Question from SVE

Hi Debra,

I have tried to find out if companies spray their mail trucks – USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc., and I can’t get answers – no one seems to know.

Do you have any suggestions about how to find out if certain companies do this? I would like to find a domestic mail delivery service that does not spray or uses natural methods. I am very sensitive to insecticides and I believe spray residues are getting on packages that I receive.

I am also suspecting that big containers are being sprayed inside – the ones stacked on big ships and used to ship cargo internationally. I reacted to a large package that I know was shipped over to the US in one of those large containers (according to the mail order company).

Thanks so much, Debra. I LOVE your blog and website!

SVE

Debra’s Answer

I’m certain that one can assume international cargo is sprayed with pesticides.

oceanatlas.com has this to say about pesticides used on ships containing international cargo:

This may also be true for cargo transported in trucks, as the need to control pests would be similar. I remember a few years ago there was a short-lived television show called “Medical investigation” in which the characters (playing doctors from the National Institute of Health) had to solve the mystery of what was making people sick. In one episode, a number of teenage girls got very ill after wearing jeans that had been contaminated with pesticides during shipment in a truck. (That may be fiction, but may also be based in fact.)

Here is an article that states, “Workers may also be exposed to pesticides on treated grain being brought to the truck cargo facility in trucks or rail cars.” Grain, Grain Milling and Grain-based Consumer Products also says, “Pesticides are used in the grain and grain-processing industries to control insects, rodents, birds, mould and so on. Some of the more common pesticides are phosphine, organophosphates and pyrethrins. Potential health effects can include dermatitis, dizziness, nausea and long-term problems with liver, kidney and nervous system functions.” So pesticides are being applied to grains beyond those applied in the field.

Since many people are ordering organic and natural goods on the internet because they aren’t available locally, this bears further looking into, if contamination with toxic chemicals to these products could occur during shipping.

That said, I don’t want to single out delivery services. Pesticide spraying could be a problem with any shipping from manufacturer to retail outlet.

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Question from Tricia

Hi, I need help getting of mold in the bathroom it is marble and I use almost everything I can think of to clean it. It is still there. I live in Honolulu and there is a lot of moisture. Can some one help me. Please

Debra’s Answer

I just happen to have an article I wrote on this very subject, which was published a few years ago in Natural Home magazine.

I’ve posted it as a COMMENT to this entry…

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Question from TZ

I am an artists who uses acrylic mediums in large quantity. This December I spent a particularly intense period of time using these mediums. They contain small amounts of ammonia and formaldehyde. As it was the dead of winter, I did not have adequate ventilation. I immediately developed intense insomnia. The insomnia continued, even though my exposure stopped. It may be complicated by a growing anxiety about sleeping. I use cotton flannel sheets at home. Are there long term effects to this kind of exposure? If so, how can they be reversed? Do I need to see a doctor familiar with chemical exposure?

Debra’s Answer

Exposure to formaldehyde such as you had can effect the immune system in the long run and make your body more sensitive to formaldehyde and other chemcials, resulting in multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS).

You can recover from this, though it will take minimizing your exposure to chemicals and various other steps.

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Question from Marcy

I’m looking to make my own produce wash to remove the wax, residue, pesticides, etc. Can someone provide a recipe for me?

I appreciate the help!

Debra’s Answer

I don’t generally recommend produce washes as I don’t believe they can remove waxes, pesticides, etc. Better to buy organically grown food. I just rinse mine with filtered water.

Readers, your suggestions?

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Just received this warning this morning from the Organic Consumers Association…

Toxic Chemical Bpa Leaching Into Canned Foods

An alarming new study from the Environmental Working Group analyzed samples of canned fruit, vegetables, soda, and baby formula on sale in the nation’s supermarkets and found that more than 50% were tainted with a chemical linked to birth defects, ADHD and cancer. The chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), is an ingredient in plastics that lines food cans. According to the study, the chemical has been leaching into foods at levels up to 200 times the government’s recommended “safe” level of exposure. According to Dr. Frederick vom Saal, a professor of biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a long-time expert researcher of BPA, there are 94 scientific studies indicating deleterious health effects from BPA. “If BPA was treated as a drug, it would have been pulled immediately. This chemical can be replaced right now by safer materials, and the public would never notice the difference.” OCA is planning to launch a campaign later this year to pressure food companies, especially organic companies, to stop using BPA-tainted cans and other toxic or non-sustainable packaging.

Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4414.cfm

How To Avoid BPA

• Metal canned beverages appear to contain less BPA residues, while metal canned pasta and soups contain the highest levels.


• Canned foods in glass containers are not a BPA risk.


• Plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom are safer choices and do not contain BPA.


• One-third of liquid baby formulas have high levels of BPA. Powdered formula packaging is generally considered safer.


• Avoid heating foods in plastic containers and do not wash plastic containers in a dishwasher.


• When possible, opt for glass, porcelain and stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.


• Do not let plastic wrap touch your food in the microwave, or better yet, avoid microwave ovens altogether.


• Many metal water bottles, such as those sold by the brand Sigg [see correction about Sigg under COMMENTS -D] are lined with a plastic coating that contains BPA. Look for stainless steel bottles, such as those sold by Real Wear [couldn’t find this company on the web – D] and Kleen Kanteen that do not have a plastic liner.