Hazardous materials in the home
Extract from the PE Baltic Environmental Forum publication „Eko atmintinė“
On average, 65% of the time people spend at home, about 25% – the time in various other places, about 5% of the time traveling from one room to another, and only about 5% of the time outdoors.
In accommodation – at work and at home – man is effected by lots of materials.
- Domestic air quality suffers from various combustion products (particularly carbon monoxide), tobacco products, mold, radon.
- Other substances is oozed out during the construction and using the chemicals in household maintenance.
- Significant impact on air quality make the products that provide comfort and exclusivity to home (furniture, carpets, bedspreads, curtains, wallpaper, etc.), but ooze out hazardous materials.
In recent years, many research done, what materials are in household air, dust and human blood. During these researches at every investigated home at least 20 different unwanted materials was found, which cause nervous system disorders, cancer and birth defects that destroy the endocrine and immune systems. Some of the materials that were found in both the home environment and in humans, are forbidden long time ago, for example, Polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs), DDT ( people call it „the dust“ ).
Many of the substances are used only in industry and in our environment come through things that we buy!
Comfort surrounded by the chemicals?
These materials reveal the great concern:
- substances who destroy hormone (endocrine) system distort normal biological processes in the body and can cause neurological, behavioral, developmental and reproductive disorders;
- durable materials last long in the environment and do not split, go by long distances and pollute even the most remote corners;
- biological substances accumulate in humans and animals organism and in the environment, are transmitted to progeny.
Various substances which distinguish these properties are found in furniture, floor and wall coverings, curtains, blankets, etc.
- Most detected hazardous substances in the houses environment (air, dust) is phthalates. They are used as plasticizers in PVC floor coverings, wall coverings, shower curtains ( for example, when unpacking shower curtain we can smell „chemical“ !) . In each analyzed home DEHP ( di( 2 – ethylhexyl) phthalate) were found, which can cause cancer and damage the reproductive system.
- Brominated substances which inhibit combustion( usually PBDEs – polybrominated bifenileteriai, HBCD – heksabromo ciklododekanas, brominated bisphenol) are used in carpets, curtains, blankets, upholstered furniture. They provide these products resistance to combustion and protect from fire. However, in the nature these substances do not split, accumulate in animals and humans organism, disrupt hormone systems. Their effects on the nervous system and development occurs over a longer period of time. Burning products with these compounds, no less toxic brominated dioxins and furans form.
- Bricks (marble, granite, sandstone and shale) are very comfortable, resistant, durable, has various designs. However, they can cause unexpected problems. Some of the bricks are made from natural materials (granite, marble, and glazed bricks (especially in bright red and green glazes)), transported from China may release radon into the environment. It is toxic and is linked to leukemia and lung cancer.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) accumulate in the home environment months, years. They stand out from the carpet, furniture and re – absorbed into them. Higher short – term doses of VOCs can cause headaches, nausea, watery eyes, breathing problems, allergies. A longer period of time in such an environment can lead to nervous and hormonal system disorders, cancers occur.
One of the most common VOCs in the house - formaldehyde. Its maximum amounts released from furniture, made of panels, laminated flooring. If it is covered with polyurethane coating or laminate, the formaldehyde will evaporate less. Even better would be if you would buy furniture or panels made from wood, with glue using a phenolic resin. Wooden furniture should be treated with natural oils, beeswax, not with a solvent-containing paints and lacquers. Formaldehyde can be released from the specially processed textiles – curtains, bed (especially if they are „durable“ ).
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used in resistant floor covering (known as linoleum), carpet ( when the carpet flip side is „rubberised“ ), wallpaper manufacture. PVC provides the flexibility of these products. PVC products are easily mounted, requires little maintenance, is durable. However, this surface raises many health and environmental problems. Effecting the influence of heat (sun, unloading of hot water) from PVC cover a wide range of toxic chemicals – phthalates, vinyl chloride, which are known carcinogens, distinguishe. Incineration of PVC results in a very dangerous substances – dioxins, which , for example, in fire may be the cause of death. Not less harmful PVC coating makes the environment from the release of hazardous substances used in their production of non-renewable resources (oil, gas, coal) and a lot of energy, rendering problematic.
- With perfluorochemical materials (PFCs) (usually PFOA and PFOS) furniture, carpets are treated, that less dirt it would pick. These materials are very durable, do not split, therefore it accumulate in the soil, animals and humans organisms. Although this group of substances has not yet been fully explored, but research with animals indicate that they may harm the kidneys, liver and cause miscarriages and developmental problems.
Protect natural resources!
When choosing items for house, please note:
- service time;
- manufacture material;,
- natural resource use and pollution during the manufacturing process.
- Wooden floors will serve about 20 years. If they are used in the manufacture wood from properly supervised forest, is an excellent choice.
- Laminate floors will serve about 15 years. They are manufactured from renewable raw materials (wood), they are easy to produce, but the production, use and disposal heavily pollute environment.
- Synthetic surfaces (linoleum, PVC) , will serve about 50 to 10 years. Produced from non – renewable resources (oil, gas, coal) , during production and utilization environment is very polluted.
- Marmaleum (often named as natural linoleum) will serve about 30 years. It is made from easy renewable resource, its production is simple, low energy consumption, no waste is left.
- For bricks manufacture lots of energy is used and environment is highly polluted, although it can be used very long time.
Bamboo – a great alternative?!
The furniture, floor coverings and other interior design elements can be made from bamboo. They are very durable and resistant to various effects (about 2, 5 times stronger than wood) . Until the tree grows up to 20 meters, passed 60 years! Bamboo reaches 20 meters in 59 days! Cut down areas do not have to re-sown and need little fertilizer and pesticides.
Safe and healthy environment
- Select FSC – branded furniture or furniture made from PEFC labeled timber. They are produced from in well managed forests (in accordance with the legal requirements for protecting bio-diversity, natural forests, no enervating soil, no cutting down bare wood, etc.) harvested wood.
- Buy CRI, GUT labeled carpet. It won’ t distinguish formaldehyde, VOC, styrene, fenilcikloheks and other hazardous materials.
- Select environmental label “Flower”, “Swan”, “Blue Angel” marked the furniture, floor coverings (including laminate flooring), and tissues. Manufacturing these products less hazardous substances is used,less hazardous substances released during the use, less water and air pollution.
- Avoid furniture (especially upholstered), who worked with materials or protective reducing the flammability of the dirt. Fabrics made from jute, wool and cotton, usually does not reduce the flammability of materials. These substances are usually found in synthetic materials.
- Choose a carpet and floor coverings made of natural materials: jute, cotton, wool, rattan, cork tree.
- Avoid furniture made of exotic wood (teak, mahogany). It destroy the oldest tropical forest, which is very important to the environment.
- When you buy upholstered furniture, choose a polyurethane filler, which bears the mark CentiPUR. It does not contain hazardous materials.
