Question from Cheryl

Hi all, does anyone know if scratched Corningware (meaning whatever is underneath is showing through in fairly fine gray scratches) and scorched(browned) is safe to use? Also, I guess the composition has changed through the years and I received mine about 16 years ago. Would Corningware from this time period in general be safe? Thanks as always.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t think there is anything “underneath” Corningware. I have white Corningware of about the same age as yours and it has some “fine gray scratches” but they look to me to be scratches that have filled in over time rather than exposing something underneath. Corningware is a single material through and through, not a coated material that can scratch.

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Question from D. L.

I was shopping at Bed Bath & Beyond the other day and noticed they had a lot of bed and bath linens made from a fabric called Modal®. The label says it’s a natural fiber, but is it really?

Debra’s Answer

There are three general types of fabrics.

Synthetic fibers–such as acrylic and polyester–are manufactured from petrochemicals by turning crude oil into plastics and extruding the plastic into threads that are woven into fabric.

Natural fibers–cotton, linen, silk, wool, and ramie–are spun from fiberous materials found in nature. These fibers have been in use for millenneia and were spun by hand and with spinning wheels for centuries before industrialization.

Fibers such as rayon and Modal® fall in-between. They are made from natural cellulose, which occurs in all plants, but the process of turning the cellulose into fiber involves a lot of processing and chemicals. The finished product is not anything like the original cellulose as it was found in nature.

My personal preference is to stick with natural fibers. I haven’t been able to find out enough about the manufacture of manmade plant-based fibers to be able to determine their environmental safety or harm.

I don’t find rayon or Modal® to be particularly toxic, but I don’t consider them to be natural.

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Question from Gigi

This product is a water-based sealer that seals old wallpaper adhesive and has VOCs of less than 100g/l. I am curious to know if anyone has used it and if they have had any adverse reactions to it. Technically, this is a low VOC product, correct?

Debra’s Answer

Yes, technically this is a low VOC product. I have no experience with this product. Readers?

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Question from Terry Ann

Debra

I can’t seem to get a straight answer about Silica…I notice that it is used in just about any supplement I purchase. Is this form of Silica dangerous?

Debra’s Answer

Silica is the chemical compound silicon dioxide, an oxide of silicon. Silica is most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz, as well as in the cell walls of diatoms (as in diatomaceous earth. It is the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust.

Silica is used primarily in the production of window glass, drinking glasses and bottled beverages, as well as optical fibers for telecommunications. It is a primary raw material for many ceramics including earthenware, stoneware and porcelain, and industrial Portland cement.

Silica is common additive in food products, where it is used primarily as a flow agent in powdered foods, or to absorb water.

I know of no harmful effects from digesting silica in foods or supplements. In fact, it is sold as a mineral supplement.

Silicosis is a disabling, nonreversible and sometimes fatal lung disease caused by overexposure to breathing large amounts of crystalline silica, such as amounts you would be exposed to in workplace exposures. It is not toxic, it is a particle hazard. You wouldn’t be exposed to this amount at home.

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Question from tj

I am getting ready to remodel my kitchen. They are wanting me to put a Convection oven in. Does anyone know the safety of a convection oven with a microwave (which I would never use, but they want me to put it in for re-sale value). I am concerned about the microwave as well.

Is it OK to use this as a regular oven even thought it doubles as a microwave and are convection ovens healthy to use in and of themselves?

Debra’s Answer

Personally, I stay away from the microwave, but I have no experience with convection ovens.

Readers?

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Question from TRACEY

Hi Debra,

I can’t seem to find a house to purchase that isn’t sprayed with pesticides and can’t move out of the area. I do have MCS. Do you or any of your readers have any experience detoxing a house with pesticides? Thank you so much!

Debra’s Answer

I have only once attempted to detox a house with pesticides. The client knew the exact name of the pesticide and it had only been applied under the house. We contacted the manufacturer and found out what other chemical could be used to make a chemical reaction that would break down the pesticide. It turned out to be ordinary chlorine bleach. It was applied and turned out to be a very effective solution.

Readers, any experience detoxing a house sprayed with pesticides?

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On January 4, the Washington Post published this article: Use of potentially harmful chemicals kept secret under law.

It begins, “Of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States — from flame retardants in furniture to household cleaners — nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, their names and physical properties guarded from consumers and virtually all public officials under a little-known federal provision.”

The article goes on to say that the policy was designed 33 years ago to protect trade secrets in a highly competitive industry. But now many–including the Obama administration–are recognizing that this law makes it impossible for regulators to control toxic chemicals in products for consumers to find out which toxic substances they might be exposed to.

Currently the law protects the financial interests of business while putting the health of consumers and the environment at risk.

The article gives one example of a nurse being exposed to a toxic chemical while treating a patient, and then herself having symptoms from the same chemical. She was unable to find out exactly what the chemical was.

In my opinion, there should be full disclosure of all substances and materials used in all consumer products. I’ve been saying this for decades. Otherwise, we cannot make informed decisions.

The Obama administration is working on reducing secrecy.

Fortunately, there are many nontoxic products available, made by companies who choose to not use secret chemicals. Many of these products can be found on this blog and listed on Debra’s List.

I want to thank everyone who sent me this article this week and all of you who continue, every day, to be vigilant about finding and sharing products we can all use that do not contain secret harmful chemicals.