Pollution

What Is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance.

How Can Asbestos Affect My Health?

From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of:

• lung cancer
• mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity.
• asbestosis, in which the lungs become scarred with fibrous tissue.

The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers is also greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop these health problems. However, if disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease. Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder, is more likely to create a health hazard.

Where Can I Find Asbestos And When Can It Be A Problem?

Most products made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which may release fibers, include:

• STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.
• RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal.
• CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER used as insulation around furnaces and woodburning stoves. Repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers. So may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling, or sawing insulation.
• DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use.
• SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling, or scraping the material.
• PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos.
• ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING. These products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed, dilled, or cut.
• ARTIFICIAL ASHES AND EMBERS sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces. Also, other older household products such as FIREPROOF GLOVES, STOVE-TOP PADS, IRONING BOARD COVERS, and certain HAIRDRYERS.
• AUTOMOBILE BRAKE PADS AND LININGS, CLUTCH FACINGS, and GASKETS.

Where Asbestos Hazards May Be Found In The Home

• Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.
• Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.
• Asbestos may be present in textured paint and in patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints. Their use was banned in 1977.
• Artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces may contain asbestos.
• Older products such as stove-top pads may have some asbestos compounds.
• Walls and floors around wood burning stoves may be protected with asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets.
• Asbestos is found in some vinyl floor tiles and the backing on vinyl sheet flooring and adhesives.
• Hot water and steam pipes in older houses may be coated with an asbestos material or covered with an asbestos blanket or tape.
• Oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets may have asbestos insulation.

 

What Should Be Done About Asbestos In The Home?

If you think asbestos may be in your home, don’t panic! Usually the best thing is to LEAVE asbestos material that is in good condition ALONE.  Please contact the department if you are concerned with potential asbestos contamination in your home.

This information has been provided by the American Lung Association, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Basic information

Backyard burning refers to the burning of household trash by residents on their own property. Trash typically burned can include paper, cardboard, food scraps, plastics, and yard trimmings—essentially any materials that would otherwise be recycled or sent to a landfill. Burning usually occurs in a burn barrel, homemade burn box, wood stove, outdoor boiler, or open pit. Air emissions from backyard burning are released directly to the atmosphere without being treated or filtered.

Why People Burn Their Trash

Backyard burning is common in many areas of the country. People burn trash for various reasons—either because it is easier than hauling it to the local disposal site or to avoid paying for regular waste collection service. In the past, backyard burning may have been the only way that many rural Americans could get rid of their waste. Today, however, almost everyone can obtain reasonably priced waste collection or take their waste to a conveniently located drop-off center as alternatives to backyard burning. Many state, local and tribal governments prohibit or restrict some or all backyard burning of waste. Even where restrictions exist, however, many people continue to burn.

It’s a Health Hazard

Most people who burn their waste do not realize how harmful this practice is to their health and to the environment. Current research indicates that backyard burning is far more harmful to our health than previously thought. It can increase the risk of heart disease, aggravate respiratory ailments such as asthma and emphysema and cause rashes, nausea, or headaches. Backyard burning also produces harmful quantities of dioxins, a group of highly toxic chemicals that settle on crops and in our waterways where they eventually wind up in our food and affect our health.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result. Hundreds of people die accidentally every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used fuel-burning appliances. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars. Fetuses, infants, elderly people, and people with anemia or with a history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible. Be safe.

CO Poisoning Symptoms

Know the symptoms of CO poisoning. At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause.

Play it Safe

If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning:

GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELYby opening doors and windows, turning off combustion appliances and leaving the house.

GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOMand tell the physician you suspect CO poisoning.

If CO poisoning has occurred, it can often be diagnosed by a blood test done soon after exposure.

Be prepared to answer the following questions for the doctor:

• Do your symptoms occur only in the house? Do they disappear or decrease when you leave home and reappear when you return?
• Is anyone else in your household complaining of similar symptoms? Did everyone’s symptoms appear about the same time?
• Are you using any fuel-burning appliances in the home?
• Has anyone inspected your appliances lately? Are you certain they are working properly?

Prevention is the Key to Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• have your fuel-burning appliances — including oil and gas furnaces, gas water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves — inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season. Make certain that the flues and chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.
• choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers’ instructions.
• read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning device. If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas or kerosene space heater, carefully follow the cautions that come with the device. Use the proper fuel and keep doors to the rest of the house open. Crack a window to ensure enough air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.

 

• DON’Tidle the car in a garage — even if the garage door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of your home.
• DON’Tuse a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.
• DON’T ever use a charcoal grill indoors — even in a fireplace.
• DON’T sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.
• DON’T use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in enclosed spaces.
• DON’Tignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.

Fact Sheet (from http://www.cpsc.gov/phth/ccafact.html)

Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) -Treated Wood Used in Playground Equipment and Outdoor Structures

What is chromated copper arsenate?

• Chromated copper arsenate or CCA, is a chemical preservative that protects wood from rotting due to insects and microbial agents. CCA contains arsenic, chromium and copper. CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber used for decks, playgrounds (playsets) and other outdoor uses since the 1930’s. Since the 1970’s, the majority of the wood used in residential settings was CCA-treated wood.
• CCA is a registered chemical pesticide that is subject to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The playground equipment made with wood treated with CCA is the jurisdictional responsibility of the CPSC and would be subject to the rules of the CPSC’s Federal Hazardous Substances Act if found to be a hazardous substance.

CPSC activities on CCA-treated wood playground equipment

• In June 2001, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) docketed a petition by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Healthy Building Network (HBN) to enact a ban of CCA or chromated copper arsenate-treated wood for use in playground equipment.
• The staff’s report that was developed in response to the petition has been presented to the Commissioners for their review. The Commission is expected to hold a public meeting to discuss the staff report and other related information. The Commissioners will then vote on the petition, which asks the CPSC to initiate a regulatory procedure.

EPA activities and collaboration with CPSC staff

• Manufacturers of CCA reached a voluntary agreement with EPA to end the manufacture of CCA-treated wood for most consumer applications by December 31, 2003. EPA has indicated that some stocks of wood treated with CCA before this date might still be found on shelves until mid-2004. EPA is expected to finalize this agreement in the near future. Information on this EPA activity can be found on its website (www.epa.gov).
• CPSC staff and EPA staff have worked together on several issues related to exposure and potential risk to children and will initiate studies to determine effective methods of reducing the amount of arsenic released from CCA-treated wood.

Why is CPSC staff concerned about CCA-treated wood in playground equipment?

• CPSC staff is concerned about CCA-treated wood in playground equipment because exposures to arsenic in the wood might increase a person’s probability (or risk) of developing lung or bladder cancer over their lifetime. Children can be exposed to the arsenic in CCA-treated wood by playing on playgrounds made from this wood.
• Staff believes that hand-to-mouth behavior is the primary source of exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated wood playsets. Young children who routinely put their hands in their mouths (generally children under 6 years of age) can then ingest the arsenic directly from their hands or indirectly when they touch food or toys, which are then placed in their mouths.

 

What studies did CPSC staff conduct to assess the potential health risk to children from playing on CCA-treated wood playsets?

• Staff conducted a series of scientific studies to measure how much arsenic comes off CCA-treated wood playgrounds onto the hand to estimate the potential exposure in children. Staff used this information along with other scientific information to perform a risk assessment of arsenic in CCA-treated playground equipment.
• As part of the risk assessment, the staff also considered the age of the child using the product, the developmental characteristics of the child that could result in hand-to-mouth behaviors, how many days a year a child might play on the playset, and how many years they might play on the playset during early childhood.
• The CPSC staff’s scientific work was peer reviewed by independent scientific experts in the fields of exposure and risk assessment, and statistical analysis. The CPSC staff considered and addressed the reviewers’ comments in its final reports.
• The CPSC staff has reviewed other exposure and risk assessments from industry and consumer groups. These groups and EPA are continuing to examine the issue of potential risk to children from CCA-treated wood and CPSC staff will review the results of their work when they become available.

What is the exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated playsets?

• A child’s exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated playsets and the consequent risk of developing cancer depends upon a number of factors, including:
  • the number of days they play on the CCA-treated playset each year;
  • the number of years they play on the CCA-treated playset;
  • the amount of arsenic that is picked up on their hands while they play; and
  • the amount of arsenic they ingest from their hands throughout the day.
• Children are exposed to a background level of arsenic that comes primarily from food, followed by soil, then water, and air. This background exposure is one of the many exposures that can result in background cancer levels, cancers that have no apparent cause. Based on estimates by ATSDR (the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), an average daily intake of arsenic for a 2-6 year old child ranges from about 2-46 µg per day depending upon amounts in diet, air, and soil. From the staff’s analysis, arsenic exposure in children from contact with CCA-treated wood playground structures is estimated to be about 3.5 µg each day that includes a playground visit. While exposure to arsenic from background sources could be much higher than the exposure from playgrounds for some children, exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated playgrounds could be a significant source of arsenic for other children on those days that include a playground visit.

What is the risk from arsenic exposure in CCA-treated playgrounds?

• The scientific evidence about the health consequences of long-term arsenic exposures in humans is found in studies of drinking water. Epidemiological studies have been conducted in Taiwan where there are high levels of arsenic in drinking water. These studies have demonstrated an increased incidence of lung and bladder tumors in that population from drinking water containing arsenic.
• From these epidemiological studies, staff can calculate the increased risk of lung or bladder cancers resulting from exposure to a given level of arsenic. The data from these studies were used to calculate the probability of a person developing lung or bladder cancer over his/her lifetime from exposure to arsenic in CCA-treated wood.
• There are many risk factors which contribute to a person’s risk for developing cancer over their lifetime, such as environment, genetics, diet and behaviors such as smoking.
• Staff calculated the increased lifetime risk of developing lung or bladder cancer from exposure to arsenic for the individual who plays on CCA-treated wood playsets during early childhood. This increased cancer risk ranges from about 2 in a million to 100 in a million. The staff used a range of values to estimate the increased number of lung or bladder cancer cases that could result from a specific level of exposure because there is some uncertainty about the amount of arsenic dose (exposure) that is necessary to cause cancer.
• Cancer does not appear immediately upon exposure to a particular cancer-causing agent. There is a lag time between the time of exposure and the ultimate development of cancer. This lag time could be decades. It is difficult to determine exactly what causes a particular cancer in an individual because individuals are often exposed to many cancer-causing agents either at the same time or over their lifetime. For these reasons, the staff calculated the additional chance or probability that an individual will develop lung or bladder cancer during his or her lifetime because of exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated wood playsets. Not every exposed individual will get cancer at some time during his/her life.

Reducing exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated playground equipment

• It is difficult to distinguish CCA-treated wood from non-CCA-treated wood. A call to the playset manufacturer might help determine if the playset contains CCA-treated wood. Since the 1970’s the majority of the pressure-treated wood used in residential settings was treated with CCA. Therefore, if you are not sure if the playset is composed of CCA-treated wood, you should assume it is.
• Parents and caregivers should be aware that children are exposed to arsenic through their hand-to-mouth activity while playing on and after playing on CCA-treated wood playsets. To minimize the risk of exposure to arsenic from CCA-treated playsets, parents and caregivers should thoroughly wash the child’s hands with soap and water immediately after outdoor play, especially before eating. Children should also be discouraged from eating while on CCA-treated playgrounds.
• Based on limited data, some groups suggest that applying certain penetrating coatings such as oil-based, semi-transparent stains on a regular basis (once a year or every other year depending upon wear and weathering) may reduce the amount of arsenic that comes out of the wood.
• CPSC staff has not evaluated these data, however, CPSC staff and EPA staff will initiate studies to determine effective methods of reducing the amount of arsenic released from CCA-treated wood.
• If you decide to remove your CCA-treated wood playset, the EPA states that CCA-treated wood should never be burned in open fires, stoves, fireplaces, or residential boilers. Contact EPA or your state or local solid waste management offices to receive instructions on how to dispose of CCA-treated wood.

Are there alternatives to CCA?

• There are a number of non-arsenic containing preservatives that have been registered by EPA to pressure-treat wood for consumer applications. ACQ (ammonium copper quaternary) and copper boron azole (CBA) are common ones. Some wood treated with these preservatives is already available at retail outlets such as home improvement stores. In addition, playground equipment made of other non-arsenic containing components is also available (e.g. woods such as cedar and redwood and non-wood alternatives such as metals and plastics).

BROCHURE ABOUT CCA

What is lead?

Lead is a naturally occurring bluish-gray metal found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment. Much of it comes from human activities including burning fossil fuels, mining, and manufacturing. Lead has been used in the production of batteries, ammunition, metal products (solder and pipes), and devices to shield X-rays. Because of health concerns, lead from paints and ceramic products, caulking, and pipe solder has been dramatically reduced in recent years. The use of lead as an additive to gasoline was banned in 1996 in the US.

What happens to lead when it enters the environment?

• Lead itself does not break down, but lead compounds are changed by sunlight, air, and water.
• When lead is released to the air, it may travel long distances before settling to the ground.
• Once lead falls onto soil, it usually sticks to soil particles.
• Movement of lead from soil into groundwater will depend on the type of lead compound and the characteristics of the soil.

How might I be exposed to lead?

• Eating food or drinking water that contains lead. Waterpipes in some older homes may contain lead solder. Lead can leach out into the water.
• Spending time in areas where lead-based paints have been used and are deteriorating. Deteriorating lead paint cancontribute to lead dust.
• Working in a job where lead is used or engaging in certain hobbies in which lead is used, such as making stained glass.
• Using health-care products or folk remedies that contain lead.

How can lead affect my health?

The effects of lead are the same whether it enters the body through breathing or swallowing. Lead can affect almost every organ and system in your body. The main target for lead toxicity is the nervous system, both in adults and children. Long-term exposure of adults can result in decreased performance in some tests that measure functions of the nervous system. It may also cause weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles. Lead exposure also causes small increases in blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and older people and can cause anemia. Exposure to high lead levels can severely damage the brain and kidneys in adults or children and ultimately cause death. In pregnant women, high levels of exposure to lead may cause miscarriage. High level exposure in men can damage the organs responsible for sperm production.

How likely is lead to cause cancer?

We have no conclusive proof that lead causes cancer in humans. Kidney tumors have developed in rats and mice that had been given large doses of some kind of lead compounds. The Department of Health and Human Services

Where can I get more information?

Contact the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine

1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-32, Atlanta, GA 30333.

Phone: 1-800-232-4636, FAX: 770-488-4178.

ToxFAQs Internet address via WWW is http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html.

ATSDR can tell you where to find occupational and environmental health clinics. Their specialists can recognize, evaluate, and treat illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances. You can also contact your community or state health or environmental quality department if you have any more questions or concerns. (DHHS) has determined that lead and lead compounds are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens and the EPA has determined that lead is a probable human carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that inorganic lead is probably carcinogenic to humans and that there is insufficient information to determine whether organic lead compounds will cause cancer in humans.

How can lead affect children?

Small children can be exposed by eating lead-based paint chips, chewing on objects painted with lead-based paint, or swallowing house dust or soil that contains lead. Children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults. A child who swallows large amounts of lead may develop blood anemia, severe stomachache, muscle weakness, and brain damage. If a child swallows smaller amounts of lead, much less severe effects on blood and brain function may occur. Even at much lower levels of exposure, lead can affect a child’s mental and physical growth. Exposure to lead is more dangerous for young and unborn children. Unborn children can be exposed to lead through their mothers. Harmful effects include premature births, smaller babies, decreased mental ability in the infant, learning difficulties, and reduced growth in young children. These effects are more common if the mother or baby was exposed to high levels of lead. Some of these effects may persist beyond childhood.

How can families reduce the risks of exposure to lead?

• Avoid exposure to sources of lead.
• Do not allow children to chew or mouth surfaces that may have been painted with lead-based paint.
• If you have a water lead problem, run or flush water that has been standing overnight before drinking or cooking with it.
• Some types of paints and pigments that are used as make-up or hair coloring contain lead.
• Keep these kinds of products away from children.
• If your home contains lead-based paint or you live in an area contaminated with lead, wash children’s hands and faces often to remove lead dusts and soil, and regularly clean the house of dust and tracked in soil.

Is there a medical test to determine whether I’ve been exposed to lead?

A blood test is available to measure the amount of lead in your blood and to estimate the amount of your recent exposure to lead. Blood tests are commonly used to screen children for lead poisoning. Lead in teeth or bones can be measured by X-ray techniques, but these methods are not widely available. Exposure to lead also can be evaluated by measuring erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) in blood samples. EP is a part of red blood cells known to increase when the amount of lead in the blood is high. However, the EP level is not sensitive enough to identify children with elevated blood lead levels below about 25 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL). These tests usually require special analytical equipment that is not available in a doctor’s office. However, your doctor can draw blood samples and send them to appropriate laboratories for analysis.

Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that states test children at ages 1 and 2 years. Children should be tested at ages 3–6 years if they have never been tested for lead, if they receive services from public assistance programs for the poor such as Medicaid or the Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, if they live in a building or frequently visit a house built before 1950; if they visit a home (house or apartment) built before 1978 that has been recently remodeled; and/or if they have a brother, sister, or playmate who has had lead poisoning. CDC considers a blood lead level of 10 μg/dL to be a level of concern for children. EPA limits lead in drinking water to 15 μg per liter.

References

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).  2007. Toxicological Profile for lead (Update). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Public Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.

What is mercury

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. It exists in several forms: elemental or metallic mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds.

Sources of mercury

Mercury is an element in the earth’s crust. Humans cannot create or destroy mercury. Pure mercury is a liquid metal, sometimes referred to as quicksilver that volatizes readily. It has traditionally been used to make products like thermometers, switches, and some light bulbs.

Mercury is found in many rocks including coal. When coal is burned, mercury is released into the environment. Coal-burning power plants are the largest human-caused source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for over 40 percent of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions. EPA has estimated that about one quarter of U.S. emissions from coal-burning power plants are deposited within the contiguous U.S. and the remainder enters the global cycle. Burning hazardous wastes, producing chlorine, breaking mercury products, and spilling mercury, as well as the improper treatment and disposal of products or wastes containing mercury, can also release it into the environment. Current estimates are that less than half of all mercury deposition within the U.S. comes from U.S. sources.

Exposure to mercury

Mercury in the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water. Once deposited, certain microorganisms can change it into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methylmercury exposure to humans. Methylmercury builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others.The levels of methylmercury in fish and shellfish depend on what they eat, how long they live and how high they are in the food chain.

EPA works with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and with states and tribes to issue advice to women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and parents of young children about how often they should eat certain types of commercially-caught fish and shellfish. Fish advisories are also issued for men, women, and children of all ages when appropriate. In addition, EPA releases an annual summary of information on locally-issued fish advisories and safe-eating guidelines to the public. Fish is a beneficial part of the diet, so EPA & FDA encourage people to continue to eat fish that are low in methylmercury (click here for more information).

Another less common exposure to mercury that can be a concern is breathing mercury vapor. These exposures can occur when elemental mercury or products that contain elemental mercury break and release mercury to the air, particularly in warm or poorly-ventilated indoor spaces.

Health effects of mercury

Mercury exposure at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of people of all ages. Research shows that most people’s fish consumption does not cause a health concern. However, it has been demonstrated that high levels of methylmercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system, making the child less able to think and learn.

Ecological effects of mercury

Birds and mammals that eat fish are more exposed to mercury than other animals in water ecosystems. Similarly, predators that eat fish-eating animals may be highly exposed. At high levels of exposure, methylmercury’s harmful effects on these animals include death, reduced reproduction, slower growth and development, and abnormal behavior.

Reducing mercury releases

EPA issues regulations that require industry to reduce mercury releases to air and water and to properly treat and dispose of mercury wastes. EPA also works with industry to promote voluntary reductions in mercury use and releases, and with partners in state, local and tribal governments to improve their mercury reduction programs. EPA works with international organizations to prevent the release of mercury in other countries. The public can contribute to mercury reduction efforts by purchasing mercury-free products and correctly disposing of products that contain mercury by reducing demand for products whose production leads to the release of mercury into the environment.

Introduction to Molds

Molds belong to Kingdom Fungi, a gigantic group of living organisms such as mushrooms and yeasts which are related closer to Kindom Animalia than Kingdom Plantae. Like mushrooms, molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.  When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.

Basic Mold Cleanup

The key to mold control is moisture control. It is important to dry water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If mold is a problem in your home, clean up the mold and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water. Wash mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. Absorbent materials (such as ceiling tiles & carpet) that become moldy may have to be replaced.

Ten Things You Should Know About Mold

1. Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints.  
2. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
3. If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
4. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.
5. Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60% ) to decrease mold growth by: venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation; and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
6. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
7. Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.
8. Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
9. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).
10. Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

Radon is an odorless, tasteless, naturally occurring radioactive gas estimated to be the cause of thousands of deaths in the United States each year. Radon is produced during the natural decay of uranium in soil, rock and water. When you breathe air in your home, office or school containing radon, over time, you are at risk of developing lung cancer. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:

• The concentration of radon is in your home;
• The length of time you spend in your home;
• The amount and length of time you have smoked.

The only way to know if there is a radon problem in your home is to test.

More information about radon