Question from Anne C.

Hi Debra, I’m thrilled to just discover your website. Thank you for doing this. I have been looking and looking for a sectional with latex cushions b/c of the flame retardent issue. Any suggestions? (Would prefer not to go custom). I was diagnosed with having formaldehyde toxicity and did not realize my sheets could be a problem (I have a latex mattress)till I just read this blog. Can you suggest any brands that are safe? Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know offhand of a brand that uses latex for sofa cushions, though this could easily be custom-made.

Readers, any suggestions?

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Question from Karen

We are in the process of replacing our countertops with a product called Granite Transformations which is an engineered stone product made of 95% crushed granite and 5% resin to hold it together. It creates a non-porous surface that doesn’t have to be sealed like regular granite does. It is only 1/4 inch thick and is glued down with an epoxy resin adhesive on top of your existing countertops so there is no demolition and disposal of old countertops. I’m wondering if there are any potential health concerns from using a product like this, particularly from the resin that holds it together or from outgassing from the adhesives used to install it? In your opinion, is this a “safe” product to use?

Debra’s Answer

Without seeing a sample of this, I can only answer in general about engineered stone. I’ve seen many samples of different kinds, and have never noticed an odor. It appears to be extremely hard and inert. Can’t speak for your exact product as I have never seen it. Also, the amount of resin is extremely small in comparison to the amount of stone.

The epoxy glue contains toxic chemicals that will smell to high heaven during application, but once it is cured, it will be inert. Also, whatever fumes that may be present would not get through the engineered stone.

I like the idea of installing these counters over the old ones.

That said, this is an objective evaluation only, I have no experience with this.

Anyone have experience?

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Question from ch

I am looking for a good PVC free yoga mat. I have seen some online that are made from rubber and claim to be free of PVC and phthalates etc. I also saw one that is made in the UK from Thermal Plastic Elastomer TPE which claims to be non toxic. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

Cotton yoga mat. Just type “cotton yoga mat” into your favorite search engine and you will get lots of results for yoga mats made from both organic and conventional cotton.

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Question from D.

Can you comment on the Greenbags that are being sold for food preservation? They claim to be 100% non-toxic and biodegrabable.

Debra’s Answer

I’ve been using these bags for a couple of months and I love them. Even though they are plastic, they have little, if any, odor and do not leach any plastic taste into the food. And they really do work! I used to have all my produce wilt within 3-4 days and in these bags I can keep it two weeks or longer.

The plastic bags are impregnated with natural mineral called oya, which absorb the gasses released by fruits, vegetables, and flowers when they ripen. They also control the humidity.

I don’t know why you think they are biodegradable, as I don’t see that on the package anywhere. But they are reusable.

This is one of those trade-off products. While I do many things to minimize the use of plastics, this one allows me to keep fresh produce on hand without running to the store several times a week. And I don’t know of any other alternative.

You can get these bags at reusablebags.com .

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Question from JGPZ

Hi, I am looking to purchase a pressure cooker. I have read your information on safe/non-toxic cookware. Within the pressure cooker category, the offerings for purchasing a safe/non-toxic material seem much more limited than other kinds of cookware. I have found a few in anodized aluminum. I am just uncertain if this is the safest choice.

Does anyone have any experience in purchasing a non-toxic pressure cooker? If so, I would greatly appreciate you sharing the brand and type of material with me.

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Readers, I haven’t looked at pressure cookers in years, but they are a good way to save energy because they cook foods more quickly. I know there is a whole new generation of pressure cookers available, but haven’t researched them yet.

Any recommendations?

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Question from BJ

Hi friends

I just saw an add for an ultraviolet vacuum from the Halo Company that sounded interesting. It claims to kill bacteria, viruses and dust mites. It is supposed to be safe but having MCS I am not sure if I could use it. I am caretaking for my parents and their home could use some serious cleaning up. I thought it might be a good investment but don’t want a reaction.

Has anyone tried this out?

Thanks

Debra’s Answer

I haven’t tried this vacuum, but I can tell you that ultraviolet light does kill bacteria and viruses.

Readers, any experience with this?

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Question from gayle

We are looking into building a “Green” home and a builder we interviewed uses “SIPS”. They told us of the structural advantage, as well as how it keeps heating and cooling cost down as they make the house very air tight.

What is known about this material? How long has it been used? What are the drawbacks?? Anything new scares me as I don’t want to go with it and learn ten years from now that it’s the “new asbestos”. Any information is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Gayle

Debra’s Answer

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are a composite building material, a sandwich of two layers of structural board with an insulating layer of foam in between (you can see a good picture of in on the website of the Structural Insulated Panel Association). The board is usually oriented strand board (OSB) and the foam either some type of polystyrene or polyurethane foam.

While these perform well with regards to saving energy, they are not a good material with regards to toxicity. I was about to just comment on the materials themselves, but then I found a paper called Structural Insulated Panels: Sustainable Design Incorporating Impact on Indoor Air Quality which gives the result of actual testing of emissions from SIPs. Using small-scale chambers, emissions were measured over a period of four months. The measured emission factors were then used to estimate the concentrations of VOCs in SIP-based manufactured houses. The testing found formaldehyde, toluene, styrene, and other volatile toxic chemicals to be present.

In my new book Really Green, I talk about how products have many facets, and can be beneficial in one aspect, while harmful in another. This is just such a case. Yes, using SIPs improves the energy efficiency of a home, but it also adds toxic chemicals to indoor air and is made from non-renewable crude oil and will not bio-degrade. So I wouldn’t consider this to be an overall good green choice.

This is a good example of why I wrote Really Green. There are so many products now being promoted as “green,” yet those who are promoting them aren’t looking at the whole picture. This is exactly why we as consumers need to know for ourselves how to evaluate products for being green so we can decide for ourselves if a product is green in the ways that matter to us.

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Question from Judi

HI Debra and Green people. A friend and I want to find a formulation for WASHING babies bottles. Sterilizing products fill the shelves, but there are NO baby-safe cleaning products. Can anyone anywhere in the world help source it?

Debra’s Answer

Readers? I have no experience with this.

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Question from Kathleen

Hi Debra,

I’ve been avoiding any bubble bath products for my kids. So far they’ve been happy to splash away in plain water, but they love the bubbles though and am still interested to find a safe product without foaming agents etc… Need some help here.

thank you,

Kathleen

Debra’s Answer

Oh, it’s been years since I’ve taken a bubble bath.

Readers, any suggestions?

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Question from Dianne

Hi,

I really hope you can answer my question. I bought a conventional cotton futon with several layers of polyurethane foam cores two years ago. I heard about memory foam mattress offgassing but I wonder if it is the same for futon with foam cores.

Is it possibly still offgassing? I don’t want to get rid of a perfectly fine futon if I don’t have to.

Also, can you recommend a place where I can get a organic futon in Canada?

Thanks so much.

Debra’s Answer

Yes, foam can still outgas even after years.

I know many American companies will ship to Canada, but I don’t keep track of Canadian sources (have to draw the line somewhere).

Canadians, any suggestions?

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