Lead Paint
White Lead (Lead Carbonate) was the main white pigment base used in paints for households and public buildings.
Unflued Gas
Unflued gas heaters have no means to carry the combustion products of the heater outside or away, unlike a chimney or flue.
New Furniture
A lot of new furniture contains formaldehyde, which is considered a carcinogen and can lead to skin, eye and respiratory irritation.
The Gammon House
Discover what is wrong with the Gammon House.
Toxin-Free Nursery
Sharon Hamilton explains how to keep toxins out of your nursery.
Lead Paint Remediation
Steve Peck explains the lead paint remediation process.
'We can now estimate from sampling dust on carpets, upholstery and other surfaces, that each day, the average urban infant will ingest 110 nanograms of benzopyrene (compounds which can cause cancer in animals and is thought to induce cancer in humans)... this is the equivalent to a child smoking three cigarettes a day.'
SOURCE: Scientific American'When unflued gas heaters are operating, indoor air generally exhibits substantially higher levels of nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide than the highest concentrations measured in ambient air in Australia.'
SOURCE: Department for the Environment and Water ResourcesIt was [Lead Paint] used mainly on exterior surfaces and to a lesser extent on interior doors and architraves, especially in undercoats and primers here concentrations of up to 20% lead were commonly used.
SOURCE: Master Painters Australia'Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.'
SOURCE: US Environment Protection Agency'If paint is known to be pre-1970, is in poor condition and is accessible to children, it may present a health hazard, and the paint should be tested for the presence of lead.'
SOURCE: Lead Paint Information (Master Painters Australia)Lead makes things taste sweet. The Romans used lead to sweeten their wines. So children and pets are attracted to the taste of lead paint chips and especially to lead dust.
SOURCE: Frequently Asked Questions About Lead (US Environment Protection Agency)Paint with more than 1% lead, or paint containing white lead, was prohibited for domestic use after 1970.
SOURCE: Master Painters Australia'We can now estimate from sampling dust on carpets, upholstery and other surfaces, that each day, the average urban infant will ingest 110 nanograms of benzopyrene (compounds which can cause cancer in animals and is thought to induce cancer in humans)... this is the equivalent to a child smoking three cigarettes a day.'
SOURCE: Scientific American
'Most citizens are very likely to have the greatest contact with potentially toxic pollutants not outside but inside the places they usually consider to be essentially unpolluted, such as homes, offices and cars.'
SOURCE: Scientific American Article found at Washington State Department of Ecology'Australians love the great outdoors but, in fact, we spend more than 90% of our time indoors. It has been estimated our unhealthy indoor air quality costs the Australian community $12 billion annually.'
SOURCE: VicHealth 2006 - the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation'The same air pollutants covered by environmental laws outdoors are usually found at much higher levels in the average residence... if truckloads of dust with the same concentration of toxic chemicals found in most carpets were deposited outside, these locations would be considered hazardous waste dumps...'
SOURCE: Scientific American'Since the 1930's our home have been intoxicated with thousands of synthetic chemicals - lass than half have undergone any basic testing for their health and environmental impact.'
SOURCE: Australian Department for Environment and Heritage'Very little is known about the 5 million chemical mixtures & formulations that already exist, but every year thousands of new chemicals are added to the list. There is no toxicological information for 79% of the 48,500 chemicals listed in the inventory of toxic substances.'
SOURCE: Pollack, John K. "The Toxicity of Chemical Mixtures"
