Question from Barry A Cik

I just wanted to tell all of you about some changes that are occurring regarding crib mattresses.

In the State of California, it is illegal – as of January 1, 2009 – to sell a crib mattress containing phthalates. Local retailers in California may not sell them. Phthalates are a group of chemicals known to affect a child’s developing endocrine (hormonal) system, and may cause cancer. Phthalates are so toxic that they have already been banned in many countries of the world.

But America is not safe from phthalates in crib mattresses, yet. For all states besides California, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) allows mattresses with phthalates to be manufactured through February 9, 2009, and to continue to be sold indefinitely until stocks are depleted. This could take months, or even years.

So it’s critical to know how to distinguish a mattress that contains phthalates from one that is phthalate-free. It’s important to note that not all toxic phthalates have been banned, although more bans are likely. It’s also important to note that even if all phthalates are removed, other questionable chemicals are likely to be substituted.

Most crib mattresses have a vinyl waterproof plastic covering. Babies wet and spit up, and their mattresses are especially vulnerable to dampness. Too much moisture in a mattress, and it becomes an unhealthy haven for bacteria, mold and mildew.

It is in this vinyl plastic covering that phthalates are found. Vinyl is a plasticized form of PVC. By itself, PVC is toxic enough; it’s widely considered to be one of the most toxic and environmentally unfriendly plastics in use today. However, PVC is a hard plastic, made soft and pliable for the surface of a crib mattress by adding very toxic phthalates.

Debra’s Answer

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Question from Marie

Has anyone come across any organizations/sources for financial assistance for buying medically necessary items for MCS (and EMF sensitive) patients that aren’t covered by health insurance? Prescribed items such as: air and water purifiers, metal-free chemical-free bed, safe housing,… We are unable to provide items my son needs and have found very little help. Any ideas?? Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know of any. Readers?

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Question from Cindy

We are having a new subfloor installed under our new bathroom flooring, which is Armstrong cushionstep. What is the best subflooring material to use that will avoid as much outgassing as is possible?

Debra’s Answer

You can use exterior plywood for your subfloor under vinyl.

I’m more concerned that you are laying a sheet vinyl no-wax floor on top. Please reconsider your flooring. Ceramic tile would be the safest and it’s very inexpensive at places like Home Depot and Lowe’s, and use a cementboard subfloor.

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Question from Nina Balsam

I had my bathtubs caulked with AFM Safecoat and am having a reaction, burning face, lips, mood changes, headache, aches. Can I cover the caulk with packaging tape to eliminate the problem? Does anyone have a better solution?

Thanks

Debra’s Answer

Readers, what have you to done to fix this problem?

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Question from Sandy

Hi Debra, I wrote to you the other day concerning perhaps the coil in our new electric furnace/ heat pump. In talking with my husband later he said we do not have a coil, we have a heat strip. Have you ever heard of any chemical outgassing problems or concerns with this? Thanks s

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from Danielle

www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6347.cfm

This article sums it up on all cotton fabrics pretty wonderfully, what a “Must Have”reference!!!!!

I found this and remembered reading a dld123 blog about a woman who washed her jersey/flannel cotton sheets and smelled a horrible gasoline odor. This link explains about jersey cotton treatments as well as all the other terrible things done to cotton.

I decided to do a test and wash a set of jersey sheets (only ones we own) I had in my guest room by Wamsutta (made in China). They had only been laundered once before by my husband.

I didn’t expect what I found or the reaction I would have (of course I am very sensitive and my husband is not)-The odor was so strong on the wet sheets that I began to have a severe eye, nose and throat irritation. I was choking, and tearing for 2 hours after breathing in the fumes from the wet sheets.

I really sounded like Darth Fader breathing, or gasping I should say. The headache was amazing that came on afterward. The smell was of strong toxic fumes, strong fuel and chemicals. Needless to say the sheets have since been removed from our house! Note: It also took 3 rinses of my frontload washer with vinegar to remove the strong residual odor.

Debra’s Answer

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Question from K. Christensen

I have a 14-month-old and am always looking for ways to include fruits and veggies in her diet. I have been looking at dried fruits (peaches, apricots, etc), but even the non-sweetened fruits at my local market are made with sulfur dioxide. Can you comment on if this ingredient is safe for children and/or adults?

Thank you

Debra’s Answer

I don’t consider sulfur dioxide to be safe, though it is widely used. Enough people are allergic to it that it’s presence in food must appear on the label. There is a very thorough report on the health effects of sulfur dioxide and how to avoid it at: Food Intolerance Network Fact Sheet: Sulphites.

You can find dried fruits without sulfur dioxide online and at your local natural food store. The main reason sulfur dioxide is used is to preserve the color of dried fruit. Untreated dried fruit is shriveled and dark, treated dried fruit is plump and colorful. Dried fruit treated with sulfur dioxide is more visually appealing, but untreated dried fruit tastes better.

I always like to keep everything as close to nature as possible.

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Question from ana

Do you have any information on this product? It’s a multii-purpose natural cleanser. This company has 3 products.

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

As it happens, I actually had a sample of this product that was sent to me to try.

I wasn’t thrilled with it. The sales literature says it is nontoxic, safe for babies, etc, but I actually couldn’t use it.

It comes in a big tub in a semi-solid state, about like whipped margerine. In that state, it smells like nothing. To use it requires heating the product and mixing it with hot water. That was inconvenient for me right there. But what I really didn’t like was that when I heated the stuff, it did have a strong, plastic-like odor (at least strong to me). Certainly it was less odor than standard cleaning products, but too strong for me. Between the odor and the inconvenience, I wasn’t sold on this product.

On the plus side, it did clean well. I used it to clean my kitchen floor, and the dirt came right up with a little scrubbing.

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Question from LLM

greetings: I am interested to know more about plastic storage. I am inundated with plastic storage bags, Glad brand, mostly. I am confused about freezing food. I am switching to glass gradually for storage, but the freezing has me mystified. Should it be freezer paper; glass does not seem an option for the freezer because of the size of meat cuts to freeze. I am gradually buying more cast iron cookware which I like best of all anyway, and I always was a little leery of teflon coatings. Your website is fascinating. I am 71 years old, so obviously have avoided most of the toxic pitfalls, but it is never too late to do the right thing. Am going to order your book, as it will be easier to look up a question. Would appreciate your advice about the freezing question, though–I’m not sure all my questions will be in the book! Thanks, LLM from Iowa.

Debra’s Answer

Plastic food storage bags are made from polyethylene, which is considered to be a “safe” plastic. Freezer paper is heavy kraft paper coated with polyethylene, which acts as a barrier to moisture and air. So either way, plastic is involved.

From a disposal viewpoint, the polyethylene bags would be better. They can be reused many times, and recycled, because they are pure polyethylene. The plastic would have to be removed from the freezer paper, making it difficult to recycle the plastic and difficult for the paper to biodegrade.

I’d go with the plastic bags.

Another thing..heat leaches plasticizers and freezing slows leaching. Polyethylene is not known to leach, but this is just another reason why freezing in food-grade plastic bags is not a health concern.

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