Question from Polly

Debra,

I received an email about those baby carrots that are so convenient. The ones I buy are labeled Organic. The email said that during processing baby carrots were rinsed w/chlorine, and then w/potable water. I wanted to know what the implications of that would be from a health standpoint. They’re a standby for most mothers who want their children to eat vegetables.

Debra’s Answer

Where are all these emails coming from about food rinsed in chlorine?

I would say it’s a good certainty that this is true for non-organic carrots.

It’s probably not true for organic carrots, though these may be rinsed in chlorinated water.

Just make a general assumption that any produce you purchase prewashed in plastic bags probably has some chlorine residue on it. Your best option is to buy organic produce and wash it yourself in purified chlorine-free water.

I can’t tell you what the health effects might be of eating produce washed in chlorine. It would probably be about the same as drinking chlorinated tap water.

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Question from SVE

I’ve been keeping track of the “Sewing Machine Oil” thread on Debra’s website because I have an old 1960s Singer that uses the standard petrochemical oil that is difficult for me to use because of the off-gassing of the oil while I try to sew.

My daughter bought a Brother sewing machine a couple years ago at Costco that was a special with a coupon. She said Costco seems to have this sale each summer (July or August?). I sat down beside her while she was running the machine and didn’t seem to have a problem with it although I’ve heard that new machines use oil, too, and they are made of plastic. I plan to borrow her machine for a couple weeks to see what happens, then buy the Brother on sale this summer if I don’t have a problem with it. But I’m pretty leery about my plan (that I may not carry out!).

Does anyone who is chemically sensitive use a new sewing machine without having problems with the oil or the plastic? Debra, what hazards should I anticipate with a new machine? Do you know if any sewing machine brands are better than others?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have personal experience with this. Readers?

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Question from Hope Fox

My husband and I are researching Insulated Concrete Forms for our soon-to-be constructed ‘safe house’. Do any of you with MCS have a specific brand of ICF that you can recommend (or not!)?

We are interested in using ICFs for our walls (we have no basement in the design) – we live in upstate NY so we need a well insulated wall system.

I have read endless debates on green building websites regarding the safety of polystyrene used in many ICFs, as well as the blowing agent used to expand the styrene beads, and the flame retardants that are often added. I want to get beyond the theoreticals and hear directly from people with MCS. My husband is gung-ho and ready to use IFC’s…. I am worried about the safety, but can’t find anything to recommend that would be better. We live in a very eco-conscious town, and lots of folks have used Ecoblock brand and Rastra, and contractors know how to install them.

We briefly considered AAC (aerated autoclaved concrete) but it does not really have enough R-value to be of much use in this climate, and the nearest distributor appears to be in Georgia and no one uses it around here.

There is an Air Krete installer in our town, but I wasn’t sure what to use on the interior/exterior cladding and for framing that would be nontoxic, not smelly, and be combatible with the Air Krete.

We expect some level of offgassing to take place despite our best offorts, and are planning to install an HRV/HVAC system.

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from Laura

A few weeks ago I went down to the basement to get garden tools and I was overcome with the chemicals of an ant pesticides that had just been sprayed!. A few days later the rec room (garage) was sprayed. Now, the garage is where I had the things I need to grab in my hasty departures from this house – boots etc. and my boxes of books had been put in the basement (which I had gradually been sunning and sorting.) Are those things redeemable if I air them out? I know this is a guess, but how long before it might be safe to go there? Summer and sunny weather here is very short.

Debra’s Answer

Actually airing and sunning the books would help remove at least some of the pesticides. It’s worth a try.

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Question from Linda

Hi Debra, love your website, I am on your site everyday. I recently found out that after chickens are slaughtered they are rinsed with water and then they are dipped in a chlorine wash. Perdue, Tyson and even Giant Eagle’s Nature’s Basket brand are treated with chlorine. Is this safe?

I just switched to Whole Foods house brand, it is not organic, but is free range, airchilled. Is organic chicken and free range chicken dipped in a chlorine solution? I am not even sure if it is safe, maybe it is, i am just so confused about why every thing is so polluted with chemicals. Perdue assured me there is no residue on the finished product.

Please tell me if it safe to eat chicken and turkeys that are processed this way. USDA recomends a chlorine wash, that is what the companies told me. Please help me understand. Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

OK. Here is the link to the USDA National Organic Program: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop. This is the place to look up any questions you have about what is allowed in organic food and what isn’t.

The Regulations are in the right hand column, under General Information. Click on “Regulations.” The Regulations also reference the “National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances” which is above the Regulations, under “I Want Information On.”

Chlorine is not a prohibited substance in organic food production, however, the amount of chlorine in the water must not exceed the amount of chlorine allowed in the Safe Drinking Water Act. So it seems that straight chlorine bleach could not be used, although I couldn’t find that specifically in the Regulations.

A “chlorine wash” is a low-concentration chlorine bath used to kill micro-organisms that may cause illness. The idea behind organic chickens is that they would be raised to be healthier and with better hygiene, therefore not needing the chlorine wash.

I read a blog where people were complaining about the chlorine smell on chicken and others were recommending buying organic.

We buy Coleman organic chicken and have not noticed any chlorine smell.

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Question from Linda

Hi, Debra, I love your website. There is so much great info on your site for everybody.

I have a question, it is very simple, I use organic white distilled vinegar that i buy at whole foods 365 brand, and it gets expensive to use as much as i do, i use it for cleaning only, heinz distilled is so much cheaper, so my question is is it worth paying extra for organic vinegar for cleaning?

The reason i buy organic is because i am afraid that non organic distilled white vinegar could contain pesticed residues, does it? I have tried to research pesticide residue in distilled vinegar but i could not find any info. I clean my whole house with vinegar, i am afraid if i buy non organic i would be spreading pesticides and other chemical around my house. THANKS FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL INFO.

Debra’s Answer

I use Heinz vinegar for cleaning. We buy in it gallon bottles. Do buy Heinz, as it is made from plants. Some cheaper brands are made from petroleum.

I’ve never noticed any problem with it.

It’s always a better choice to buy organic anything because the pesticides used to grow non-organic plants get into the environment and eventually into our bodies, one way or another. But often the product itself does not have pesticide residues because they are removed during processing. I just smiled because I realized that it “second hand pesticides” are much like “second hand smoke”–the smoker is inhaling the smoke through a filter in the cigarette, but the bystander doesn’t have a filter, so their exposure is worse. Likewise, by the time most products are processed, there is very little pesticide residue (except for produce or flowers, which are not processed), but the pesticides used go into the environment full strength.

I do buy organic apple cider vinegar to eat.

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Question from Mattie Brown

A friend wrote me about Xygen Air as a way to reduce odors in the house. Is is safe? I have read that one should not be in a closed area with Ozone. Even if it reduces odors, does it take away the pollutants that make me sick?

Debra’s Answer

First, the best thing to do to clean the air in your home is to reduce pollutants at the source. Number two is to just open the windows and use ventilation to bring in fresh air and move pollutants out.

I took a look at the Xygen Air Rejuvenator. It’s basically a negative ion generator and an ozone machine. The negative ion generator removes particles from the air. Chemical fumes “piggyback” on particles, so removing particles does remove some chemicals, but not all. Over my years of research I’ve come to the conclusion that carbon and HEPA work better as air cleaners, but I have no objection to negative ion generators if you want negative ions in your home.

As for ozone, what is good for your body is oxygen. Ozone is made up of three oxygen molecules bonded together. The XygenAir “outputs ozone at the rate 25 milligrams per hour, and fills the air with activated oxygen.” I’m not sure what that statement means. Sounds like it is emitting ozone, but the ozone would have to break down to turn into oxygen. I don’t know enough chemistry to evaluate if that is a true statement or not.

If you want more oxygen, get some fresh outdoor air, not an ozone machine.

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Question from Nicolette

Hi there. Does anyone know the general rule of MDF furniture & the gassing off period? I am contemplating buying this Pottery Barn coffee table & media cabinet, but some of the panels & shelves are MDF, they admit.

I am considering asking if I could buy their floor model, thinking the gassing off would have already occurred. But my biggest question is: Does MDF gass off FOREVER? Or does it go away over time, say a few days or months or whatever.

I’ve searched the internet & can’t really find a definitive answer. I’d be willing to purchase this furniture & let it gas off outside my home even for a while if I know that’s all I needed to do.

Thank you to Debra & anyone else who can help me decide on whether to buy this beautiful “looking” furniture, or not.

Debra’s Answer

MDF is Medium Density Fiberboard. Like particleboard, the wood bits are held together with a formaldehyde-based resin that will outgas formaldehyde.

It’s impossible to predict how long it will take to outgas, as the time is dependent on how much formaldehyde is in the MDF (there are low-emission MDFs, but we don’t know which was used to make the furniture), the temperature, and humidity.

Personally, I wouldn’t buy it.

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Question from Patti

I live across the street from a Cotton Field also and, thankfully, they no longer do crop dusting, but they still spray poison and I get hives intermittently if exposed to the poison. We often get sick, as in sore throats when they spray the defoliant. Are there any ways to protect the house as far as the air goes?

Debra’s Answer

Can you move?

You would have to make the house air tight and filter all incoming air, but I personally wouldn’t want to live in a house where I couldn’t open the window and get fresh air.

Can you tell us more about what’s being used on those cotton fields, how often they spray, etc?

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Question from Sue Smith

Does anyone have an opinion on Rainbow vacuum cleaners? We had a demonstration which was very convincing. We especially like the fact that it cleans the air as well as floors & furniture.

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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