The Work-Related Asthma Prevention Program (WRAPP) of the California Department of Public Health released new fact sheets on fragrances and work-related asthma.
Information available:
2017 Fragrances and Work-Related Asthma: Information for Workers (PDF) – fact sheet
2017 Fragrances and Work-Related Asthma: Information for Employers (PDF) – fact sheet
2015 (editable) Workplace Fragrance-Free Policy (Word) – fact sheet
Posted in Air Quality, Chemicals, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Human Rights, Indoor Air Quality, Policy, Public Health
Tagged air freshener, asthma, cleaning products, daycares, fragrance-free, fragrance-free policy, hospitals, laundry, manufacturing, offices, perfume, personal care, resources, retail, schools, work
While these resources are primarily directed at women of childbearing age and children, they are really applicable to all of us. If a mother stops using perfume, but the father still piles on the scented deodorant, aftershave, and cologne, then his sperm, the mother, and children (born or unborn) are still being exposed to harmful chemicals.
If other family members, friends, and places like daycares are using scented laundry, personal care, and cleaning products, they too are putting moms-to-be and kids at risk.
The adverse effects from these chemicals can be life-long, even longer. Our exposures can affect our grandchildren. Eliminating them from our lives now will ensure better health all around, including downstream, where fish and wildlife are also being affected.
The short video below, produced by Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF), provides simple, important information on how you can protect yourself and your child from Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). They are found in so many places now.
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WECF have also developed a new website, NESTING, which is another good resource for all of us. They have assembled a lot of good advice there.
Here’s an example from their Cleaning & personal care page:
Posted in Air Quality, Brain, Chemicals, Child Health, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Health, Precaution, Pregnancy
Tagged child health, EDCs, endocrine disrupting chemicals, endocrine disruption, Fragrance, hazardous air pollutants, indoor air quality, non-toxic, personal care, petrochemicals, postpartum, resources, solutions, tips, toxic chemicals
When air is polluted both indoors and out, when people use fragrances and other products with toxic chemicals, when we are made ill and disabled by the pollutants, then we can’t wait for better regulations to take effect, we need to do something to protect our health now.
Sometimes we can buy masks that work for us, especially if we tolerate synthetic materials, but sometimes making our own is the only way. When we make our own, we can use safe-for-us fabrics and even coordinate them to our outfits (if we’re lucky enough to have safe-to-wear outfits).
Some people use scarves as masks. You can sew a pouch on the inside to hold filtering Continue reading
Posted in Air Quality, Environmental Health, Fashion, Health, Pollution, Precaution
Tagged allergies, asthma, chemicals in clothing, DIY, face mask, filter, fragrance chemicals, fragrance-free, hazardous air pollutants, indoor air pollution, MCS, MCS/ES, multiple chemical sensitivities, petrochemicals, sensitive to pollution, sew, toxic chemicals, toxic trespass
Yes way…sighs…
Most of us wear underwear all the time. We don’t think much about it.
I remember when I used to be able to find decent 100% cottom undies with enclosed elastic waistbands at the dollar stores! I could throw them in the wash once, and they were good to go. Those were the days!
More recently, I’ve been disabled from a serious fibro flare caused by trace (?) levels of chemical residues from wearing organic undies that cost me $20 a pair. Even after soaking and washing them at least a dozen times, and then boiling them several times after.
Disabled?
Yes, disabled!
My alternate title for this post was Disabled by Underwear… Here’s what happened:
Posted in Chemicals, chemicals in clothing, Disability, Environmental Health, Fashion, Fibromyalgia, Laundry, Products
Tagged #May12, allergies, chemical free, chemicals in clothing, chronic health problems, chronic pain, Clothing, environmental sensitivities, fibromyalgia, furnishings, furniture, MCS, MCS/ES, pesticides, petrochemicals, sensitive to pollution, toxic textiles
Amy from Florida shares this with us:
Q ~ If you could tell the world ONE thing about your life with MCS/ES (or any other invisible disability that has MCS/ES as a symptom), what would it be?
A ~ What I’d really like to tell the world about my life is a full explanation of MCS, such that everyone would understand it enough to prevent, treat and accommodate me and everyone with this illness. That seems like more than I could do even if I had a whole book rather than a blog post. So I will focus my answer on something a bit more manageable.
I would tell the world that the invisible nature of this illness affects me on many levels. Some of the substances I react to are invisible, though they are obviously detected by my body. Some of my symptoms are invisible to others, but are still felt by me and still limit my abilities. Most importantly, the primary survival mechanism of chemical sensitivity is avoidance, which means that I have to avoid public places. Thus, the sicker I am, the more invisible I am to my community. That invisible nature of this illness is the most devastating part for me.
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Q ~ How has this one thing affected your life?
Posted in Accessibility, Chemicals, Disability, Education, Environmental Health, Mental Health
Tagged Fragrance, invisible, invisible disabilities, isolation, public space, risk, TILT, visibility
The following is a list of products many of us use or have contact with every day. Each and every one of these usually contains unregulated synthetic chemical ingredients, many of which pose known health hazards.
How many of these things did you touch or breathe in today?
What is protecting you?
People all over the industrialized world have been developing Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Environmental Sensitivities, or Environmental Illnesses. We are exposed to so many petrochemical pollutants, in our air, water, foods, clothes, furnishings, homes, and elsewhere in daily life, substances which are now known to cause many kinds of adverse health effects, and some of us just have the epigenetic disposition to feel the effects faster and more extremely than others who may develop cancer or some other condition many years later.
Amelia Hill (aka the Amazing Amelia Hill) lives in Australia and developed very severe, or extreme MCS after not being properly diagnosed for too many years. A lack of proper diagnosis and precautionary measures usually results in a debilitating worsening of the condition, which is best addressed with avoidance of the triggering substances, and building up health in very targeted ways. This is much more difficult to do the longer one isn’t able to take the steps to avoid exposures and rebuild life with safe alternatives.
Amelia’s life is probably unlike any you have ever heard of (even mine) although there are many similarities between the experiences those of us who have severe MCS/ES share. Amelia is known as “amazing” because of the ways she handles her life.
You will see why here.
Amelia’s story has been featured as the cover story in what may be South Australia’s most popular newspaper weekend magazine: Continue reading
Posted in Chemicals, Disability, Education, Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Food, Health, Healthy Environment, Human Rights, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Public Health
Tagged allergies, Amelia, asthma, Australia, Chemicals, chemicals in clothing, EHS, elecrtosensitive, Food, fragrance-free, health care access for people with MCS/ES, indoor air quality, MCS, MCS housing, pesticides, petrochemicals, sensitive to pollution, wireless
Can you imagine a world where it’s unacceptable to profit from polluting people and the environment we all depend on for life?
Someone imagined it was ok to pollute for profit, it wasn’t always happening or acceptable.
What if it’s possible to live good lives while looking after the planet and each other?
For things to change, we have to imagine something different first.
Then, if we can imagine it, we can work together to make it happen!
Guest Post by Leah Spitzer
I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) – a “multi-system illnesses as a result of contact with, or proximity to, a variety of airborne agents and other substances. (Environmental Protection Agency).” In other words, I react to fragrances, building products and more. It is not a histamine reaction, but rather, a systemic reaction to the chemicals in fragrance and other products.
As someone with MCS, I’m also known as a “canary” with deference to the Canaries in the Coal Mine. As a canary, I often encounter looks of disbelief when I mention I can smell someone’s laundry detergent, or fragrance. I can smell it on them, their dog, their cat, their clothes, or even the package they are bringing me. I smell it in their home and in their car.
Often times, if it’s just a passing moment, I try to step back, or just tough it out, but sometimes I have to speak out. When I do, the most common response, after the surprised look, are:
“I didn’t put any perfume on this morning”
or
“I don’t smell anything”
Why the disparity in perception? There are several reasons that I have observed:
 | linda @ Seriously "S… on MCS/ES |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on The CDC and MCS |
 | Tabatha Schnorr on MCS/ES |
| Tabatha Schnorr on The CDC and MCS |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on MCS and Housing |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on Hospital Protocols for People… |
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 