Tag Archives: multiple chemical sensitivities

MCS Survey for May 2019

Posted on May 3, 2019 | 6 comments

Survey for People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) and/or Environmental Illness and Injury (EII)

Guest post from Mordecai Cohen Ettinger,
The Health Justice Commons

I’ve had MCS for nearly 20 years. I’m a survivor of of the Three Mile Island partial nuclear meltdown, excessive x-ray radiation from medical treatment as a child from a teaching hospital that has since been ongoingly investigated for bioethics violations, and successive exposures to lead and mold from reckless landlords.

I’ve been a community activist for many years, along with a scholar and teacher of Critical Science, Technology and Medicine Studies.

In late 2016, I founded the Health Justice Commons, a non-profit. Our mission is to re-imagine and remake healthcare for our times.

To support efforts for MCS Awareness Month, we want to address the gap of basic research of our experiences.

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6 Comments

Posted in Community, Environmental Health, Health, Research

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Appropriating Disability Language to Sell Products That Harm People With Disabilities

Posted on April 4, 2019 | 1 comment

Hey Vagisil!

Aside from making women feel like they need products that are
totally unnecessary and can be all around harmful in general, it’s
TOTALLY NOT COOL
to appropriate disability language
to sell products
that harm people with said disability!

If you are  ‘scentsitive’, it means you need to be scent-free!

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Posted in Accessibility, Air Quality, Chemicals, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Human Rights, Products

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Review Finds Ontario Far From Accessible but Report Includes People With Environmental Sensitivities

Posted on March 8, 2019 | 9 comments

The Honourable David C. Onley, the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (2007-2014) was appointed to lead the Third Review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

The report has now been released.

LISTENING TO ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES
REPORT OF THE THIRD REVIEW OF THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, 2005

…

“For most disabled persons, Ontario is not a place of opportunity but one of countless, dispiriting, soul-crushing barriers”

…

Thanks to everyone who wrote in, those of us with environmental sensitivities have been recognized, and thanks to David C. Onley, we’ve been included in the report and the final recommendations:


In the SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS (on pg 80):

7. Ensure that accessibility standards respond to the needs of people with environmental sensitivities.

 

Other mentions of environmental sensitivities and details:

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9 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Sensitivities, Human Rights, Policy

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When Someone Says They’re Fragrance-Free, But

Posted on February 10, 2019 | 2 comments

When someone says they’re fragrance-free, but

they smell like

essential oils, febreze, scented candles, plug-in air effers, &/or air effing sprays…

…

When someone says they’re fragrance-free, but

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Air Quality, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Pollution

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What’s it Like to Have MCS/ES? Part 3: Toast Chaos

Posted on January 12, 2019 | 2 comments

MCS/ES (multiple chemical sensitivities / environmental sensitivities)  is a disability recognized by the Canadian and Ontario Human Rights Codes. There are over a million people with doctor diagnosed MCS in Canada, and so many more all around the world.

In the US, the latest prevalence study found that “among the population, 12.8% report medically diagnosed MCS and 25.9% report chemical sensitivity.”

The term ‘sensitivities’ seems to trivialize the condition in many people’s minds.

You may wonder what’s it really like then, if it’s not trivial?

Here’s how Laura J Mac describes it:

Having MCS means never knowing when you can manage something as simple as making toast.

• Can’t stand up due to pain.

• Can’t figure out all the steps involved to make toast. #execfun

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2 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Health, Human Rights, Toxic Trespass

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Gifts for People with MCS/ES

Posted on December 10, 2018 | 8 comments

… ♥ …

It can be hard for some people to imagine what a safe, non-toxic, emf or rf free gift could be for those of us who have MCS/ES (multiple chemical sensitivities / environmental sensitivities).

As always, ask the recipient  for details about specific allergies and sensitivities, as well as any precautions that might be needed to remove or prevent contamination, because many of these things come in a wide variety ranging from  safe (or just safer) to toxic and life threatening.
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8 Comments

Posted in Environmental Health, Friendship, Gifts, non-toxic, Precaution, Products

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When Toxics Drift

Posted on April 27, 2018 | 4 comments

Toxics Drift
smoke, asphalt, refineries, pesticides, gases, laundry fumes, etc

When pollutants drift, then people (and other living beings) get hurt, especially the many millions who are more ‘sensitive’ to pollution.

Smoke is one form of pollution that is visible, but other types may not be.

Here are a few images that show how different types of visible pollutants move through the air we all depend on to breathe, and how far they can travel:

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4 Comments

Posted in Air Quality, Environmental Health, Pollution, Public Health, Toxic Trespass

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Open Letter to the Ontario Minister of Health and the MOHLTC

Posted on March 28, 2018 | 11 comments

Dear Minister of Health, we’re ready for action!

According to official statistics:

250,000 Ontarians had been diagnosed with MCS in 2014
and the discrimination is still systemic in 2018

SUBJECT: Accommodation for People with Disabilities

Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister of Health (at hjaczek.mpp@liberal.ola.org )


On September 29, 2017, Ontario  quietly released the report “Time for Leadership: Recognizing and Improving Care”  for those with myalgic encephalomyelitis /chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and environmental sensitivities /multiple chemical sensitivity  (ME/CFS, FM and ES/MCS). This report  was produced by the Task Force on Environmental Health for the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

The report found that throughout the Ontario health care system and in society at large, there is:

• a lack of recognition of the seriousness and severity of these conditions
• a profound shortage of knowledgeable care providers
• a dearth of clinical tools to support and guide care
• a discouraging shortage of services and supports for people living with these conditions
• an absence of support for family caregivers

The lack of knowledge and appropriate accessible care has devastating effects on Ontarians struggling with ME/CFS, FM and ES/MCS.

Continue reading →

11 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Action, Environmental Health, Health Care, Human Rights, Policy

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tis the season

Posted on December 23, 2017 | 3 comments

Wishing you all some Happiness during the  Holidays!

May all beings have clean air, clean water, healthy organic food, and safe and healthy shelter! All that and love, lots and lots of love!

♥

3 Comments

Posted in Air Quality, Environment, Environmental Health, Friendship, Gifts, Products

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Statement From ARCH and CELA re MCS, ES, and the Ontario Task Force on Environmental Health

Posted on December 1, 2017 | 10 comments

The ARCH Disability Law Centre and the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) announced in September of 2016 that they were working on a report about the challenges faced by people with multiple chemical and/or environmental sensitivities.

ARCH Alert September 2016

“ARCH, in collaboration with the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), has been working on a report about the challenges faced by people with multiple chemical and/or environmental sensitivities.  Our report was informed by consultations with persons who experience these disabilities. 

One of our major findings is the significant extent of attitudinal barriers faced by this group of people.  Often, they find that they are not believed when they ask that scents, fragrances or other products not be worn in the workplace, educational settings, health care settings or places where services are received.  We believe that a large awareness campaign is needed to educate the public about the impact of these disabilities on all aspects of a person’s life.”

 

The release of their report has been delayed because they want to respond to the Ontario Task Force on Environmental Health’s Interim Report, which came out just when their own report was intended for release.

In the November 2017 issue of Arch Alert, both ARCH and CELA  urge the Task Force to do more consultations with those of us who are living the experience:

Continue reading →

10 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Environment, Environmental Health, Human Rights, Policy

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