and the adhesives used to manufacture most inexpensive wood-based products. Carpets and carpet cushions may also offgas formaldehyde, causing eye and upper respiratory irritation. According to the EPA, formaldehyde may even cause cancer;
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, warns the Surgeon General. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that can seep into homes through cracks in the basement, the surrounding foundation and in well water. It enters the body quietly through the airways;
Lead keeps epidemiologists returning to the drawing board, says Soloway, "mostly because we know more now about the adverse effects of low-level exposure." Levels once thought to be acceptable are now known contributors to learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Lead is found in paint in older houses, old plumbing and soil near highways and busy roads. It causes neurological and kidney damage, high blood pressure, disrupted blood cell production and reproductive problems;
Carbon monoxide will kill an estimated 660 Americans this year. Don't look for exhaust fumes in the attached garage; the biggest culprit is the unserviced furnace burning propane, butane or oil; Arsenic is still lacing many household pesticides and is increasingly used as a wood preservative. Low levels of inorganic arsenic "may cause lung cancer risk," according to the CDC. The Department of Health and Human Services agrees, adding arsenic compounds to the list of unknown carcinogens;
Vinyl chloride is the source of "new car smell": The plastic interior of a new car offgasses this known carcinogen. Water sitting in PVC pipes overnight may also be steeping into a toxic tea. Very large exposures can lead to "vinyl chloride disease," which causes severe liver damage and ballooning of the fingertips;
Hydrofluoric acid "can cause intense pain and damage to tissues and bone if the recommended gloves happen to have holes in them," says Soloway. This highly corrosive substance is the active ingredient in many household rust removers.
But even the most liberal list of known toxins pales next to the order of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs comprise hundreds of natural and man-made, carbon-based agents. They react quickly with other carbon-based compounds, and evaporate easily, making them ideal solvents. VOCs can be found in disinfectants and pesticides, too.
Solvents: Benzene and methyl ethyl ketome traverse cell walls unchecked by normal cell defense. Both are known carcinogens. Cousins toluene, xylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and trichloroethylene make up the lion's share of the solvent market;
Disinfectants: Phenols, which include biphenyl, phenolics and the preservative pentachloraphenol, are found in disinfectants, antiseptics, perfumes, mouthwashes, glues and air fresheners;
Pesticides: Chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, though all banned for nearly two decades, continue to show up airborne in older houses.
Don't be a statistical figure on the CDC's tracking list: Be aware of what substances, from pesticides to cleaners, pose threats in your household. Maintain ingredient awareness. Many poisonings still occur because of product combinations, like the ammonia-chlorine bleach reaction, which produces the deadly respiratory irritant chloramine (a problem labeling practices have not addressed).
Replace toxic agents with non-toxic alternatives. Above all, educate your household to reduce risk and exposure. For practical ideas on reducing your family's risk, consult the following books: "Living Healthy in a Toxic World" by David Steinman and R. Michael Wisner (Berkeley, 1996); "Toxins A-Z: A Guide to Everyday Pollution Hazards" by John Harte, Cheryl Holdren, Richard Schneider and Christine Shirley (University of California, 1991); "Home Safe Home: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Harmful Household Products" by Debra L. Dadd (Putnam, 1997).
The 10 most dangerous toxins in your house
Thursday, January 14, 1999
By Claude Morgan
Household toxins? Look no further than your kitchen cabinets.
It's official: Staying home is hazardous to your health. Toxins found in the home injured 789,000 Americans between 1992 and 1995, and new research suggests that this figure is underestimated.
"Toxins in U.S. homes now account for 90 percent of all reported poisonings each year," says Ross Ann Soloway, administrator of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. That's an epidemic of hazardous living by any standard. And while these figures include everything from non-fatal aspirin overdoses to the deadly consumption of drain cleaners, they fail to include long-term exposure to toxins like lead and asbestos.
To address the climbing domestic injury rates associated with household toxins, Congress and the Centers for Disease Control in 1992 created the Unintentional Injury Center to focus on the health dangers of consumer goods and modern home living. Other federal agencies are following suit. The EPA now has branches which deal with home indoor air quality, lead exposure and ubiquitous low-level toxicity, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes a pollution look-out list for first-time home buyers.
The short list of toxins under your roof may surprise you:
Formaldehyde offgasses (evaporates) from cushions, particleboard and the adhesives used to manufacture most inexpensive wood-based products. Carpets and carpet cushions may also offgas formaldehyde, causing eye and upper respiratory irritation. According to the EPA, formaldehyde may even cause cancer;
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, warns the Surgeon General. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that can seep into homes through cracks in the basement, the surrounding foundation and in well water. It enters the body quietly through the airways;
Lead keeps epidemiologists returning to the drawing board, says Soloway, "mostly because we know more now about the adverse effects of low-level exposure." Levels once thought to be acceptable are now known contributors to learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Lead is found in paint in older houses, old plumbing and soil near highways and busy roads. It causes neurological and kidney damage, high blood pressure, disrupted blood cell production and reproductive problems;
Carbon monoxide will kill an estimated 660 Americans this year. Don't look for exhaust fumes in the attached garage; the biggest culprit is the unserviced furnace burning propane, butane or oil; Arsenic is still lacing many household pesticides and is increasingly used as a wood preservative. Low levels of inorganic arsenic "may cause lung cancer risk," according to the CDC. The Department of Health and Human Services agrees, adding arsenic compounds to the list of unknown carcinogens;
Vinyl chloride is the source of "new car smell": The plastic interior of a new car offgasses this known carcinogen. Water sitting in PVC pipes overnight may also be steeping into a toxic tea. Very large exposures can lead to "vinyl chloride disease," which causes severe liver damage and ballooning of the fingertips;
Hydrofluoric acid "can cause intense pain and damage to tissues and bone if the recommended gloves happen to have holes in them," says Soloway. This highly corrosive substance is the active ingredient in many household rust removers.
But even the most liberal list of known toxins pales next to the order of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs comprise hundreds of natural and man-made, carbon-based agents. They react quickly with other carbon-based compounds, and evaporate easily, making them ideal solvents. VOCs can be found in disinfectants and pesticides, too.
Solvents: Benzene and methyl ethyl ketome traverse cell walls unchecked by normal cell defense. Both are known carcinogens. Cousins toluene, xylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and trichloroethylene make up the lion's share of the solvent market;
Disinfectants: Phenols, which include biphenyl, phenolics and the preservative pentachloraphenol, are found in disinfectants, antiseptics, perfumes, mouthwashes, glues and air fresheners;
Pesticides: Chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, though all banned for nearly two decades, continue to show up airborne in older houses.
Don't be a statistical figure on the CDC's tracking list: Be aware of what substances, from pesticides to cleaners, pose threats in your household. Maintain ingredient awareness. Many poisonings still occur because of product combinations, like the ammonia-chlorine bleach reaction, which produces the deadly respiratory irritant chloramine (a problem labeling practices have not addressed).
Replace toxic agents with non-toxic alternatives. Above all, educate your household to reduce risk and exposure. For practical ideas on reducing your family's risk, consult the following books: "Living Healthy in a Toxic World" by David Steinman and R. Michael Wisner (Berkeley, 1996); "Toxins A-Z: A Guide to Everyday Pollution Hazards" by John Harte, Cheryl Holdren, Richard Schneider and Christine Shirley (University of California, 1991); "Home Safe Home: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Harmful Household Products" by Debra L. Dadd (Putnam, 1997).
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Cosmetics and Cancer
The following information came from www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org.
It sounds noble: a cosmetics company promises that if you buy one of its products, a portion of the sale will go toward “the fight against breast cancer.”
But what if that cosmetic contains chemicals that might actually increase your risk of developing the disease?
Many cosmetics contain chemicals known as parabens and phthalates, which recent studies indicate may be linked to cancer development.
Parabens are chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function. (Estrogenic chemicals mimic the function of the naturally occurring hormone estrogen, and exposure to external estrogens has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.)
Phthalates are known to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive impairments in laboratory animals that are exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy and after birth. Phthalates are also known to be hormone-mimicking chemicals, many of which disrupt normal hormonal processes, raising concern about their implications for increased breast cancer risk.
There are numerous other chemicals of concern in personal care products. BCA is particularly concerned about progesterone, formaldehyde and coal tar due to their links to cancer. The Environmental Working Group recently released Skin Deep, a report on the safety of cosmetics and personal care products. Astonishingly, 1/3 of products tested contain on or more ingredients that are known, probable or possible human carcinogens.
Cosmetic companies will argue that we don't need to worry about harmful chemicals in their products because they are only used on our skin and hair. For example, the cosmetics industry has long stated that their widespread use of parabens and phthalates is not harmful because they remain on our skin and are not absorbed into our body. However, a recent study found parabens in human breast cancer tissue, raising obvious questions about the ability of parabens to accumulate in our bodies (Darbre et al. 2004). In September 2000 scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found phthalates at surprisingly high levels in every one of 289 people tested, especially in women of reproductive age. The authors concluded that "from a public health perspective, these data provide evidence that phthalate exposure is both higher and more common than previously suspected" (Blount et al. 2000).
Many cosmetic companies will also argue that the level of a harmful chemical in any one product is not enough to harm you, based on studies of chemical exposure in adults. However, science is finding the timing of exposure is crucial, and that even a very small dose of some chemicals can have serious consequences in children and young women who are still developing. Also, we are rarely exposed to a chemical just one time. We may use the same product every day, several days a week, for months or years. In addition, we use dozens of personal care products daily, not just one. So while exposure from one product on one day may be small, the fact is we use numerous products a day for extended periods of time. As a result, scientists are finding chemicals such as parabens and phthalates accumulating in our bodies.
Many diseases like cancer, asthma, birth defects and learning disabilities are on the rise, and there is growing evidence that these health problems are linked to the chemicals we are exposed to in our air, water, food, and everyday products. It's time we start acting to protect human health. The Precautionary Principle, a common sense approach to chemical use, says "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". It guides us to take action to prevent exposure to chemicals we know or suspect are harmful to our health. In the case of cosmetics, when a product ingredient is known or strongly suspected of being harmful to our healthy, our top priority should be eliminating the use of this chemical and finding a safe substitute to replace it. In many cases, we know safe alternatives do exist and are already being used by some cosmetic companies. The notion of "safe" or "acceptable" levels of hazardous chemicals in our products should only be introduced when we cannot find alternatives. We are entitled to products that won't hurt us.
It sounds noble: a cosmetics company promises that if you buy one of its products, a portion of the sale will go toward “the fight against breast cancer.”
But what if that cosmetic contains chemicals that might actually increase your risk of developing the disease?
Many cosmetics contain chemicals known as parabens and phthalates, which recent studies indicate may be linked to cancer development.
Parabens are chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function. (Estrogenic chemicals mimic the function of the naturally occurring hormone estrogen, and exposure to external estrogens has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.)
Phthalates are known to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive impairments in laboratory animals that are exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy and after birth. Phthalates are also known to be hormone-mimicking chemicals, many of which disrupt normal hormonal processes, raising concern about their implications for increased breast cancer risk.
There are numerous other chemicals of concern in personal care products. BCA is particularly concerned about progesterone, formaldehyde and coal tar due to their links to cancer. The Environmental Working Group recently released Skin Deep, a report on the safety of cosmetics and personal care products. Astonishingly, 1/3 of products tested contain on or more ingredients that are known, probable or possible human carcinogens.
Cosmetic companies will argue that we don't need to worry about harmful chemicals in their products because they are only used on our skin and hair. For example, the cosmetics industry has long stated that their widespread use of parabens and phthalates is not harmful because they remain on our skin and are not absorbed into our body. However, a recent study found parabens in human breast cancer tissue, raising obvious questions about the ability of parabens to accumulate in our bodies (Darbre et al. 2004). In September 2000 scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found phthalates at surprisingly high levels in every one of 289 people tested, especially in women of reproductive age. The authors concluded that "from a public health perspective, these data provide evidence that phthalate exposure is both higher and more common than previously suspected" (Blount et al. 2000).
Many cosmetic companies will also argue that the level of a harmful chemical in any one product is not enough to harm you, based on studies of chemical exposure in adults. However, science is finding the timing of exposure is crucial, and that even a very small dose of some chemicals can have serious consequences in children and young women who are still developing. Also, we are rarely exposed to a chemical just one time. We may use the same product every day, several days a week, for months or years. In addition, we use dozens of personal care products daily, not just one. So while exposure from one product on one day may be small, the fact is we use numerous products a day for extended periods of time. As a result, scientists are finding chemicals such as parabens and phthalates accumulating in our bodies.
Many diseases like cancer, asthma, birth defects and learning disabilities are on the rise, and there is growing evidence that these health problems are linked to the chemicals we are exposed to in our air, water, food, and everyday products. It's time we start acting to protect human health. The Precautionary Principle, a common sense approach to chemical use, says "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". It guides us to take action to prevent exposure to chemicals we know or suspect are harmful to our health. In the case of cosmetics, when a product ingredient is known or strongly suspected of being harmful to our healthy, our top priority should be eliminating the use of this chemical and finding a safe substitute to replace it. In many cases, we know safe alternatives do exist and are already being used by some cosmetic companies. The notion of "safe" or "acceptable" levels of hazardous chemicals in our products should only be introduced when we cannot find alternatives. We are entitled to products that won't hurt us.
Toxins in Cosmetics
The following information came from www.healthy-communications.com
You slather, spray, and paint them on and rub them in. Cosmetics are so much a part of your daily regimen that you probably never think twice about them. If they're on store shelves, it seems reasonable to figure that they're safe to use, despite those unpronounceable ingredient lists.But at least some of what's in your cosmetics might not be so good for you. One example is the family of chemicals known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), which may be linked to developmental and reproductive health risks. The industry says phthalates are safe, but some companies have dropped them in response to public concern. Essie, OPI, and Sally Hansen, for example, are removing dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which is used to prevent chipping, from nail polishes. Other big-name brands that have reformulated products to remove some phthalates include Avon, Cover Girl, Estée Lauder, L'Oréal, Max Factor, Orly, and Revlon.If you're trying to cut back on phthalates, however, sticking with these brands may not make much of a difference. You'll find phthalates in too many other personal-care products, including body lotions, hair sprays, perfumes, and deodorants. The chemicals are used to help fragrances linger and take the stiffness out of hair spray, among other reasons. They're also in detergents, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and plastic toys. And they have turned up in our bodies.Although phthalates show up in so many places, they're often absent from labels because disclosure is not always required. That's the case with fragrances. We tested eight fragrances and although none of the products included phthalates in its ingredient list, they all contained the chemicals. Some were made by companies that specifically told us their products were free of phthalates, and two even say as much on their Web sites.Getting your nails done or spritzing on your favorite perfume obviously isn't going to kill you. But the health effects of regular long-term exposure, even to small amounts, are still unknown.Makeup wakeup callCompanies that have eliminated phthalates are no doubt getting the message that people are paying more attention to ingredients. But public concern isn't the only factor driving the reformulations. Another reason is a European ban. Although the U.S. has outlawed just eight cosmetic ingredients, the European Union has banned more than 1,000. For companies that make cosmetics, complying with E.U. rules makes good business sense. It's more efficient to sell the same product worldwide. It's also good PR. About 380 U.S. companies have publicly pledged their allegiance to cosmetic safety by signing the Compact for Global Production of Safe Health & Beauty Products, under which they voluntarily pledged to reformulate globally to meet E.U. standards.The reformulation trend is likely to gain further momentum from the California Safe Cosmetics Act of 2005, which took effect only this year. Manufacturers that sell over $1 million a year in personal-care products in the state must report any products containing a chemical that is either a carcinogen or a reproductive or developmental toxic agent. Among those that must be disclosed are the phthalates DBP and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). California plans make this information public, possibly on the Web, so some companies may choose to remove rather than report the ingredients.Guinea pig nationDespite the laws, pacts, and reformulations, questions about safety remain. Cosmetic industry critics argue that the Food and Drug Administration has not told companies what "safe" means, leaving them to make their own decisions. In fact, with cosmetics, the government generally takes action only after safety issues crop up.Take the case of Rio hair relaxers. In December 1994, the FDA warned against two products sold through infomercials after consumers complained about hair loss, scalp irritation, and hair turning green. Rio announced that it would stop sales but there were reports that it continued to take orders. The California Department of Health then stepped in to halt sales and in January 1995, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles filed a seizure action. By then, the FDA had received more than 3,000 complaints. Rio later reformulated and renamed its products.The Rio case illustrates how holes in the government's cosmetic regulatory system can hurt consumers. The industry essentially regulates itself. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, made up of physicians and toxicologists and funded by the industry's leading trade group--the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA)--assesses ingredient safety. Another industry group reviews fragrances and helps create safety standards. But manufacturers aren't obligated to do anything with this information."We're working on the honor system when it comes to cosmetics safety," says Jane Houlihan, vice president for research at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy group. "In the absence of federal standards, we have a huge range of safety in the products we buy every day."The FDA has made efforts to improve its ability to spot problems and issue warnings. The agency now has a computerized database, called CAERS, that collects reports of problems such as allergic reactions. Complaints can be sent via the FDA Web site or by calling a district office. But Amy Newburger, a dermatologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City and a former member of the FDA's General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel, says her experiences make her wonder about the system's effectiveness. In one case, she filed a report by phone and on the CAERS system after she and several of her patients got a rash with blisters after using an anti-aging treatment. It wasn't until a year later, in November 2006, that the FDA sent an e-mail asking her to complete some forms, she says. The FDA responds that it doesn't provide information or feedback to people who file complaints. It simply routes them to the appropriate office for evaluation. The FDA says it may also send reports to companies.So what are the risks?Scientists know very little about how repeated exposure to small amounts of phthalates in cosmetics may affect your health, if at all. But some studies suggest that the chemicals are present in our bodies.In 2005, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that it had found breakdown chemicals from two of the most common cosmetic phthalates in almost every member of a group of 2,782 people it examined. A separate study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) in 2005 showed that men who used the most personal-care products, such as after-shave and cologne, had the highest urinary levels of a breakdown product of diethyl phthalate (DEP).In rodent studies, phthalates have caused testicular injury, liver injury, and liver cancer. We found no such clear hazards in human research. But we did find studies suggesting that phthalates may be associated with other health issues, including the following four examples from one source alone, EHP, which is a leading journal published by the National Institutes of Health. In 2000, EHP published a small study that said elevated blood levels of phthalates were associated with premature breast development in young girls. Another report in 2003 found that men with higher concentrations of two phthalate breakdown products in their urine were more likely to have a low sperm count or low sperm motility. A study published in 2005 said women with higher levels of four phthalate compounds in their urine during pregnancy were likelier to give birth to boys with smaller scrotums. And a 2006 report cited low testosterone levels in male newborns exposed to higher levels of phthalates in breast milk.Experts in the industry and the government are aware of such reports but say there is no cause for alarm. The FDA, for instance, concluded after a thorough review of the literature that "it's not clear what effect, if any, phthalates have on health." And the CTFA, the industry trade group, notes that government and scientific bodies in the U.S. and Canada have examined phthalates without restricting their use in cosmetics. After the 2005 report linking phthalate exposure to smaller scrotum size, in particular, the trade group said, "The sensational and alarming conclusions being drawn from this single study are completely speculative and scientifically unwarranted."Even companies that have dropped phthalates from products say they are safe. "This policy is driven by a wish to allay public concern and does not reflect concern with the safe use of the ingredients," Avon said after announcing that it would cut DBP from its product line. John Bailey, the CTFA's executive vice president for science, says ingredients like DBP in nail polish are simply not a hazard in such small amounts.On the other side are some environmental and public-health advocates who say possible carcinogens and reproductive toxins do not belong in cosmetics, no matter how small the amount. "We take issue with the idea that a little bit of poison doesn't matter, because safer alternatives are available," says Stacy Malkan, communications director of Health Care Without Harm. "Companies should be making the safest products possible, instead of trying to convince us that a little bit of toxic chemicals are OK." While the scientific jury is still out, we at ShopSmart believe it makes sense to reduce your exposure to phthalates, especially if you're nursing, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant.
You slather, spray, and paint them on and rub them in. Cosmetics are so much a part of your daily regimen that you probably never think twice about them. If they're on store shelves, it seems reasonable to figure that they're safe to use, despite those unpronounceable ingredient lists.But at least some of what's in your cosmetics might not be so good for you. One example is the family of chemicals known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates), which may be linked to developmental and reproductive health risks. The industry says phthalates are safe, but some companies have dropped them in response to public concern. Essie, OPI, and Sally Hansen, for example, are removing dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which is used to prevent chipping, from nail polishes. Other big-name brands that have reformulated products to remove some phthalates include Avon, Cover Girl, Estée Lauder, L'Oréal, Max Factor, Orly, and Revlon.If you're trying to cut back on phthalates, however, sticking with these brands may not make much of a difference. You'll find phthalates in too many other personal-care products, including body lotions, hair sprays, perfumes, and deodorants. The chemicals are used to help fragrances linger and take the stiffness out of hair spray, among other reasons. They're also in detergents, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, and plastic toys. And they have turned up in our bodies.Although phthalates show up in so many places, they're often absent from labels because disclosure is not always required. That's the case with fragrances. We tested eight fragrances and although none of the products included phthalates in its ingredient list, they all contained the chemicals. Some were made by companies that specifically told us their products were free of phthalates, and two even say as much on their Web sites.Getting your nails done or spritzing on your favorite perfume obviously isn't going to kill you. But the health effects of regular long-term exposure, even to small amounts, are still unknown.Makeup wakeup callCompanies that have eliminated phthalates are no doubt getting the message that people are paying more attention to ingredients. But public concern isn't the only factor driving the reformulations. Another reason is a European ban. Although the U.S. has outlawed just eight cosmetic ingredients, the European Union has banned more than 1,000. For companies that make cosmetics, complying with E.U. rules makes good business sense. It's more efficient to sell the same product worldwide. It's also good PR. About 380 U.S. companies have publicly pledged their allegiance to cosmetic safety by signing the Compact for Global Production of Safe Health & Beauty Products, under which they voluntarily pledged to reformulate globally to meet E.U. standards.The reformulation trend is likely to gain further momentum from the California Safe Cosmetics Act of 2005, which took effect only this year. Manufacturers that sell over $1 million a year in personal-care products in the state must report any products containing a chemical that is either a carcinogen or a reproductive or developmental toxic agent. Among those that must be disclosed are the phthalates DBP and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). California plans make this information public, possibly on the Web, so some companies may choose to remove rather than report the ingredients.Guinea pig nationDespite the laws, pacts, and reformulations, questions about safety remain. Cosmetic industry critics argue that the Food and Drug Administration has not told companies what "safe" means, leaving them to make their own decisions. In fact, with cosmetics, the government generally takes action only after safety issues crop up.Take the case of Rio hair relaxers. In December 1994, the FDA warned against two products sold through infomercials after consumers complained about hair loss, scalp irritation, and hair turning green. Rio announced that it would stop sales but there were reports that it continued to take orders. The California Department of Health then stepped in to halt sales and in January 1995, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles filed a seizure action. By then, the FDA had received more than 3,000 complaints. Rio later reformulated and renamed its products.The Rio case illustrates how holes in the government's cosmetic regulatory system can hurt consumers. The industry essentially regulates itself. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, made up of physicians and toxicologists and funded by the industry's leading trade group--the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA)--assesses ingredient safety. Another industry group reviews fragrances and helps create safety standards. But manufacturers aren't obligated to do anything with this information."We're working on the honor system when it comes to cosmetics safety," says Jane Houlihan, vice president for research at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy group. "In the absence of federal standards, we have a huge range of safety in the products we buy every day."The FDA has made efforts to improve its ability to spot problems and issue warnings. The agency now has a computerized database, called CAERS, that collects reports of problems such as allergic reactions. Complaints can be sent via the FDA Web site or by calling a district office. But Amy Newburger, a dermatologist at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City and a former member of the FDA's General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel, says her experiences make her wonder about the system's effectiveness. In one case, she filed a report by phone and on the CAERS system after she and several of her patients got a rash with blisters after using an anti-aging treatment. It wasn't until a year later, in November 2006, that the FDA sent an e-mail asking her to complete some forms, she says. The FDA responds that it doesn't provide information or feedback to people who file complaints. It simply routes them to the appropriate office for evaluation. The FDA says it may also send reports to companies.So what are the risks?Scientists know very little about how repeated exposure to small amounts of phthalates in cosmetics may affect your health, if at all. But some studies suggest that the chemicals are present in our bodies.In 2005, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that it had found breakdown chemicals from two of the most common cosmetic phthalates in almost every member of a group of 2,782 people it examined. A separate study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) in 2005 showed that men who used the most personal-care products, such as after-shave and cologne, had the highest urinary levels of a breakdown product of diethyl phthalate (DEP).In rodent studies, phthalates have caused testicular injury, liver injury, and liver cancer. We found no such clear hazards in human research. But we did find studies suggesting that phthalates may be associated with other health issues, including the following four examples from one source alone, EHP, which is a leading journal published by the National Institutes of Health. In 2000, EHP published a small study that said elevated blood levels of phthalates were associated with premature breast development in young girls. Another report in 2003 found that men with higher concentrations of two phthalate breakdown products in their urine were more likely to have a low sperm count or low sperm motility. A study published in 2005 said women with higher levels of four phthalate compounds in their urine during pregnancy were likelier to give birth to boys with smaller scrotums. And a 2006 report cited low testosterone levels in male newborns exposed to higher levels of phthalates in breast milk.Experts in the industry and the government are aware of such reports but say there is no cause for alarm. The FDA, for instance, concluded after a thorough review of the literature that "it's not clear what effect, if any, phthalates have on health." And the CTFA, the industry trade group, notes that government and scientific bodies in the U.S. and Canada have examined phthalates without restricting their use in cosmetics. After the 2005 report linking phthalate exposure to smaller scrotum size, in particular, the trade group said, "The sensational and alarming conclusions being drawn from this single study are completely speculative and scientifically unwarranted."Even companies that have dropped phthalates from products say they are safe. "This policy is driven by a wish to allay public concern and does not reflect concern with the safe use of the ingredients," Avon said after announcing that it would cut DBP from its product line. John Bailey, the CTFA's executive vice president for science, says ingredients like DBP in nail polish are simply not a hazard in such small amounts.On the other side are some environmental and public-health advocates who say possible carcinogens and reproductive toxins do not belong in cosmetics, no matter how small the amount. "We take issue with the idea that a little bit of poison doesn't matter, because safer alternatives are available," says Stacy Malkan, communications director of Health Care Without Harm. "Companies should be making the safest products possible, instead of trying to convince us that a little bit of toxic chemicals are OK." While the scientific jury is still out, we at ShopSmart believe it makes sense to reduce your exposure to phthalates, especially if you're nursing, pregnant, or trying to become pregnant.
Organic
The following information came from http://www.organicconsumers.org/.
Excluding the last few decades, organic agriculture has been the only form of agriculture practiced on the planet. Under its simplest definition, organic agriculture is farming without synthetic chemicals.
After the Second World War, however, there was a movement towards mechanization and homogenization of farming. Larger and increasingly automated farms spread across the landscape, and these "factory farms" put the synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and mass-rearing techniques developed in the 1920s into widespread use.
Amidst this agricultural industrial revolution, several astute pioneers of the organic movement emerged, heralding the dangers of ecological insensitivity and calling for a return to the responsible farming methods of our past. A leader of this group, Lady Eve Balfour, provides a simple description of the counter-movement that emerged:
The criteria for a sustainable agriculture can be summed up in one word- permanence, which means adopting techniques that maintain soil fertility indefinitely, that utilize, as far as possible, only renewable resources; that do not grossly pollute the environment; and that foster biological activity within the soil and throughout the cycles of all the involved food chains.
With the support of consumers, producers, businesspeople and governments, organic and sustainable agriculture has fought its way back into the world's conscious and challenged chemical-intensive farming.
Definition of "Organics" in the U.S.Effective 21 October 2002, all agricultural farms and products claiming to be organic must be guaranteed by a USDA-approved independent agency to be meeting the following guidelines:
Abstain from the application of prohibited materials (including synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and sewage sludge) for 3 years prior to certification and then continually throughout their organic license.
Prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms and irradiation.
Employ positive soil building, conservation, manure management and crop rotation practices.
Provide outdoor access and pasture for livestock.
Refrain from antibiotic and hormone use in animals.
Sustain animals on 100% organic feed.
Avoid contamination during the processing of organic products.
Keep records of all operations.
Organic products grown in healthier soil contain higher levels of nutrients, and many taste better than their conventional counterparts. Organic fruits and vegetables test at minimal or zero pesticide residue levels and, with the passage of the USDA organic standards, consumers can now be assured producers follow earth-friendly cultivation and grazing practices. Millions of people choose organic foods as a way of showing their support for responsible business, strong communities, and local farmers. (click here for supporting documentation)
Definition of Sustainable Agriculture:In addition to the nearly 7,000 certified organic farms in the United States, a growing number of the country's nearly 2.2 million farms are abandoning conventional, volume-driven techniques in favor of economical, ecological, and social balance. Sustainable agriculture describes the practices of a group of producers that may not meet the strict legal standards for organic agriculture but that seek many of the same goals and outcomes. Specifically, sustainable farmer's goals include:
More profitable farm income
Environmental stewardship, including:
Guarding and improving soil quality
Minimizing dependence on non-renewable fuels, pesticides, and fertilizers
Promotion of stable, prosperous farm families and communities
Sustainable farmers employ a variety of location-specific and creative practices to accomplish these goals. Excellent profiles of farmers using sustainable practices can be found at http://www.sare.org/
Excluding the last few decades, organic agriculture has been the only form of agriculture practiced on the planet. Under its simplest definition, organic agriculture is farming without synthetic chemicals.
After the Second World War, however, there was a movement towards mechanization and homogenization of farming. Larger and increasingly automated farms spread across the landscape, and these "factory farms" put the synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and mass-rearing techniques developed in the 1920s into widespread use.
Amidst this agricultural industrial revolution, several astute pioneers of the organic movement emerged, heralding the dangers of ecological insensitivity and calling for a return to the responsible farming methods of our past. A leader of this group, Lady Eve Balfour, provides a simple description of the counter-movement that emerged:
The criteria for a sustainable agriculture can be summed up in one word- permanence, which means adopting techniques that maintain soil fertility indefinitely, that utilize, as far as possible, only renewable resources; that do not grossly pollute the environment; and that foster biological activity within the soil and throughout the cycles of all the involved food chains.
With the support of consumers, producers, businesspeople and governments, organic and sustainable agriculture has fought its way back into the world's conscious and challenged chemical-intensive farming.
Definition of "Organics" in the U.S.Effective 21 October 2002, all agricultural farms and products claiming to be organic must be guaranteed by a USDA-approved independent agency to be meeting the following guidelines:
Abstain from the application of prohibited materials (including synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and sewage sludge) for 3 years prior to certification and then continually throughout their organic license.
Prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms and irradiation.
Employ positive soil building, conservation, manure management and crop rotation practices.
Provide outdoor access and pasture for livestock.
Refrain from antibiotic and hormone use in animals.
Sustain animals on 100% organic feed.
Avoid contamination during the processing of organic products.
Keep records of all operations.
Organic products grown in healthier soil contain higher levels of nutrients, and many taste better than their conventional counterparts. Organic fruits and vegetables test at minimal or zero pesticide residue levels and, with the passage of the USDA organic standards, consumers can now be assured producers follow earth-friendly cultivation and grazing practices. Millions of people choose organic foods as a way of showing their support for responsible business, strong communities, and local farmers. (click here for supporting documentation)
Definition of Sustainable Agriculture:In addition to the nearly 7,000 certified organic farms in the United States, a growing number of the country's nearly 2.2 million farms are abandoning conventional, volume-driven techniques in favor of economical, ecological, and social balance. Sustainable agriculture describes the practices of a group of producers that may not meet the strict legal standards for organic agriculture but that seek many of the same goals and outcomes. Specifically, sustainable farmer's goals include:
More profitable farm income
Environmental stewardship, including:
Guarding and improving soil quality
Minimizing dependence on non-renewable fuels, pesticides, and fertilizers
Promotion of stable, prosperous farm families and communities
Sustainable farmers employ a variety of location-specific and creative practices to accomplish these goals. Excellent profiles of farmers using sustainable practices can be found at http://www.sare.org/
Toxic Soil
The following information came from www.commongroundrelief.org.
Introduction
Hurricane Katrina brought many challenges to the residents of New Orleans. Part of the rebuilding process is not only repairing our structural homes, but our land as well so that we come home to a safe, healthy place to live and thrive. Toxic soil clean up is important to the rebuilding process.
Every city in the US is contaminated by chemicals that are potentially deadly. The greater New Orleans area also has a history of oil and chemical industries that generate and store thousands of tons of toxic chemicals. When hit by the floodwaters and hurricane winds of both Katrina and Rita, many of these chemicals floated out of their storage locations and into peoples’ homes in adjacent neighborhoods. These toxic spills will create long-term health risks to people in contaminated areas unless soil and water are fully cleaned up.
Fortunately, while clean up must take place on a large scale, there are things we can do immediately and inexpensively to make our homes, yards, parks, and schools safer places.
Easy and Natural Toxic Soil Clean Up
The most common way to clean up toxic soils is to have the contaminated layer of ground removed. This requires contractors and can be extremely costly. Fortunately, natural processes can also break down or extract toxins from the soil. Cleaning up soil this way is inexpensive and you can do most of the work on your own.
There are several kinds of toxins that contaminate the soil in areas of New Orleans. Each can be dealt with in a different way. Some contaminates can be broken down by bacteria and fungi. Heavy metals, which cannot be broken down, can be extracted by certain plants. As these plants remove toxins from the soil they store them in their roots, stems, or leaves. That way when you remove one of the plants from the ground and dispose of it carefully you are removing a small amount of poison from your land over time making the soil safer for our communities simply through gardening.
The Common Ground team is pleased to support interested residents with the information, resources, advice, materials, training, and in some cases even start-up labor, so that we can together use these natural processes to make New Orleans safe.
What Might be in Your SoilsContaminants, Where They Came From, and Health EffectsThe sediment deposited by floodwaters contains unsafe levels of certain contaminants: arsenic, diesel fuel and other petrochemicals, heavy metals, phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and pesticides.
While all flooded areas have high contamination levels, many areas in particular have reasons for concern. These include the Gert Town area surrounding the Thompson-Hayward Chemical Reformulation Plant, the Agricultural Street Landfill area, and the area affected by the Murphy Oil Refinery in St. Bernard Parish. Other areas of concern include New Orleans East and the City Park area. In order to create a healthy environment, it is important to know where these toxins came from, and how they will affect you.
Arsenic levels in New Orleans were high before the storm, with a Louisiana background acceptable level much higher than the EPA acceptable level. A lot of the arsenic came from uses of chemicals in households- herbicides, insecticides (historically used in cotton production), pesticides, and even some fertilizers people apply to supposedly improve the health of their soil. This heavy metal can increase the risk of cancer, damage the brain and nervous system, harm the reproductive system and alter genetic material.
Lead contamination was high in New Orleans even before Katrina from the historic use of lead paint, leaded gasoline, and emissions from garbage incinerators. These spread during the flooding as well as new sources of lead from flooded car batteries. Lead may damage the brain and nervous system, cause reproductive problems, and induce developmental disorders. Lead poisoning symptoms include a decline in intellectual ability. Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children!
Petrochemical contamination includes diesel fuel, crude oil, and compounds from petroleum production. These contaminants come from oil spills and the flooding of cars and underground fuel storage tanks. The Murphy Oil refinery released 1.05 million gallons of crude oil during Katrina, a spill larger than that of Exxon Valdez in Alaska. Various canals and 1800 homes in an area of 1 square mile were affected. Exposure to crude oil can cause skin problems if the sediment gets on bare or broken skin. Contact with crude oil for short periods may cause respiratory infections, itchy, red, sore, peeling skin. These effects increase with sun exposure. One of the dangers of petrochemicals is the existence of PAHs and Organo Chlorines.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are serious compounds also present in other sources. High levels of PAHs can increase the risk of cancer, cause reproductive problems and lead to organ damage. PAHs in New Orleans come from soot and petroleum, pesticides, and the burning of garbage at landfills, such as the now-closed Agriculture Street Landfill. The Agriculture Street Landfill was partially removed from the Superfund site list after being capped with clay in 1997- 2002. When it became a superfund site a main concern was the PAHs, lead, and arsenic. It is not known how the flood disturbed the site.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) include pesticides and herbicides such as DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, and toxophene. These chemicals degrade very slowly, stick to soil, and can travel long distances attached to dust particles. They can enter the bloodstream through breathing contaminated air or by touching contaminated soil and can take weeks to years to exit the body. Exposure to small amounts over a long time can result in a build up of the toxins on the body. Exposure to moderate amounts over time causes headaches, dizziness, irritability, vomiting, uncontrollable bowel movements, and autoimmune diseases. Due to the flooding of the Thompson Haywood Pesticide Chemical Company site in Gert Town(shut down 30 years ago as an endangerment of public health), EPA testing following Katrina revealed high levels of banned Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the community.
Other Heavy Metals:
Chromium contamination may come from steel, leather, and the textile industry as well as coal combustion and waste disposal. Too much chromium can causes skin rashes, nose irritations, upset stomachs and ulcers, respiratory problems, weakened immune system, kidney and liver damage, alteration of genetic material, lung cancer and death.
Cadmium ends up in the soil from the mining of zinc, lead, and copper. Manufacturing, waste combustion, and burning fossil fuels also contribute. Cadmium strongly binds to organic matter in soil making earthworms and microorganisms susceptive to poisoning.How To Find OutSoil Testing
The best way to learn which toxins are in your soil is to collect some soil from your land, using a special test kit, and have it tested at labratory. The results, when you receive them, will tell you how much of each toxin you tested were in your soil sample.
Easy to use test kits are available from Louisiana State University Agriculture Centers, or at Common Ground’s distribution center at the corner of Pauline St. and N. Claiborne in the 9th Ward or 1700 Deslonde in the Lower 9th Ward. The free kits include a small box with directions to follow. The box should be filled with soil scraped from the surface using a plastic spoon from a sealed package and non-powdered latex gloves. You can choose to have samples from different areas in your plot analyzed separately at a larger cost or collect soil from different areas in the same box. Fill out the form with the kit. Under desired analysis we recommend testing for the AgCenter Routine, Oil, and the second metal category (Zinc, Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead). For each box this will cost $15.
While the Agriculture Center will tell you about important metal levels such as lead and arsenic, it does not test for other chemicals of concern. If you would like extensive tests at greater costs, contact a private company such as those listed in the resources section of this booklet.Maps and Resources
Another option is to use tests that have already been done all over the New Orleans area by various groups including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. These tests have been mapped so that you can access the data and look at what chemicals have been found in your area. We recommend that you use this booklet and treat your soil based on these groups’ information about specific toxins in your area. We have included a map of the 9th Ward area in this booklet. More data is available at:
www.deq.louisiana.gov, click the “News” icon, scroll to “Hurricane Information”, and click “Sediment sampling maps”. From here, find your zip code and click to find out about specific concerns for your neighborhood.
Natural Resources Defense Council:
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/katrina/katrinainx.asp
Louisiana Bucket Brigade:
http://www.labucketbrigade.org/katrina/index.shtmlHow To Read Your Results
The soil tests that you receive will give you only numbers and it will be up to you to interpret these results. You can use the charts in the index of this booklet to compare your results to the standards set by various agencies. Any results exceeding the numbers given, usually in parts per million, are considered unsafe. We recommend using the Canadian Agriculture standards, which regulate what levels of toxins in the soil are safe to grow food on. The Louisiana RECAP standards are what the government is using to determine which areas must be cleaned up in order for residents to return. We believe these threshold levels to be too high for residents’ safety.Strategies for Cleaning up Your SoilPlants (Phytoremediation)
Plants are one of the main ways to remove toxins from your yard and to improve soil heath. All plants naturally absorb nutrients from the soil and store them in their roots, shoots, and/or leaves. Some absorb toxins in significant amounts- these are called hyper-accumulators and are most useful in restoring your soil. Certain plants absorb certain toxins. When you know what’s in your soil you can start to plant according to what you want to remove. (A detailed section on how to plant successfully is included later in this handbook.) Because these plants are absorbing toxic substances, throw them in the garbage or treat as toxic waste when they are full-grown. Do not eat plants used to treat soil!
Some of the best hyper-accumulators are sunflowers and Indian mustard greens. Sunflowers extract lead but do not store any in their seeds so they are safe to eat! This is rare. Indian mustard removes both lead and arsenic in different conditions. If Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) isn’t available, any other mustard greens will do. A chart of what plants to use is on the next page, with the most effective plants listed first for each poison.
Plants that take in Heavy Metals
Lead Sunflower, Indian Mustard, Peas, Asiatic dayflowerArsenic Indian Mustard, Brake Fern, LambsquattersChromim Indian Mustard, Spinach, CarrotsSelenium Indian MustardCadmium Radish, Indian Mustard, Pea, Corn, Spinach, CarrotNickel Indian Mustard, Spinach, CarrotZinc Indian Mustard, Spinach, CarrotCopper, Manganese, Iron Spinach, CarrotMushrooms and Fungi (Mycoremediation)
Mushrooms are decomposers, meaning that they break down dead things in theenvironment. In the same way that mushrooms decompose they break downpetrochemicals and pesticides into non-toxic substances. Certain toxins are broken down better by certain mushrooms. The Oyster mushroom is particularly useful for the toxins we are trying to get out of the soils of New Orleans. By growing the mycelia (the underground part of the mushroom) in a sterile environment we can produce many mushrooms and grow them on a bed of woodchips. The enzymes that the mushrooms produce break down the toxins we are targeting.BacteriaCompost Tea
Compost Tea is a water-based brew made of millions of air loving microorganisms which can be applied to soils, plants and flood sediment to boost the bacterial health of those areas and begin to detoxify the soil. By adding naturally occurring bacteria into the soil we can jump-start the natural process of breaking down toxins. Compost tea can be especially effective in breaking down petrochemicals. It is also an important first step in preparing toxic sites for growing plants that will take up some of the city’s most abundant heavy metals.
Compost tea is easy! It's made from worm castings, compost using worms, dechlorinated water, molasses and air. Compost tea kits can be found at Common Ground's Pauline Street Distribution Center for checkout. A complete how-to booklet is included in the kit. Please call Kathryn at 406-431-8337 for more information about our compost tea lending program or for further details on how to set up a brewing station of your own.Efficient Microbes and Mold
“EM”, a liquid containing helpful bacteria, is being used for mold abatement and remediation in many Common Ground house-gutting projects. When EM is sprayed in an untouched moldy house and left for a day the house becomes much safer and cleaner for crews to enter. EM has been found to be an effective remedy when sprayed on a house gutted and scrubbed (cleaned with a brush and frequently changed solution of vinegar and borax water) or gutted and pressure washed. This group of bacteria kills and prevents further mold growth. While bleach also kills mold it has been shown to be less effective at keeping the mold from growing back over time.
For more information about Common Ground’s EM project, contact Carolina at (360) 223-0929 or Loulou@riseup.net. EM can be ordered at emdisasterrelief.net
Step by Step Clean Up
___________________________________
To begin toxic-soil clean up:
*Places to find supplies are listed in the index of this booklet*Step1: Soil test and evaluation
Use test results or already existing data to determine which toxins you wish to treat for. Treat chemicals with the highest toxicity first, or alternatively, focus on those that you have the resources to treat most immediately.
Step 2: Soil preparation
If the soil is dead or compacted begin by aerating the soil. When there is air in the soil beneficial bacteria (and other beneficial organisms like worms) can thrive and plants can grow. This can be done by piercing the soil with a garden fork or shovel but don’t turn the soil because this may bring toxic substances to the surface. If grass or other plants are already flourishing you may not need to aerate the soil. Wear at least a paper respirator when working in the soil as lead dust is common in many New Orleans neighborhoods. Then spray compost tea to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria.Step 3A: Treating for High Levels of Metals like Lead and Arsenic
Rotation of processes: Different soil conditions are needed for the removal of metals such as lead (cationic metals) and metals such as arsenic (anionic metals)- that is, they cannot both be removed at once. Soil must be acidic (low pH) for removal of lead and other cationic metals. Soil must be basic (high pH) for removal of arsenic and anionic metals. This means that if you have both lead and arsenic in your soil, you will need to remove the toxins in several steps, rotating between acidic soil conditions and basic conditions to remove both toxins from your soil.
For Lead, Antimony, Barium, Cadmium, Copper, Mercury, Thallium, Zinc
(cationic metals)
When trying to extract this group of heavy metals reduce the amount of acid in the soil- it’s pH level- by adding coffee grounds, organic sulfur or pine needles. The best absorbing plants to use are Indian mustard and sunflowers. Indian mustard will also uptake selenium, sulfur, nickel, zinc and copper. Plant seeds as directed, covering your lawn, water and tend normally. When plants are grown spray compost tea around each plant a week before harvesting because this makes metals available to be absorbed by plants. Harvest and carefully discard in plastic bags that will go to the dump or be treated as toxic waste. Do not eat the mustard greens!
For Arsenic and Chromium (anionic metals)
These two metals must be removed in more basic conditions (higher pH) using thinly spread Phosphorous in some organic form such as bat guano or agricultural lime. Distribute Indian mustard seeds to uptake toxins. If you have the resources, mushrooms should be applied in this step.
Because these metals are best extracted in opposite conditions when both are present start first with the metals that are most highly concentrated. If both arsenic and lead are present, with higher concentrations of lead, for example, lower the pH and plant lots of sunflowers and Indian mustard to absorb lead. When these plants are fully grown harvest and throw them away. The next crop of Indian mustard should be in beds of high pH to treat for arsenic. Raising the pH to extract arsenic will also help immobilize lead.Step 3B: Treating soils for fuels and oils
Be sure to follow steps 1 and 2. Application of aerated compost tea is particularly important. Aeration breaks down large quantities of fuels by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria that will multiply and speed up this process.
Step 3: If you have the resources, apply fungi such as Oyster mushrooms to break down fuels. Spreading compost will also break down many of the petrochemicals, which are complex organic compounds. (See the section on “General Guidelines for healthy gardening in the city.”)
Step 4: Retesting and RepetitionRetest soils after each harvest or as often as you like and continue applications until the toxins have been reduced to safe amounts. It is impossible to predict how long this will take using these methods because of ever-changing soil conditions; however it will probably require many repetitions.Treating for other dangerous substances
The soil may also contain toxic levels of industrial and chemical residue. Many of these chemical compounds can cause cancer. But testing for them is expensive and must be done by a private lab. However, you can use the suggested sources in the “maps and resources” sections to look at mapped areas that have already been tested and to locate your neighborhood. If you suspect these toxins are in your soil, the following applications can be used to begin to treat your soils. These methods will help, but they will not fully eliminate the health risks these toxins pose.Organo Chlorines (persistent pesticides like PCBs) Pumpkin, Zuchini, Tall Fescue, Rye, Spearmint, Oyster Mushrooms and Turkey Tail FungiDDT Indian Mustard, Pumpkin, and ZuchiniPAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) Fescue, Small Bluestem, Big Bluestem or Indiangrass and Oyster Mushrooms
*Grasses will cover the whole yard and will grow rapidly. They can then be cut, which removes toxic chemicals, and grown again to extract toxins.*
Tips: General Practices to Increase Soil Health and Personal Safety
Personal Safety:
* Avoid direct contact with sediment. Touching sediment with bare hands, getting it in your mouth or eyes, or breathing the dust could be hazardous.
* Wear protective clothing, such as Tyvek suits or coveralls, goggles, covers for boots and shoes, gloves, respirators (such as N95 masks). Because the soil is toxic, you want to protect yourself from direct contact, and from breathing in the dust. This protective gear can be purchased at most hardware and home-improvement stores. Some protective gear can be found at distribution centers.
* When you’re finished with any work that puts you in contact with sediment- either indoors or outdoors- immediately discard your Tyvek suit. This is a single-use item. Do not wear them in your car or bring them home. A respirator, however, can be re-used if the interior is kept clean.
* If you have asthma, other respiratory or cardiac conditions, or immune system conditions, you would be safer staying out of flooded areas, due to mold, particles, and sediment that are in the air.
* Do not bring young children into flooded areas where they might touch sediment and then put fingers into their mouths.
Use of Pesticides and Termaticides
Commercial products for killing termites contain arsenic, as does all wood which is treated to prevent termite damage. This is how the majority of the arsenic currently contaminating New Orleans yards got there, even before the flood.
As you rebuild, you may want to consider buying locally grown wood that has not been artificially treated with termaticides, as locally grown woods are able to resist termites naturally and do not need arsenic treatments. Look in a phone book for local lumber companies and ask to be sure that the wood you are buying is untreated. (Pressure treated wood is a known source of arsenic). To further reduce the risk of termite infestation, try to build your house so that its wooden parts do not touch the earth or concrete. Do not mulch next to the house or allow plants to grow within three feet of its walls. Keep moisture away from your house as much as possible by running gutter and drip lines far from the walls.
To treat for an infestation you already have, you can use boric acid, diatomaceous earth, and natural pyrethrins, all of which are available from Laughing Buddha Nursery in Metairie. You can also order termite products from Environment Sensitive Pest Control (866.527.7400 and 512.805.7777 email: kenn (at) environmentsensitive.com). To read further about termite-resistant building practices, visit http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/termite.html
General Guidelines for Healthy Gardening in the City:
There are some basic things you can do to make your soil safer and healthier. One of the most important things is to have a ground cover- something growing on the soil. This will hold down soil reducing dust with toxic particles that people can breath in. Plants also help water to be absorbed into the soil, and are very important during hurricane season. A yard full of weeds is better than nothing growing at all!Organic gardening practices focus on soil health. They reduce the amount of toxins put into the soil (many of the toxins we see have been put into the soil through fertilizers and pesticides). Organic gardening also naturally increases beneficial bacteria that break down toxins and they make environments in which plants can grow. Places where gardens already existed before the storm, such as the Common Ground Garden site, were healthier and able to recover more quickly from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. This is why we have been able to grow food on this plot. Some tips are as follows:
1. Make and/or add compost. Compost is broken-down organic materials such as food scraps, leaves, straw, sawdust, and manure that become very healthy soil. Not only is composting a good way to keep food and yard waste out of a landfill (where it becomes contaminated), but it also returns nutrients to the soil and improves soil structure. This is badly needed in much of New Orleans' soil because it is dredged and/or brought in as infill. Putting compost in your soil adds the beneficial bacteria needed to make it healthier. It has been proven that compost breaks down DDT, PCPs, and other PAHs. Compost can easily be made by letting certain foods decompose, or you can buy it at stores.
For more information on beginning a compost visit http://www.howtocompost.org/ For more information about why composting is an important first step in bioremediation visit
http://www.natureswayresources.com/resource/infosheets/bioremediation.html
2. Locate your vegetable garden at least ten feet from heavily traveled roads and old painted structures. All soil near foundations of old buildings in large cities should be suspected of high lead levels because past high levels of air-borne lead may have settled on building surfaces and been washed off with rain.
3. Add lots of organic matter like composted yard wastes and composted manure to your garden area. These improve the health of soil while helping to keep dust and dirt from blowing into the air. Also mulch and plant groundcover in your yard to stabilize the soil to keep dirt from becoming airborne.
4. Grow mostly fruiting crops (peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, corn, etc.) -- these are safest because most plants don't store toxins in their fruits. Avoid eating the roots, stems or leaves of plants if your soil has high toxin levels. Do not plant greens- broccoli, kale, mustard greens, spinach and lettuce are some of the common greens that take up toxins. Cabbage is the safest of leafy crops.
5. Discard old, outer leaves of vegetables before eating; always peel root crops; wash all produce thoroughly with 1 tablespoon vinegar per 1-1/2 quarts of water.
6. Wash hands well after gardening, especially before eating. Make sure small children do not eat garden soil.
The Common Ground Meg Perry Healthy Soil Project
The Common Ground Collective is a non-profit formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to provide immediate aid to the Gulf Coast region, as well as long-term support in rebuilding communities in just and sustainable ways. In the months following Katrina, this grassroots, volunteer organization, has grown to over 50 organizers with a network of over 1700 volunteers providing relief to more than 50,000 residents in four Parishes- Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, and Terrabone. Common Ground operates four distribution centers, free medical clinics, emergency home repair, legal and eviction defense work, free computer and phone access, a women and children’s center, and other related projects. One of these projects is the Meg Perry Healthy Soil project which focuses on ways that the community can restore itself to health using the safest and most practical methods. The team is working on test sites in high-risk areas in Gert Town, the Lower 9th Ward, the 9th Ward, Gentilly, and soon Murphy Oil in St. Bernard’s Parish. Our work includes researching information pertinent to soil and community restoration and making the resources available to support residents in cleaning up their homes. A connected project is focused solely on environmental data analysis and mapping for community access. We are constantly developing more effective ways to achieve these goals. Presently we offer:
-Supplies at distribution centers (seeds, soil test kits, etc.)
-Compost tea lending library
-Soil analysis and next-steps advice
-Information and resources
For more information call Emily at (504) 913-5635 or Randy (914) 980 8458
To contact the Common Ground Collective at large: (504) 235-1729 or commongroundrelief.orgThe Sun Done Community Garden in Gentilly
At the corner of St. Dennis and Havanah, Common Ground is working in the Parkway Partners Sun Done Community Garden. This soil has been tested and treated, and the food grown there is safe to eat! We offer plant starts for your own garden, fresh food, and conduct Healthy Soil Project work from this site. We welcome visitors and workers- we frequently have volunteers working in the garden. Join us for lunch on Wednesdays, or for Sunday open houses.
For more information contact Emily at (504) 913-5635
IndexSoil Testing Standards
Metal Canadian Agriculture Standard (ppm) Louisiana RECAP StandardArsenic 14 12Cadmium 1.6 39Chromium 120 160Copper 20 8200Lead 60 400Mercury0.5 2.3Nickel32 2300Selenium1.6 39Zinc 220 160
More Environmental Health Information:
* Natural Resources Defense Council: www.nrdc.org* Louisiana Bucket Brigade: www.labucketbrigade.org* Louisiana Environmental Action Network: http://LEANWEB.org* Advocates for Environmental Human Rights (504) 919-4590* Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/katrina* Physicians for Social Responsibility- Louisiana (504) 324-5545
More Information About Natural Healthy Soil Strategies:
* Compost: http://www.howtocompost.org/* Mushrooms: Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets* The Rhizome Collective- www.rhizomecollective.org
US Geological Survey intro to bioremediation: http://water.usgs.gov/wid/html/bioremed.html
More Information About Soil Testing Data:
* www.deq.louisiana.gov, click the “News” icon, scroll to “Hurricane Information”, and click “Sediment sampling maps”. From here, find your zip code and click to find out about specific concerns for your neighborhood.* Natural Resources Defense Council:* http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/katrina/katrinainx.asp* Louisiana Bucket Brigade:* http://www.labucketbrigade.org/katrina/index.shtml
Private Testing:
Analytical and Environmental Testing Inc.
1717 Seaboard Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
(800) 634-1930 or (225) 769-1930
www.aetesting.com
Perkin Elmer
45 William StreetWellesley, MA 02481-4078, USATelephone 781-237-5100
(800) 767-4000 x 3023
(225) 907-3334Soil Testing Labs:
Louisiana State University Agriculture Center
LSU Ag Center
Cooperative Extension Service
US Dept. of Agriculture
PO Box 25100
Baton Rouge, LA 70894-5100
Regional Director
LSU AgCenter Crescent Region Office
6640 Riverside Drive,
Suite 200
Metairie, LA 70003-7110
(504) 838-1170, 1171 or 1172
(504) 838-1175 (fax)
Location: Jefferson Urban Office
Local Resources
The Common Ground Collective
(504) 235-1729
media center: 215 N Jefferson Davis Parkway
Upper 9th Ward Distribution Center: corner
of Pauline St. and N. Claiborne
Lower 9th Ward Distrubution Center:
1700 Deslonde St.
Commongroundrelief.org
Parkway Partners
1137 Baronne St. New Orleans, LA 70113
telephone- 504-620-2224
info@parkwaypartners.com
contact: Mario Travella, Horticultural &
Community Liason, (504) 813-7895
or mariotravella@yahoo.com
The New Orleans Food and Farm Network
New Orleans Food and Farm Network320 Webster StreetNew Orleans, LA 70118
www.noffn.org
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
Ssawg.org
Open Regional Supply Stores
Laughing Buddha Nursery
4516 Clearview Pkwy
Metairie, LA
(504) 887-4336
www.laughingbuddhanursery.com
Urban Organics
2805 St. Claude Ave
New Orleans, LA
(504) 945-8845
Tack in the Park
1001 Filmore Ave
New Orlean, LA
(504) 286-3063
For more leads contact Mario Travell at Parkway Partners
Health Soil = Healthy Communities
Written by the Common Ground Collective
Meg Perry Healthy Soil Project
Introduction
Hurricane Katrina brought many challenges to the residents of New Orleans. Part of the rebuilding process is not only repairing our structural homes, but our land as well so that we come home to a safe, healthy place to live and thrive. Toxic soil clean up is important to the rebuilding process.
Every city in the US is contaminated by chemicals that are potentially deadly. The greater New Orleans area also has a history of oil and chemical industries that generate and store thousands of tons of toxic chemicals. When hit by the floodwaters and hurricane winds of both Katrina and Rita, many of these chemicals floated out of their storage locations and into peoples’ homes in adjacent neighborhoods. These toxic spills will create long-term health risks to people in contaminated areas unless soil and water are fully cleaned up.
Fortunately, while clean up must take place on a large scale, there are things we can do immediately and inexpensively to make our homes, yards, parks, and schools safer places.
Easy and Natural Toxic Soil Clean Up
The most common way to clean up toxic soils is to have the contaminated layer of ground removed. This requires contractors and can be extremely costly. Fortunately, natural processes can also break down or extract toxins from the soil. Cleaning up soil this way is inexpensive and you can do most of the work on your own.
There are several kinds of toxins that contaminate the soil in areas of New Orleans. Each can be dealt with in a different way. Some contaminates can be broken down by bacteria and fungi. Heavy metals, which cannot be broken down, can be extracted by certain plants. As these plants remove toxins from the soil they store them in their roots, stems, or leaves. That way when you remove one of the plants from the ground and dispose of it carefully you are removing a small amount of poison from your land over time making the soil safer for our communities simply through gardening.
The Common Ground team is pleased to support interested residents with the information, resources, advice, materials, training, and in some cases even start-up labor, so that we can together use these natural processes to make New Orleans safe.
What Might be in Your SoilsContaminants, Where They Came From, and Health EffectsThe sediment deposited by floodwaters contains unsafe levels of certain contaminants: arsenic, diesel fuel and other petrochemicals, heavy metals, phthalates (chemicals used to soften plastics), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and pesticides.
While all flooded areas have high contamination levels, many areas in particular have reasons for concern. These include the Gert Town area surrounding the Thompson-Hayward Chemical Reformulation Plant, the Agricultural Street Landfill area, and the area affected by the Murphy Oil Refinery in St. Bernard Parish. Other areas of concern include New Orleans East and the City Park area. In order to create a healthy environment, it is important to know where these toxins came from, and how they will affect you.
Arsenic levels in New Orleans were high before the storm, with a Louisiana background acceptable level much higher than the EPA acceptable level. A lot of the arsenic came from uses of chemicals in households- herbicides, insecticides (historically used in cotton production), pesticides, and even some fertilizers people apply to supposedly improve the health of their soil. This heavy metal can increase the risk of cancer, damage the brain and nervous system, harm the reproductive system and alter genetic material.
Lead contamination was high in New Orleans even before Katrina from the historic use of lead paint, leaded gasoline, and emissions from garbage incinerators. These spread during the flooding as well as new sources of lead from flooded car batteries. Lead may damage the brain and nervous system, cause reproductive problems, and induce developmental disorders. Lead poisoning symptoms include a decline in intellectual ability. Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children!
Petrochemical contamination includes diesel fuel, crude oil, and compounds from petroleum production. These contaminants come from oil spills and the flooding of cars and underground fuel storage tanks. The Murphy Oil refinery released 1.05 million gallons of crude oil during Katrina, a spill larger than that of Exxon Valdez in Alaska. Various canals and 1800 homes in an area of 1 square mile were affected. Exposure to crude oil can cause skin problems if the sediment gets on bare or broken skin. Contact with crude oil for short periods may cause respiratory infections, itchy, red, sore, peeling skin. These effects increase with sun exposure. One of the dangers of petrochemicals is the existence of PAHs and Organo Chlorines.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are serious compounds also present in other sources. High levels of PAHs can increase the risk of cancer, cause reproductive problems and lead to organ damage. PAHs in New Orleans come from soot and petroleum, pesticides, and the burning of garbage at landfills, such as the now-closed Agriculture Street Landfill. The Agriculture Street Landfill was partially removed from the Superfund site list after being capped with clay in 1997- 2002. When it became a superfund site a main concern was the PAHs, lead, and arsenic. It is not known how the flood disturbed the site.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) include pesticides and herbicides such as DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, and toxophene. These chemicals degrade very slowly, stick to soil, and can travel long distances attached to dust particles. They can enter the bloodstream through breathing contaminated air or by touching contaminated soil and can take weeks to years to exit the body. Exposure to small amounts over a long time can result in a build up of the toxins on the body. Exposure to moderate amounts over time causes headaches, dizziness, irritability, vomiting, uncontrollable bowel movements, and autoimmune diseases. Due to the flooding of the Thompson Haywood Pesticide Chemical Company site in Gert Town(shut down 30 years ago as an endangerment of public health), EPA testing following Katrina revealed high levels of banned Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the community.
Other Heavy Metals:
Chromium contamination may come from steel, leather, and the textile industry as well as coal combustion and waste disposal. Too much chromium can causes skin rashes, nose irritations, upset stomachs and ulcers, respiratory problems, weakened immune system, kidney and liver damage, alteration of genetic material, lung cancer and death.
Cadmium ends up in the soil from the mining of zinc, lead, and copper. Manufacturing, waste combustion, and burning fossil fuels also contribute. Cadmium strongly binds to organic matter in soil making earthworms and microorganisms susceptive to poisoning.How To Find OutSoil Testing
The best way to learn which toxins are in your soil is to collect some soil from your land, using a special test kit, and have it tested at labratory. The results, when you receive them, will tell you how much of each toxin you tested were in your soil sample.
Easy to use test kits are available from Louisiana State University Agriculture Centers, or at Common Ground’s distribution center at the corner of Pauline St. and N. Claiborne in the 9th Ward or 1700 Deslonde in the Lower 9th Ward. The free kits include a small box with directions to follow. The box should be filled with soil scraped from the surface using a plastic spoon from a sealed package and non-powdered latex gloves. You can choose to have samples from different areas in your plot analyzed separately at a larger cost or collect soil from different areas in the same box. Fill out the form with the kit. Under desired analysis we recommend testing for the AgCenter Routine, Oil, and the second metal category (Zinc, Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead). For each box this will cost $15.
While the Agriculture Center will tell you about important metal levels such as lead and arsenic, it does not test for other chemicals of concern. If you would like extensive tests at greater costs, contact a private company such as those listed in the resources section of this booklet.Maps and Resources
Another option is to use tests that have already been done all over the New Orleans area by various groups including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. These tests have been mapped so that you can access the data and look at what chemicals have been found in your area. We recommend that you use this booklet and treat your soil based on these groups’ information about specific toxins in your area. We have included a map of the 9th Ward area in this booklet. More data is available at:
www.deq.louisiana.gov, click the “News” icon, scroll to “Hurricane Information”, and click “Sediment sampling maps”. From here, find your zip code and click to find out about specific concerns for your neighborhood.
Natural Resources Defense Council:
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/katrina/katrinainx.asp
Louisiana Bucket Brigade:
http://www.labucketbrigade.org/katrina/index.shtmlHow To Read Your Results
The soil tests that you receive will give you only numbers and it will be up to you to interpret these results. You can use the charts in the index of this booklet to compare your results to the standards set by various agencies. Any results exceeding the numbers given, usually in parts per million, are considered unsafe. We recommend using the Canadian Agriculture standards, which regulate what levels of toxins in the soil are safe to grow food on. The Louisiana RECAP standards are what the government is using to determine which areas must be cleaned up in order for residents to return. We believe these threshold levels to be too high for residents’ safety.Strategies for Cleaning up Your SoilPlants (Phytoremediation)
Plants are one of the main ways to remove toxins from your yard and to improve soil heath. All plants naturally absorb nutrients from the soil and store them in their roots, shoots, and/or leaves. Some absorb toxins in significant amounts- these are called hyper-accumulators and are most useful in restoring your soil. Certain plants absorb certain toxins. When you know what’s in your soil you can start to plant according to what you want to remove. (A detailed section on how to plant successfully is included later in this handbook.) Because these plants are absorbing toxic substances, throw them in the garbage or treat as toxic waste when they are full-grown. Do not eat plants used to treat soil!
Some of the best hyper-accumulators are sunflowers and Indian mustard greens. Sunflowers extract lead but do not store any in their seeds so they are safe to eat! This is rare. Indian mustard removes both lead and arsenic in different conditions. If Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) isn’t available, any other mustard greens will do. A chart of what plants to use is on the next page, with the most effective plants listed first for each poison.
Plants that take in Heavy Metals
Lead Sunflower, Indian Mustard, Peas, Asiatic dayflowerArsenic Indian Mustard, Brake Fern, LambsquattersChromim Indian Mustard, Spinach, CarrotsSelenium Indian MustardCadmium Radish, Indian Mustard, Pea, Corn, Spinach, CarrotNickel Indian Mustard, Spinach, CarrotZinc Indian Mustard, Spinach, CarrotCopper, Manganese, Iron Spinach, CarrotMushrooms and Fungi (Mycoremediation)
Mushrooms are decomposers, meaning that they break down dead things in theenvironment. In the same way that mushrooms decompose they break downpetrochemicals and pesticides into non-toxic substances. Certain toxins are broken down better by certain mushrooms. The Oyster mushroom is particularly useful for the toxins we are trying to get out of the soils of New Orleans. By growing the mycelia (the underground part of the mushroom) in a sterile environment we can produce many mushrooms and grow them on a bed of woodchips. The enzymes that the mushrooms produce break down the toxins we are targeting.BacteriaCompost Tea
Compost Tea is a water-based brew made of millions of air loving microorganisms which can be applied to soils, plants and flood sediment to boost the bacterial health of those areas and begin to detoxify the soil. By adding naturally occurring bacteria into the soil we can jump-start the natural process of breaking down toxins. Compost tea can be especially effective in breaking down petrochemicals. It is also an important first step in preparing toxic sites for growing plants that will take up some of the city’s most abundant heavy metals.
Compost tea is easy! It's made from worm castings, compost using worms, dechlorinated water, molasses and air. Compost tea kits can be found at Common Ground's Pauline Street Distribution Center for checkout. A complete how-to booklet is included in the kit. Please call Kathryn at 406-431-8337 for more information about our compost tea lending program or for further details on how to set up a brewing station of your own.Efficient Microbes and Mold
“EM”, a liquid containing helpful bacteria, is being used for mold abatement and remediation in many Common Ground house-gutting projects. When EM is sprayed in an untouched moldy house and left for a day the house becomes much safer and cleaner for crews to enter. EM has been found to be an effective remedy when sprayed on a house gutted and scrubbed (cleaned with a brush and frequently changed solution of vinegar and borax water) or gutted and pressure washed. This group of bacteria kills and prevents further mold growth. While bleach also kills mold it has been shown to be less effective at keeping the mold from growing back over time.
For more information about Common Ground’s EM project, contact Carolina at (360) 223-0929 or Loulou@riseup.net. EM can be ordered at emdisasterrelief.net
Step by Step Clean Up
___________________________________
To begin toxic-soil clean up:
*Places to find supplies are listed in the index of this booklet*Step1: Soil test and evaluation
Use test results or already existing data to determine which toxins you wish to treat for. Treat chemicals with the highest toxicity first, or alternatively, focus on those that you have the resources to treat most immediately.
Step 2: Soil preparation
If the soil is dead or compacted begin by aerating the soil. When there is air in the soil beneficial bacteria (and other beneficial organisms like worms) can thrive and plants can grow. This can be done by piercing the soil with a garden fork or shovel but don’t turn the soil because this may bring toxic substances to the surface. If grass or other plants are already flourishing you may not need to aerate the soil. Wear at least a paper respirator when working in the soil as lead dust is common in many New Orleans neighborhoods. Then spray compost tea to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria.Step 3A: Treating for High Levels of Metals like Lead and Arsenic
Rotation of processes: Different soil conditions are needed for the removal of metals such as lead (cationic metals) and metals such as arsenic (anionic metals)- that is, they cannot both be removed at once. Soil must be acidic (low pH) for removal of lead and other cationic metals. Soil must be basic (high pH) for removal of arsenic and anionic metals. This means that if you have both lead and arsenic in your soil, you will need to remove the toxins in several steps, rotating between acidic soil conditions and basic conditions to remove both toxins from your soil.
For Lead, Antimony, Barium, Cadmium, Copper, Mercury, Thallium, Zinc
(cationic metals)
When trying to extract this group of heavy metals reduce the amount of acid in the soil- it’s pH level- by adding coffee grounds, organic sulfur or pine needles. The best absorbing plants to use are Indian mustard and sunflowers. Indian mustard will also uptake selenium, sulfur, nickel, zinc and copper. Plant seeds as directed, covering your lawn, water and tend normally. When plants are grown spray compost tea around each plant a week before harvesting because this makes metals available to be absorbed by plants. Harvest and carefully discard in plastic bags that will go to the dump or be treated as toxic waste. Do not eat the mustard greens!
For Arsenic and Chromium (anionic metals)
These two metals must be removed in more basic conditions (higher pH) using thinly spread Phosphorous in some organic form such as bat guano or agricultural lime. Distribute Indian mustard seeds to uptake toxins. If you have the resources, mushrooms should be applied in this step.
Because these metals are best extracted in opposite conditions when both are present start first with the metals that are most highly concentrated. If both arsenic and lead are present, with higher concentrations of lead, for example, lower the pH and plant lots of sunflowers and Indian mustard to absorb lead. When these plants are fully grown harvest and throw them away. The next crop of Indian mustard should be in beds of high pH to treat for arsenic. Raising the pH to extract arsenic will also help immobilize lead.Step 3B: Treating soils for fuels and oils
Be sure to follow steps 1 and 2. Application of aerated compost tea is particularly important. Aeration breaks down large quantities of fuels by encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria that will multiply and speed up this process.
Step 3: If you have the resources, apply fungi such as Oyster mushrooms to break down fuels. Spreading compost will also break down many of the petrochemicals, which are complex organic compounds. (See the section on “General Guidelines for healthy gardening in the city.”)
Step 4: Retesting and RepetitionRetest soils after each harvest or as often as you like and continue applications until the toxins have been reduced to safe amounts. It is impossible to predict how long this will take using these methods because of ever-changing soil conditions; however it will probably require many repetitions.Treating for other dangerous substances
The soil may also contain toxic levels of industrial and chemical residue. Many of these chemical compounds can cause cancer. But testing for them is expensive and must be done by a private lab. However, you can use the suggested sources in the “maps and resources” sections to look at mapped areas that have already been tested and to locate your neighborhood. If you suspect these toxins are in your soil, the following applications can be used to begin to treat your soils. These methods will help, but they will not fully eliminate the health risks these toxins pose.Organo Chlorines (persistent pesticides like PCBs) Pumpkin, Zuchini, Tall Fescue, Rye, Spearmint, Oyster Mushrooms and Turkey Tail FungiDDT Indian Mustard, Pumpkin, and ZuchiniPAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) Fescue, Small Bluestem, Big Bluestem or Indiangrass and Oyster Mushrooms
*Grasses will cover the whole yard and will grow rapidly. They can then be cut, which removes toxic chemicals, and grown again to extract toxins.*
Tips: General Practices to Increase Soil Health and Personal Safety
Personal Safety:
* Avoid direct contact with sediment. Touching sediment with bare hands, getting it in your mouth or eyes, or breathing the dust could be hazardous.
* Wear protective clothing, such as Tyvek suits or coveralls, goggles, covers for boots and shoes, gloves, respirators (such as N95 masks). Because the soil is toxic, you want to protect yourself from direct contact, and from breathing in the dust. This protective gear can be purchased at most hardware and home-improvement stores. Some protective gear can be found at distribution centers.
* When you’re finished with any work that puts you in contact with sediment- either indoors or outdoors- immediately discard your Tyvek suit. This is a single-use item. Do not wear them in your car or bring them home. A respirator, however, can be re-used if the interior is kept clean.
* If you have asthma, other respiratory or cardiac conditions, or immune system conditions, you would be safer staying out of flooded areas, due to mold, particles, and sediment that are in the air.
* Do not bring young children into flooded areas where they might touch sediment and then put fingers into their mouths.
Use of Pesticides and Termaticides
Commercial products for killing termites contain arsenic, as does all wood which is treated to prevent termite damage. This is how the majority of the arsenic currently contaminating New Orleans yards got there, even before the flood.
As you rebuild, you may want to consider buying locally grown wood that has not been artificially treated with termaticides, as locally grown woods are able to resist termites naturally and do not need arsenic treatments. Look in a phone book for local lumber companies and ask to be sure that the wood you are buying is untreated. (Pressure treated wood is a known source of arsenic). To further reduce the risk of termite infestation, try to build your house so that its wooden parts do not touch the earth or concrete. Do not mulch next to the house or allow plants to grow within three feet of its walls. Keep moisture away from your house as much as possible by running gutter and drip lines far from the walls.
To treat for an infestation you already have, you can use boric acid, diatomaceous earth, and natural pyrethrins, all of which are available from Laughing Buddha Nursery in Metairie. You can also order termite products from Environment Sensitive Pest Control (866.527.7400 and 512.805.7777 email: kenn (at) environmentsensitive.com). To read further about termite-resistant building practices, visit http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/termite.html
General Guidelines for Healthy Gardening in the City:
There are some basic things you can do to make your soil safer and healthier. One of the most important things is to have a ground cover- something growing on the soil. This will hold down soil reducing dust with toxic particles that people can breath in. Plants also help water to be absorbed into the soil, and are very important during hurricane season. A yard full of weeds is better than nothing growing at all!Organic gardening practices focus on soil health. They reduce the amount of toxins put into the soil (many of the toxins we see have been put into the soil through fertilizers and pesticides). Organic gardening also naturally increases beneficial bacteria that break down toxins and they make environments in which plants can grow. Places where gardens already existed before the storm, such as the Common Ground Garden site, were healthier and able to recover more quickly from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. This is why we have been able to grow food on this plot. Some tips are as follows:
1. Make and/or add compost. Compost is broken-down organic materials such as food scraps, leaves, straw, sawdust, and manure that become very healthy soil. Not only is composting a good way to keep food and yard waste out of a landfill (where it becomes contaminated), but it also returns nutrients to the soil and improves soil structure. This is badly needed in much of New Orleans' soil because it is dredged and/or brought in as infill. Putting compost in your soil adds the beneficial bacteria needed to make it healthier. It has been proven that compost breaks down DDT, PCPs, and other PAHs. Compost can easily be made by letting certain foods decompose, or you can buy it at stores.
For more information on beginning a compost visit http://www.howtocompost.org/ For more information about why composting is an important first step in bioremediation visit
http://www.natureswayresources.com/resource/infosheets/bioremediation.html
2. Locate your vegetable garden at least ten feet from heavily traveled roads and old painted structures. All soil near foundations of old buildings in large cities should be suspected of high lead levels because past high levels of air-borne lead may have settled on building surfaces and been washed off with rain.
3. Add lots of organic matter like composted yard wastes and composted manure to your garden area. These improve the health of soil while helping to keep dust and dirt from blowing into the air. Also mulch and plant groundcover in your yard to stabilize the soil to keep dirt from becoming airborne.
4. Grow mostly fruiting crops (peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, corn, etc.) -- these are safest because most plants don't store toxins in their fruits. Avoid eating the roots, stems or leaves of plants if your soil has high toxin levels. Do not plant greens- broccoli, kale, mustard greens, spinach and lettuce are some of the common greens that take up toxins. Cabbage is the safest of leafy crops.
5. Discard old, outer leaves of vegetables before eating; always peel root crops; wash all produce thoroughly with 1 tablespoon vinegar per 1-1/2 quarts of water.
6. Wash hands well after gardening, especially before eating. Make sure small children do not eat garden soil.
The Common Ground Meg Perry Healthy Soil Project
The Common Ground Collective is a non-profit formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to provide immediate aid to the Gulf Coast region, as well as long-term support in rebuilding communities in just and sustainable ways. In the months following Katrina, this grassroots, volunteer organization, has grown to over 50 organizers with a network of over 1700 volunteers providing relief to more than 50,000 residents in four Parishes- Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, and Terrabone. Common Ground operates four distribution centers, free medical clinics, emergency home repair, legal and eviction defense work, free computer and phone access, a women and children’s center, and other related projects. One of these projects is the Meg Perry Healthy Soil project which focuses on ways that the community can restore itself to health using the safest and most practical methods. The team is working on test sites in high-risk areas in Gert Town, the Lower 9th Ward, the 9th Ward, Gentilly, and soon Murphy Oil in St. Bernard’s Parish. Our work includes researching information pertinent to soil and community restoration and making the resources available to support residents in cleaning up their homes. A connected project is focused solely on environmental data analysis and mapping for community access. We are constantly developing more effective ways to achieve these goals. Presently we offer:
-Supplies at distribution centers (seeds, soil test kits, etc.)
-Compost tea lending library
-Soil analysis and next-steps advice
-Information and resources
For more information call Emily at (504) 913-5635 or Randy (914) 980 8458
To contact the Common Ground Collective at large: (504) 235-1729 or commongroundrelief.orgThe Sun Done Community Garden in Gentilly
At the corner of St. Dennis and Havanah, Common Ground is working in the Parkway Partners Sun Done Community Garden. This soil has been tested and treated, and the food grown there is safe to eat! We offer plant starts for your own garden, fresh food, and conduct Healthy Soil Project work from this site. We welcome visitors and workers- we frequently have volunteers working in the garden. Join us for lunch on Wednesdays, or for Sunday open houses.
For more information contact Emily at (504) 913-5635
IndexSoil Testing Standards
Metal Canadian Agriculture Standard (ppm) Louisiana RECAP StandardArsenic 14 12Cadmium 1.6 39Chromium 120 160Copper 20 8200Lead 60 400Mercury0.5 2.3Nickel32 2300Selenium1.6 39Zinc 220 160
More Environmental Health Information:
* Natural Resources Defense Council: www.nrdc.org* Louisiana Bucket Brigade: www.labucketbrigade.org* Louisiana Environmental Action Network: http://LEANWEB.org* Advocates for Environmental Human Rights (504) 919-4590* Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/katrina* Physicians for Social Responsibility- Louisiana (504) 324-5545
More Information About Natural Healthy Soil Strategies:
* Compost: http://www.howtocompost.org/* Mushrooms: Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets* The Rhizome Collective- www.rhizomecollective.org
US Geological Survey intro to bioremediation: http://water.usgs.gov/wid/html/bioremed.html
More Information About Soil Testing Data:
* www.deq.louisiana.gov, click the “News” icon, scroll to “Hurricane Information”, and click “Sediment sampling maps”. From here, find your zip code and click to find out about specific concerns for your neighborhood.* Natural Resources Defense Council:* http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/katrina/katrinainx.asp* Louisiana Bucket Brigade:* http://www.labucketbrigade.org/katrina/index.shtml
Private Testing:
Analytical and Environmental Testing Inc.
1717 Seaboard Dr.
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
(800) 634-1930 or (225) 769-1930
www.aetesting.com
Perkin Elmer
45 William StreetWellesley, MA 02481-4078, USATelephone 781-237-5100
(800) 767-4000 x 3023
(225) 907-3334Soil Testing Labs:
Louisiana State University Agriculture Center
LSU Ag Center
Cooperative Extension Service
US Dept. of Agriculture
PO Box 25100
Baton Rouge, LA 70894-5100
Regional Director
LSU AgCenter Crescent Region Office
6640 Riverside Drive,
Suite 200
Metairie, LA 70003-7110
(504) 838-1170, 1171 or 1172
(504) 838-1175 (fax)
Location: Jefferson Urban Office
Local Resources
The Common Ground Collective
(504) 235-1729
media center: 215 N Jefferson Davis Parkway
Upper 9th Ward Distribution Center: corner
of Pauline St. and N. Claiborne
Lower 9th Ward Distrubution Center:
1700 Deslonde St.
Commongroundrelief.org
Parkway Partners
1137 Baronne St. New Orleans, LA 70113
telephone- 504-620-2224
info@parkwaypartners.com
contact: Mario Travella, Horticultural &
Community Liason, (504) 813-7895
or mariotravella@yahoo.com
The New Orleans Food and Farm Network
New Orleans Food and Farm Network320 Webster StreetNew Orleans, LA 70118
www.noffn.org
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
Ssawg.org
Open Regional Supply Stores
Laughing Buddha Nursery
4516 Clearview Pkwy
Metairie, LA
(504) 887-4336
www.laughingbuddhanursery.com
Urban Organics
2805 St. Claude Ave
New Orleans, LA
(504) 945-8845
Tack in the Park
1001 Filmore Ave
New Orlean, LA
(504) 286-3063
For more leads contact Mario Travell at Parkway Partners
Health Soil = Healthy Communities
Written by the Common Ground Collective
Meg Perry Healthy Soil Project
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