Governors and Mayors Warn of the Health Effects of Toxic Substances in Everyday

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Governors and Mayors Warn of the Health Effects of Toxic Substances in

Everyday Products

_http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/102653_

(http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/102653)

 

May 16, 2009

Lourdes Salvador

 

In the United States alone, it is estimated that more than over 48 million

men, women, and children suffer adverse health reactions to everyday

chemicals.

 

Toxic chemical injury is an increasing epidemic which leads to emergency

department visits, job loss, homelessness, school absenteeism, and serious

lifelong chronic illness in America.

 

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) affects men, women, and children

irregardless of gender, race and economic status. Children are especially

vulnerable during development and due to their smaller size.

 

In response to these alarming statistics, and in an effort to raise public

awareness of the risks faced everyday by Americans living with multiple

chemical sensitivity and toxic injury, May is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

and Toxic Injury Awareness Month in America.

 

Thirty-six governors and mayors across America have already issued

proclamations for this important event and more are still pouring in.

 

Events are held across the United States during May. Each event raises

awareness about indoor and outdoor pollutants that trigger multiple chemical

sensitivity and toxic injury, as well as ways to prevent toxic injuries and

exposures.

 

Vast efforts have been made by politicians, individuals, and organizations

around the world to expand awareness.

 

Governors and Mayors Speak Out

 

Many governors and mayors around the country have proclaimed May as Toxic

Injury, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and Electromagnetic Sensitivity

Awareness month.

 

Jodi Rell, governor of Connecticut, recognized all three and said,

**Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is a preventable disorder... a chronic condition

for which there is no cure... recognized by the Americans with Disabilities

Act, Social Security Administration, World Health Organization, United

States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other state and

national

government agencies and commissions.**

 

Rell, along with governors Christine O. Gregoire of Washington, Mayor

Thomas P. Perciak of Strongsville Ohio, and others say, **Reasonable

accommodations, information about, and recognition of MCS can enable people

with MCS

to enjoy access to work, schooling, public facilities, and other settings

where they can continue to contribute their skills, ideas, creativity,

abilities, and knowledge.**

 

Arizona governor Janice K. Brewer informs citizens that, " Toxic substances

can cause harmful effect characterized by heightened sensitivity to very

small amounts of air pollution, petrochemicals, and other toxins found in

our everyday products and environment. "

 

Florida Governor Charlie Crist reminds us that we are all at risk from

common chemical exposures when he says, **The health of the general population

is at risk from chemical exposures that can lead to this environmentally

induced illness.** Crist also reminds us that MCS may be preventable through

the reduction or avoidance of chemicals in our air, food, water, and

indoor/outdoor environments.

 

Rell also affirms, **The health of the general population is at risk from

electromagnetic exposures that can lead to this illness induced by

electromagnetic radiation.**

 

The Environmental Working Group has conducted studies which confirm that

dozens of chemicals in products we use every day enter the blood of test

subjects. These chemicals include flame retardants from furniture and bedding;

pesticides from food crops, home use, and commercial applications; heavy

metals from food contamination, thermometers, switches, and coal fired power

plants; formaldehyde from clothing treatments and other sources; and an

assorted chemical cocktail of the nearly 5,000 chemicals which create

fragrances that are added to our personal care products, perfumes, soaps, air

fresheners, and other scented items.

 

Few of these chemicals are tested for human safety, despite widespread

belief to the contrary. None of them have been tested for synergistic effects

in combination.

 

Brewer states, **Toxic substances may cause multiple illnesses affecting

all parts of the body, including the respiratory, central nervous, and

immune systems.**

 

Brian Schweitzer, governor of Montana, agrees, **Preventing exposure to

harmful chemicals is critical in protecting public health and safety.

Reducing of hazardous chemicals in our environment can help eliminate MCS and

EI

(environmental illnesses).**

 

Dave Freudenthal, governor of Wyoming, issues another important reminder

that toxic injury, " may include multiple often disabling illness and can be

life threatening. "

 

Individual proclamations may be viewed at:

_http://www.mcs-america.org/index_files/proclamations.htm_

(http://www.mcs-america.org/index_files/proclamations.htm) .

 

Ohio Senators Dale Miller (D-Cleveland) and Kevin Coughlin (R-Cuyahoga

Falls) have gone one step further with the introduction of Senate Bill No. 117

which would designate May as MCS Awareness Month in Ohio on an annual

basis under the law. This differs from ordinary proclamations which are issued

one year at a time. Ohio Senate Bill No. 117 may be viewed at:

_http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_SB_117_I_Y.pdf_

(http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_SB_117_I_Y.pdf) .

 

Thirty-six governors and 30 mayors also issued Environmental Education

Week proclamations stressing the value of and need for environmental education

in their states and cities. For more information, visit the Children*s

Environmental Health Network: Environmental Education Week at

_http://www.eeweek.org/_ (http://www.eeweek.org/) .

 

Personal Choices

 

The choices we make as consumers largely govern manufacturers revenues

and, hence, the products they choose to market. It is within the power of each

of us to select the safest products on the market and let sellers know we

want safer ones. To do this, we must educate ourselves at every opportunity

and question every claim.

 

An interesting paradigm exists around marketing. Much advertising is

geared toward convincing buyers that it is essential to have and use a product.

In reality, many of these ploys are gimmicks to sell unnecessary and often

unsafe products.

 

Clever twists on a scientific study in which it was declared that an

office keyboard had more germs on it than a public toilet put fear in millions

of people and sold huge amounts of disinfectant spray that made many people

ill through the unintentional poisoning office air. Secretaries and staff

applied copious amounts of disinfectant to prevent the spread of germs based

on this fictitious study claim.

 

Yet, when this study was examined more closely, it was found that the

public toilet in question was cleaned and sanitized daily by a janitor while

the keyboard had not been so much as wiped, let alone actually cleaned, in

years. The fact remains that if both were cleaned with simple soap and water

on a regular basis, the keyboard would have few germs and the toilet would

look like germ warfare in comparison. Studies have shown that soap and water

works as effectively as anti-bacterial products at reducing germs...

without the toxic effects.

 

Unfortunately, most consumers have been raised to believe what they are

told. We trust that we are given accurate information without bias and few

think about the biased financial interests of advertisers. This begins at a

very early age and advertising is often geared towards children and young

adults at a time when they are most impressionable. Few have the knowledge,

skill, or understanding to research the claims that advertisers make.

 

Spreading the Word

 

The Allergy and Environmental Sensitivity Support and Research

Association, Inc. held a Chemical Sensitivity 2009 Seminar in Australia on May

15,

2009. Speaking at the seminar were medical, legal and architectural experts

who discussed chemical sensitivity and its impacts on the lives of sufferers

and family.

 

The seminar flyer may be downloaded from:

_http://www.mcs-america.org/AESSRAChemicalSensitivty09Seminar.pdf_

(http://www.mcs-america.org/AESSRAChemicalSensitivty09Seminar.pdf) .

 

A press release can be found at:

_http://www.mcs-america.org/ChemicalSensitivitySeminar2009PressRelease.pdf_

(http://www.mcs-america.org/ChemicalSensitivitySeminar2009PressRelease.pdf)

..

 

The Allergy and Environmental Sensitivity Support and Research

Association, Inc. also distributed a brochure called **Are You Sensitive to

Chemicals?** It may be found at:

_http://www.mcs-america.org/areyousensitivetochemicals.pdf_

(http://www.mcs-america.org/areyousensitivetochemicals.pdf) .

 

In Florida, Christiane Tourtet, Founder and President of International

MCS/EMS Awareness, arranged for Observance of multiple chemical sensitivity

and electromagnetic sensitivity through a library display at the LeRoy

Collins Leon County Library in Tallahassee, Florida. Photographs may be found

at:

_http://www.nettally.com/prusty/Formww.htm_

(http://www.nettally.com/prusty/Formww.htm) .

 

In Parma Heights, Ohio, seminars were presented in collaboration with the

Ohio Network for the Chemically Injured on various topics. They included:

 

Eating Green with Jeff Heinen

_http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/EventDetail.aspx?EventInstanceID=32707_

(http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/EventDetail.aspx?EventInstanceID=32707)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 7:00 PM

 

The Environment and Your Health

_http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/EventDetail.aspx?EventInstanceID=32705_

(http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/EventDetail.aspx?EventInstanceID=32705)

Wednesday, May 06, 2009 7:00 PM

 

The University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability has

issued their Third Edition of Tips for First Responders.

 

According to publishers, **Tips for First Responders, a 14-page,

color-coded, laminated 4.5 x 5.5-inch field guide. For the third edition a tip

sheet

has been added that offers information to first responders on how to

assist Childbearing Women and Newborns. Tips also include persons with a wide

range of disabilities, as well as Seniors, People with Service Animals,

People with Mobility Challenges, People with Mental Illness, Blind or Visually

Impaired People, Deaf or Hard of Hearing People, People with Autism, People

with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and People with Cognitive Disabilities.

 

The tip sheets provide information first responders can use during

emergencies as well as routine encounters. They are not meant to be

comprehensive,

but contain specific information that you can read quickly either before

or while responding to an incident. Over 80,000 copies of the tips have been

ordered by first responders across the country.

 

Partners in developing the Tip Sheets include the Bureau of Health

Emergency Management, New Mexico Department of Health; the New Mexico

Governor*s

Commission on Disability; the American Association on Health and Disability;

and the Disability and Health Branch of the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention.**

 

The PDF Version of the Tips for First Responders may be viewed at

_http://cdd.unm.edu/products/tips3rdedition.pdf_

(http://cdd.unm.edu/products/tips3rdedition.pdf) .

 

The Tips for First Responders order form for printed copies may be

downloaded from _http://cdd.unm..edu/products/TIPSheetOrderForm.pdf_

(http://cdd.unm.edu/products/TIPSheetOrderForm.pdf) .

 

Most people spend approximately 60% of their time indoors according to the

Allergy and Environmental Sensitivity Support and Research Association

Inc. (AESSRA) on a recent radio show, **Trends and Products: our worsening

indoor air**. **As we move to conserve energy in our houses we often need to

close off the house -- but this means less air flow and more potential for a

poor quality of indoor air, ** according to the AESSRA. For more

information and to listen to the show, see

_http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bydesign/stories/2009/2562183.htm_

(http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bydesign/stories/2009/2562183.htm) .

 

Statistics

 

MCS America reminds us of several important statistics related to MCS in

their press release _http://www..americanchronicle.com/articles/view/100998_

(http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/100998) .

 

MCS is a Major Public Health Concern

-At least 45 million people in the US report sensitivity to various

chemicals.

-About 3 million Americans are diagnosed with MCS.

-MCS affects people of all ages, economic status, race, and both genders.

-Chemicals that people with MCS react to are toxic and affect everyone to

some extent.

 

Medical Findings

-Brain scans show reduced blood flow to the brain when people with MCS are

under chemical exposure.

-Physical variances identified in MCS include brain inflammation,

oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, cardiac and airway disease, and auto-immune

disorders.

-Mast cell activation and disorders of porphyrin metabolism have been

linked to MCS.

-Genetic variations relating to detoxification processes have been linked

to MCS.

 

The Cost of Environmental Illnesses

-Annual expenditures for healthcare and lost productivity due to MCS are

estimated at $71.8 billion dollars per year.

 

Environmental Factors

-Indoor and outdoor environmental exposures can trigger reactions:

perfumes and fragrances, cleaning solutions, scented laundry products,

pesticides,

herbicides, paint and building materials, gasoline and petroleum based

products, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.

 

MCS Can be Controlled

-MCS can be controlled with a plan that includes avoidance and control of

environmental triggers; many people with MCS can lead normal, healthy, and

active lives.

 

For more articles information on this topic, see: MCS America

_http://mcs-america.org_ (http://mcs-america.org/) and MCSA News

_http://mcs-america.org/index_files/newsletterarchives.htm_

(http://mcs-america.org/index_files/newsletterarchives.htm) .

 

Copyrighted 2009 Lourdes Salvador & MCS America