Question from Margaret

I am looking for the safest composting toilet to put in an MCS trailer for my daughter. She is very sensitive to plastics/ acrylics so I was wondering about the sun-mar toilet which is made of fiberglass. do you think that might be any safer for her?

Debra’s Answer

I have no experience with composting toilets. Readers?

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Question from Jim Knowlton

Debra;

What are your thoughts and possible investigations finding on ZEROWATER.

Thanks

Jim in Sav

Debra’s Answer

Zerowater has an interesting marketing angle–they give you a “laboratory-calibrated water tester” so you can see for yourself that your water contains “zero”. But zero what?

The only thing this filter claims to remove are TDS–total dissolved solids. It doesn’t touch any of the pollutants you should be concerned about, like chlorine and chloramines and fluoride.

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Question from edie

I would like to buy a rice or buckwheat hull pillow. I understand they are not all the same. I would like to understand how to select a good one. And learn where’s a good place to buy one.

Debra’s Answer

I’m just going to refer you to a couple of websites–both have a lot of information on them.

Pillowcrafters makes custom pillows with prewashed cotton (organic or conventional), filled with buckwheat hulls or rice hulls.

The Pillow Company specializes exclusively in pillows filled with certified organically grown buckwheat hulls or millet hulls, in all shapes and sizes. Covers are 100% cotton and come with zippers, so you can refill your hulls (they sell loose hulls too).

Readers, what is your experience with hull pillows and your favorite places to buy them?

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Question from anna

Have had mcs since the early 1980s. It is time to get a new sofa. There are/were two places that made sofas to order for mcsers, but it will cost around $6,000. I cannot afford that. Already have a futon in my spare bedroom which is fine for sleeping, but very uncomfortable to sit on. Does anyone know of a place that makes futons that really are comfortable to sit on or where I can get a sofa that is non toxic but not outrageously expensive. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

Readers? What is your experience?

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Question from jenbooks

See this new research:

Scientists at Goethe University in Frankfurt found that estrogenic compounds leach from PET plastic into the water.

It now appears possible that some as-yet unidentified chemicals in these plastics have the potential to interfere with estrogen and other reproductive hormones, just as BPA and phthalates do.

Excerpt from an article at abc dot net dot au: “What we found was really surprising to us,” says Wagner. “If you drink water from plastic bottles, you have a high probability of drinking estrogenic compounds.”

The study adds to growing concerns about products that span the plastic spectrum, says Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York.”

Please do your best to avoid plastic when reasonably possible. All plastics leach.

Debra’s Answer

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Question from sarah

Help! I’m suffering from TMI (too much information) overload!

I am trying to find the best portable food and drink storage materials for my family. For liquids, we were using SIGG, but I recently learned their bottles contained BPA through 2008 and now I’m returning them to SIGG for the “new” bottles with BPA free liners. Who knows if this new liner is truly safe either, as I’ve lost some trust in SIGG. I’ve heard Kleen Kanteen is good, but will they corrode or leach without a liner? I like the glass Love Bottle, but that is not practical for my daughter to bring to school. My daughter, husband and I all bring our lunches to school/work and glass is heavy and breakable.

We want to get rid of our old plastic, but what is safest? I’ve looked into Lunch Bots and Kids Konserve, which are both stainless steel, but do we have to worry about leaching chemicals? I’ve seen the new Oxo Pop, which is BPA/PVC/phthalate-free plastic; the Fresh Snack Pack made of EVA; and TellFresh made from Polypropylene. You mentioned polyethylene, but I can’t find a product made from this material.

3GreenMoms makes moisture proof pouches but I wonder about mold. Plum Creek makes cotton snack bags, but those won’t work for fruit or veggies which is most of our diet. What’s going to be the safest option for my family? One study I read says stainless is best, then I read something else that says stainless is bad and BPA free plastic is best. I’m in a quandry!

Debra’s Answer

I’m sure everyone is going to have a different opinion on this.

I’ll just reiterate that glass is the least toxic food storage material.

All of the plastics are going to leach something into the foods and beverage, though I can’t tell you at this time how much or what. I’m working on researching this.

Stainless steel leaches metals.

So if you don’t use glass, then you need to decide if you want to eat and drink plastics or metals.

I’m still working on determining, which is safer–plastic or metal. Neither is completely safe.

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Question from Tina Riley

I am very confused about the whole plastic issue. I have been using a stainless steel glass for drinking to keep liquids cold or hot, now i read that it may be harmful. Can i freeze water in “safe” plastic and it still be “safe”

also I bought a device for the dishwasher to wash plastic zip lock bags to reuse and save “plastic” going to the landfilll now I read that the heat releases toxins?

What are your thoughts?

Debra’s Answer

For food storage, the number one safest material is glass, glass, glass.

It is always good to minimize your exposure to plastic as much as possible, if for no other reason than it is made from nonrenewable petroleum or natural gas and most plastics do not biodegrade. There may be some leaching of plastics into the food or beverage, more leaching occurs when the food or beverage is heated (this includes water bottles sitting in the sun or in a hot car). Depending on the type of plastic, there is more or less leaching and it’s more or less toxic.

Stainless steel can leach metals into food or water. More or less depending on various factors that I’m still researching. Exposure to metals may be more or less toxic than exposure to plastic.

What this all boils down to is that glass is the safest choice for food storage.

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Question from ep

I have sifted through the previous Q & A on your website as well as throughout other web searches. I need to replace my scratched skillets and sauce pans. I’d like to buy a set so that I can make it as cost efficient as possible. It seems that there are risks associated with both stainless steel as well as the hard anodized aluminum if they are scratched. If my family has no known allergies, can you recommend which route to take?

Debra’s Answer

If these were my only two choices, I would go with the anodized aluminum. It’s my opinion that it probably leaches less than the stainless steel.

I understand about cost efficiency. For myself, I consider the long term effects of good health. I may save money today by not purchasing the more expensive healthier product, but down the road, poor health not only results in more medical expenses, but loss of income and the priceless enjoyment of life. I’m not independently wealthy, but creating a healthy environment is the number one most important thing to me. If I need to cut back on something, I cut back on something else and spend the money I have on healthy products.

Xtrema Cookware, made from ceramic. It is better for health and the environment.

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Question from Cynthia

I like the “give” of a box spring under my matress, but would like to eliminate metal from my sleeping environment.

Does anyone know of a substitute?

Debra’s Answer

The alternative is a wood slat frame. It’s not a “box” like a box spring, but rather slats of flexible wood placed across a wood frame. It offers support and much-needed air circulation, while also having some “give”. It makes sleeping on a natural fiber mattress more comfortable than placing it on a hard surface like a floor. You can buy wood slat frames from most places that sell natural fiber mattresses, such as those listed at Debra’s List: Textiles: Beds & Bedding.

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Question from JAD

I would like to comment on Debra’s newsletter last week. She wrote the following.

“Also this week, a reader wrote to me and said, “Thank you for everything you do! I am sure all this costs you much money and I am one of those that has truly come to depend on your advice. Where can I donate?” Yes, maintaining this website and newsletter does cost me much money. Especially now with all the expenses of transferring my website to a more workable structure. If you have benefitted from my work and would like to make a contribution toward expenses, you may do so here: donate via credit card or paypal.”

I first found out that I had MCS in 1993, two different Doctors told me that I would just have to live with it and stay away from anything that bothered me. It took me a couple of years but got to the point I could lead a “normal” live again as long as I was careful. In July of 08 I had a major exposure to an Oil Wood House Stain and crashed to the point I was finding that there were products that I had used all my life that I could no longer use. Although I was great about being fragrance free I needed to find more chemical free products. It was so bad that I finally Googled “Cure for MCS” this last spring and found Debra’s site. After reading her site for a while I decided that I need to start making MORE changes.

Because of the financial climate and most everything that is “good” for us cost more, money is tight for most of us. I for one live on a fix income. But on the other hand I know that I save money using Debra’s site. I have bought so many products just to “try” and end up giving or throwing them away. Now I just go to Debra’s site. This is saving me money!

Debra at this point does not charge for her e-mail advise and I would like to see it stay that way. How many of us would have paid to look at her site. What she does cost her money. Years ago I wrote a book on our family history. When I started it I had no idea how much money this was going to cost me. Travel, Stamps (before e-mail), copying, postage, phone bills, etc etc. I at one time starting keeping track of what it was costing me to do this “hobby” and I had to stop keeping track or would have quit.

Stop and think how Debra has helped you and maybe you can help even if it is just a little. If all of us helped even a”little” it might help cover her expenses.

Debra’s Answer

Thank you for your very kind words. It’s always nice to know that my work is valuable and being appreciated. If anyone else would like to express appreciation for this website or tell how it saves money for you, please do so by adding a comment.

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