Toxic pollutants in fracking county air

New study finds fracking releases cancer-causing chemicals into the air many times higher than the EPA considers safe

The fracking process releases toxic chemicals into the air.

Emissions generated by fracking operations may be exposing people to some toxic pollutants at levels higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers safe for long-term exposure, according to scientists from Oregon State University and the University of Cincinnati.

The researchers took air samples in Carroll County, the home of 480 permitted wells––the most in any of Ohio's 88 counties.

The team found chemicals released during oil and gas extraction that can raise people's risk of cancer and respiratory ailments.

Researchers caution they don't want to create undue alarm with their findings, but they say they hope the results will highlight the urgent need to conduct more in-depth studies of fracking emissions and the potential effects on human health.

"What we see here suggests that more needs to be known about the risks people face when exposed," said study co-leader Erin Haynes, a University of Cincinnati scientist.

Based on the data collected, researchers calculated the cancer risk posed by airborne contaminants in the Carroll County study areas.

For the worst-case scenario––exposure 24 hours a day over 25 years––they found that a person anywhere in the study area would be exposed at a risk level exceeding the threshold the EPA deems acceptable.

The lifetime cancer risk in the study area estimated for maximum residential exposure was 2.9 in 10,000, which is nearly three times the EPA's acceptable risk level of 1 in 10,000, according to the study.

Anderson cautioned that the study numbers are worst-case estimates and can't predict the risk to any individual.

The EPA did not respond to questions about the findings.

The study focused on pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These are organic compounds containing carbon and hydrogen, found in fossil fuels.

The study mirrored other research conducted in heavily fracked areas of the country, including Texas and Pennsylvania, that have focused on volatile organic compounds. These chemicals, including benzene and toluene, also are carbon-based chemicals in the same chain as those studied in Ohio––and they present similar dangers to human health.

With fracking on the rise across the country, the study authors and other scientists say there are simply too many unknowns about the potential health effects associated with the toxic chemicals released from oil and gas operations.

'Growing Concerns and a Lot of Questions'

The study got its start when a group of citizens approached Haynes, a public health expert at the University of Cincinnati, seeking information about health risks from natural gas extraction near their homes.

None of those people said they were sickened by breathing the air, but they wanted to know more about the potential consequences, Anderson said.

"There was some concern with all of the wells that were starting to go in around their homes," Anderson said. "People want to know; wanted to get answers about how all the [fracking] activity might be affecting them."

Anderson and her associates teamed with Haynes to design a study that relied on volunteers to collect air samples in Carroll County, which is home to about 30,000 people.

After volunteers were recruited through a community meeting and word-of-mouth, air samplers were placed on the properties of 23 volunteers; they lived or worked at sites ranging from immediate proximity to a gas well to a little more than three miles away.

The aluminum box monitors contained specially treated material that absorbed contaminants. The volunteers were trained in proper handling of the samplers and documenting data.

At the conclusion of the study, the samplers were sealed in airtight bags and returned to Anderson's lab at OSU for analysis.

The samplers picked up high levels of pollution associated with fracking in the areas studied, according to the report. Levels taken within one-tenth of a mile of a well were highest; they decreased by about 30 percent in samples taken a little more than three miles from a well.

Source: Inside Climate News 
This article has been edited for length.

Concerned about airborne pollution at work or at home? Electrocorp has designed a wide range of indoor air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA that can remove airborne chemicals (such as toluene and benzene), gases, odors, fumes, particles and more. Electrocorp is the industrial division of AllerAir Industries, which offers carbon + HEPA air purifiers for the home. Contact Electrocorp by calling toll-free 1-866-667-0297 or writing to sales@electrocorp.net.

US salons need to nail occupational safety: Advocates

Nail salons will employ more than 100,000 workers by 2022

Many nail salon employees are women
of reproductive age, experts say.

When New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, JD, announced that her office was releasing a report on nail salons last year, it was anything but a frivolous task.

The policy report, “How Safe is Your Nail Salon?,” released in September, took a look at health and safety practices for both consumers and workers in New York City’s nail salons.

And with more than 2,000 businesses licensed to do manicures and pedicures in the city alone, the health of a large swath of the public is affected.

In New York, the salons are regulated by the state — which has just 27 inspectors to help maintain their safety, James told The Nation’s Health.

The health and wellness of nail salon employees is no small matter, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated there were 86,900 manicurists and pedicurists in the U.S. in 2012. That number is expected to rise to 100,400 by 2022.

But that estimate is probably far too low, according to the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, which estimates there are 97,100 manicurists in California alone right now.

Up to 80 percent of those workers are Vietnamese immigrants, and more than 50 percent are women of reproductive age.

Duyen Tran, MPH, an APHA member and the interim outreach coordinator for the collaborative, says there are several reasons that nail salon work appeals to young women in the Vietnamese community.

Some of it is the flexibility working in a nail salon can afford: Employees can tailor their schedules around their families’ needs. Another reason is the ease with which a worker can enter into the industry and start making money. Training courses, which are 12 to 18 months long, and exams are offered in Vietnamese.

“To do nail salon work you don’t need high English proficiency,” Tran told The Nation’s Health. “It doesn’t require intensive English training, so it’s really an opportunity for this recent immigrant population to enter the workforce and use it to support their families and communities in a very short time.”

But joining the workforce means exposure to known dangerous products — and potentially unknown dangers, as well.

Three chemicals pose most risks to workers

The biggest risks to nail salon workers are “the toxic trio:” Toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate are the most common and dangerous ingredients in nail products, including polish and polish remover, that have been linked to serious health risks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, toluene exposure has been linked to tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory loss, nausea, loss of appetite and hearing and color vision loss. High levels of exposure have been linked to kidney damage.

Formaldehyde exposure can lead to irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, causing tearing, and skin irritation, according to CDC, and is a known carcinogen. CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry notes that dibutyl phthalate is linked to organ development issues in fetuses when exposed during gestation.

The toxic trio can be transmitted as airborne particles, through product contact with skin or eyes and via unintentional transfer of the materials to uncovered food, drink or cigarettes, according to research from the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reported that chemical levels can exceed 826 parts per million during the application of acrylics in nail salons, but proper ventilation can drop that to 12.4 parts per million.

Despite these risks, in Nails Magazine’s 2014-15 report, “Nails Big Book: Everything You Need to Know About the Nail Industry,” 34 percent of nail salon workers reported that they never wear protective gloves while working.

Sixty-one percent said they never wear a mask while working. And more than half reported having work-related health concerns. Twenty-three percent said they were uninsured.

Salons can promote safety for workers

Though self-reported low numbers of nail salon workers take safety precautions, state and federal government regulations require certain steps to be taken to ensure worker safety.

OSHA distributes “Stay Healthy and Safe While Giving Manicures and Pedicures: A Guide for Nail Salon Workers,” which outlines workers’ rights to health and safety for both employees and salon owners.

The guide has been translated to Vietnamese, Spanish and Korean. And OSHA has been working to reach out to communities to make sure workers’ rights are well-known, said Mandy Edens, MSPH, director of OSHA’s directorate for technical support and emergency management.

Source: The Nation’s Health; This article has been edited for length.

Do you want to reduce chemical fumes in your nail salon or spa? Electrocorp has designed a wide range of industrial-strength air cleaners for the beauty industry that can remove airborne chemicals and particles, including toluene and formaldehyde. Contact Electrocorp for more information by calling 1-866-667-0297 or e-mail sales@electrocorp.net.

Family says drilling caused health problems

Those living near gas wells
say their health suffers.

Arguments are heating up in western Colorado and other areas over questions about human-health impacts from the region’s oil-and-gas industry.

In Texas, a jury recently awarded nearly $3 million to a family in Decatur, Texas, about 60 miles northwest of Dallas, over the family’s claims that nearby natural-gas extraction activities were making them sick.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, a Roaring Fork Valley doctor has conducted blood and urine tests on a family in Silt who also claim to have been made sick by nearby oil and gas activities.

In addition, Dr. John Hughes, of the Aspen Integrative Medicine group, who conducted the tests on the Silt family, confirmed on Thursday that testing is to be expanded and that he is seeking volunteers from among those living near natural-gas facilities in western Garfield County.

The oil-and-gas industry has long disputed claims that its activities make its residential neighbors sick, pointing to a lack of documentary proof of any such illnesses among those living near gas-drilling facilities.

And in Garfield County, air-quality-monitoring programs detected no violations of federal air-quality standards in 2013 other than “a slight increase in the amount of benzene detected in the air” compared with previous years, according to an April 21 article in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

Still, the Colorado Health Department in February issued new rules for statewide regulation of air pollution by the oil-and-gas industry, and an array of those living near the industry’s wells and other facilities continue to maintain that their air is being fouled by industry activities.

Peggy Tibbetts, of Silt, along with her daughter, Ema, and 12-year-old granddaughter, Hailey, had their blood and urine tested in early April by a nurse working for Hughes.

The testing was done at the family’s expense, Tibbetts noted, saying it was an expensive process undertaken only after the family started showing symptoms that included upper respiratory infections, swollen glands, sore throat, congestion, coughing, sneezing, earaches, shortness of breath and itchy, watery, burning eyes.

The results of those tests have indicated that the family has been contaminated by what are known as volatile organic compounds, substances that are commonly associated with oil- and gas-extraction activities, according to data made available to Aspen Journalism by Hughes’ office.

VOCs in the blood

The samples were sent for analysis to a lab at Colorado State University, which detected the presence of volatile organic compounds — ethylbenzene and zylene — in the blood samples, Hughes reported.

The lab also detected metabolites — chemicals left over by the human body’s metabolic processes — of several volatile organic compounds in the urine samples.

The metabolites, according to the results sent to Hughes, indicated that the patients had been exposed to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene, which together make up the BTEX group of volatile organic compounds, which often are associated with natural-gas activities and some of which are known to cause illness in humans.

Studies have concluded that exposure to certain BTEX compounds can result in skin and sensory irritation, depression of the central nervous system and effects on the respiratory system. Prolonged exposure to these compounds, researchers say, also can harm the kidney, liver and blood systems.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is sufficient evidence from both human epidemiological and animal studies that benzene is a human carcinogen. Workers exposed to high levels of benzene in occupational settings were found to have an increase in leukemia.

The family of Bill and Beth Strudley, who formerly lived on Silt Mesa, in 2010 began becoming ill, experiencing nosebleeds, skin rashes and other ailments.

They blamed their health problems on nearby natural-gas-drilling activity and have filed a lawsuit against the Antero Resources energy company that currently is before the Colorado Supreme Court.

Upon hearing about the Texas jury award, Tibbetts remarked, “It’s great news.”

Industry representatives have maintained that the facts of the case, which was filed as a “nuisance” suit under specific state laws, did not warrant the award, and Aruba Petroleum is likely to appeal.

According to the Law360 website, industry legal experts are worried that, even if the jury’s award is overturned on appeal, the jury’s findings could “give encouragement to plaintiffs considering bringing suit” over similar circumstances as those in Decatur.

Source: Aspen Times. The article has been edited for length.

Are you concerned about the air quality around you? Electrocorp has designed industrial-strength air cleaners that help remove toxic pollutants. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Air contaminants vanishing into walls hamper lab experiments

Models of particle pollution have
been inconsistent, researchers say.

Models trying to predict airborne particle pollutants have been inconsistent over the past decade.

Some airborne particles can vanish into the walls of laboratory chambers, which could explain discrepancies in air pollution experiments. The findings of a new study suggest that models of particle pollution have been off for about a decade.

For their tests, researchers evaporated toluene, an ingredient of car exhaust that can form secondary organic aerosols, in a Teflon chamber.

Unlike previous researchers, they added “seed particles” such as ammonium sulfate. Adding these particles increases the aerosols that form when toluene vaporizes.

When there are no seed particles, the vapors end up sticking to or dissolving into the chamber walls, said Chris Cappa, an assistant professor at the University of California, Davis, and co-author of the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.

“The walls of these chambers act as a sponge for the vapors,” Cappa said.

The findings of a new study suggest that models of particle pollution have been off for about a decade.

Cappa said that previous lab studies have underestimated secondary organic aerosol formation by about two to four times.

These aerosols, which are a byproduct of volatile organic compounds from vehicles and the burning of fossil fuels, are a major part of fine particle pollution.

Known as PM2.5, these particles can penetrate people’s lungs and disrupt their heart.

The discovery could explain why models that have tried to predict particulate levels from emissions inventories have not jibed with levels actually measured in the air.

“Accounting for such losses has the clear potential to bring model predictions and observations of organic aerosol levels into much closer agreement,” the authors wrote.

Laboratory models are often used to estimate regional air quality. And in the past 20 years, scientists have incorporated aerosols into climate models, too, because they can scatter or absorb radiation from the sun.

Aerosols that scatter sunlight would have a cooling effect, while those that absorb it have a warming effect.

The study was limited in that only one compound was tested. However, Cappa said the results should hold true for other aerosol precursors and the researchers plan on testing more.

The experiment doesn’t mean that regional air pollution is underestimated because scientists also use observations from the atmosphere.

“It’s not quite fair to say we’ve been underestimating impact of air pollution, but from a modeling standpoint we’ve been limited in our ability to properly set up strategies for improving air quality,” Cappa said.

Source: EHN

Poor indoor air quality in labs can affect results, staff health and well-being as well as performance. Electrocorp has designed air cleaners for laboratories that remove airborne contaminants without any dangerous by-products. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

How to make nail salons healthier for workers and clients

Chemicals like toluene or formaldehyde in nail products have
been linked to serious health problems, experts say.

Nail salons are where women turn for pampering and polish. But under the luxurious veneer, salons aren't always healthy places to be.

Authorities are beginning to notice the serious health risks associated with nail products and they are starting to act.

Last year, Alameda County's Department of Environmental Health began a Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program to push its roughly 350 salons, which employ 1,000 manicurists, to adopt healthier practices. San Francisco was the first city in the nation to launch such a program in 2012, and Santa Monica followed in July.

Alameda County publicly honored Leann's Nails and six other salons last month for becoming certified in its program. Requirements include installing proper ventilation and ensuring employees wear gloves. Salons also must significantly limit their use of products with chemicals that are health hazards.

"These people are working with these materials constantly," said Pamela Evans, the coordinator of Alameda County's nail salon program. "They're being used right in very close proximity to people's breathing zones."

Losing the 'toxic trio'

The polishes in Leann's Nails come in every hue, from turquoise to fuchsia, but a sign makes it clear that they do not contain what health officials refer to as the "toxic trio": dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde.

Exposure to these compounds can result in headaches, dizziness and irritations in the eyes, skin, nose and throat. It can also lead to more severe, long-term problems.

Dibutyl phthalate, which gives polishes flexibility and a moisturizing sheen, is linked to developmental problems in animals. Toluene, which is used to create a smooth look in polishes, can cause damage to the liver and kidneys and harm unborn children during pregnancy. And formaldehyde, which hardens polish, is a carcinogen.

Those are just the polishes. Businesses that join the county's Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program also must stay away from polish removers with butyl acetate, methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, which collectively can cause drowsiness and irritate the eyes, skin and other parts of the body.

Finally, salons must not use thinners - which remove thick clumps from polish - that contain toluene or methyl ethyl ketone, which is associated with upset stomachs, headaches and loss of appetite.

Environment regulators and consumer advocates have long been trying to limit these exposures.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to evaluate workers' exposure to dust and chemical vapors, and, if the levels are a health risk, provide workers with respiratory gear for protection.

Most work in a nail salon will not require respiratory protection if proper ventilation and safe work practices are in place, according to the agency.

Misleading claims

But it can be difficult to properly evaluate chemical exposures, especially because some nail products that claim to be free of the "toxic trio" in fact contain one or more of the hazardous chemicals, according to a 2012 analysis of 25 randomly selected products by the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control.

Symptoms can also worsen when they go unreported, as is often the case among the thousands of Vietnamese women employed in salons, said Julia Liou, co-founder of the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, a health advocacy group.

Of California's estimated 300,000 licensed nail technicians, about 80 percent are of Vietnamese descent, Liou said. Many do not speak English well, feel uncomfortable complaining to management and are of child-bearing age, when reproductive poisons can be particularly harmful.

"Workers often feel very powerless to invoke their rights to have a healthy workplace," said Liou, who is also director of program planning and development at Asian Health Services, an Oakland community health center.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Remove dangerous chemicals in hair and nail salons

An well designed, industrial-strength air purifier can help remove the toxic fumes and odors that may affect the workers and clients at salons and spas.

Electrocorp offers air cleaners that were specifically designed for hair and nail salons, with a deep-bed activated carbon and HEPA filter as well as source capture attachments for the best protection.

Contact Electrocorp today and ask about customizable air purifiers for nail salons and spas, such as the CleanBreeze 2 or the CleanBreeze 3.

Indoor air quality tested with PTR technique

Emissions from paints and other
building materials contribute to
poor indoor air quality.

Human health is affected by the quality of indoor air and there are countless sources of airborne contaminants.

Emissions from adhesives in carpets, paint, wood fires, cooking, building materials and electronic devices like cell phones, TVs and computers are just some of the contributors. Being indoors, their effect is magnified because concentrations can build up if there is poor ventilation.

The quality of indoor atmospheres can be assessed by a technique called proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) due to the growing commercial availability of relatively small, mobile instruments that can be moved from location to location.

PTR is finding favor in a range of applications apart from air analysis, such as breath analysis for disease diagnosis and food analysis for sensory analysis and quality control.

In the simplest set up, H3O+ ions are produced by a hollow cathode discharge and are reacted with the pollutant molecules to give protonated molecules that are detected in a mass spectrometer.

The proton affinity of the target molecules must be greater than that of water for the reaction to proceed but this is the case for many common indoor pollutants. If not, other reagent ions like nitric oxide or krypton can be injected to produce the protonated reagents.

The ionisation technique is gentle, generally producing no other ions apart from the protonated molecules, but this is sufficient for monitoring purposes if the analytes are known.

Apart from detecting certain airborne pollutants, PTR-MS can also be used in a dynamic way to follow their levels over time. The viability of this approach has been demonstrated by European scientists who carried out a range of different experiments on different materials.

Applications of PTR-MS in Indoor Air:

1) Watching paint dry

2) Printing volatiles and building boards, including

• Laser printer operation
• Diffusion of toluene through a gypsum board (calculating diffusion coefficients)
• Measuring the emission of toluene 

These examples used PTR quadrupole mass spectrometers but another application used a PTR-time-of-flight instrument in which the high-resolution capabilities allowed compounds to be identified as well as measured. This ability was demonstrated by studying the steady-state emission of volatile compounds from an oriented strand board, a type of building board.

The research team recommend the use of PTR-MS for analysing processes and materials in test chambers, like those they used for the current experiments.

Having said that, they point out that the technique does have its drawbacks. Target compounds with low proton affinities could be influenced by the humidity of the surrounding air. In addition, calibration to determine the analyte concentrations can be difficult.

The positive points are the good time resolution, high sensitivity and robustness of the technique. The low mass resolution of PTR-MS on quadrupole instruments can be countered by the new generation of PTR-TOF mass spectrometers to give a broadly applicable technique for studying indoor volatile compounds.

Source: SpectroscopyNOW.com

Remove airborne contaminants such as volatile organic compounds, toluene, benzene, paint fumes and more with industrial-strength air cleaners by Electrocorp, which feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter, a HEPA filter and pre-filters. Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Love manicures and pedicures? Workers face serious health effects

Working with nail polish every day could lead to
serious health effects, experts warn.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Summertime is sandal time and one of the busiest times of year for the thousands of nail salons across North America.

The clipping, filing and polishing industry has become a popular venture.

In Canada’s Toronto alone, residents can pick from 1,152 spots to get their nails done. The state of New York has approximately 4,100 nail salons.

But while most clients see their occasional manicure and pedicure as a treat and an occasion to relax, the technicians servicing their nails are exposed to dangerous organic solvents and harsh chemicals emitted by nail polishes and nail products.

The biggest health threats come from chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetone, toluene and dibutyl phthalate.

Some of the reported health effects include

• Asthma
• Rashes
• Damage to the reproductive system
• Effects to sexual organ development in male fetuses

Experts suggest different tactics to minimize the risks to employees. For example, using spring-loaded bottles for polish remover to reduce the amount of escaping vapors, installing tilted and ventilated tables, using healthier polish brands and high-quality particle masks, updating the ventilation system to remove odors and chemicals and raising awareness among nail technicians.

One of the problems is that many workers in nail salons are recent immigrants from China or Vietnam, who may be too afraid to complain about health problems, researchers say.


Have you ever been affected by the fumes or smells in nail salons and spas? Tell us about it!

Source: The Globe and Mail

Clean the air in spas and nail salons

Air cleaners for nail salons:
5000 and 6000 Salon

When a full HVAC update or renovation project is beyond a nail salon’s budget, individual air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA can help remove dangerous particles, chemicals and odors.

Electrocorp has developed a range of air cleaners for beauty salons and spas that feature some of the largest adsorbent surface areas for gases and fumes and the longest-lasting and most efficient filters available on the market.

The 5000 and 6000 Salon air purifiers, for example, are also equipped with a source capture attachment that can be positioned right above the working area, so that harmful chemicals and fumes as well as fine particles are removed right at the source, before they become airborne.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Show your support for greener and healthier working environments by following this blog.

Toluene exposure kills workers, results in fines for company

Health and safety measures are a must to
protect workers and the company itself.

A company is learning a hard lesson about the importance of health and safety: It faces 12 citations for safety violations after a worker died and another was hospitalized in November.

The workers were overcome by fumes from toluene, a toxic chemical.

According to OSHA, the men did not wear any respiratory protection while working with toluene and they were exposed to higher levels than allowed.

The company specializes in coating production and microscreens and uses toluene, a clear and colorless liquid, as a solvent.

OSHA guidelines limit peak toluene exposure to 10 minutes per single time period for any eight-hour shift, with a time weighted average exposure of 200 parts per million.

The small company failed to monitor toluene air concentrations, adjust ventilation systems when working with toluene, control ignition sources, come up with a hazard communication program, offer worker training on the hazards of coating material and implement other safety measures.

The company can respond to the complaint and defend itself.

Source: Wisconsin State Journal

Control airborne chemicals and fumes with air cleaners

Part of a comprehensive health and safety program includes the use of air cleaners to mitigate risks of chemical and toxic exposures.

Electrocorp has designed portable and attachable air cleaners for a wide range of commercial and industrial applications.

Featuring some of the largest adsorbent surface areas for gaseous pollutants and the most available options and customizations, the air cleaners can remove harmful chemicals, fumes, gases, odors, particles, dust and pathogens with a complete activated carbon + HEPA filtration system.

Contact Electrocorp for more information or options.

   

Report exposes toxic chemicals in supposedly toxin-free nail polishes

Mislabeled nail products put customers and
workers at risk, California investigators say.

A California report raises concerns about some nail polishes in California salons that are advertised as being free of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as being mislabeled.

According to the Department of Toxic Substances Control report, these products could put customers and workers at risk, since these chemicals have been linked to birth defects, asthma and other health problems.

The mislabeled nail products can be found in more than 48,000 nail salons in California.

Use of the three chemicals is legal if the product is properly labeled. The companies may face fines and legal requirements to change product labels.

Investigators found significant levels of chemicals

Out of the 12 products that claimed to be free of toluene, 10 actually contained the chemical, and four products contained dangerously high levels.

The investigators also found that five out of seven products claiming to be “free of the toxic three” had one or more of the chemicals in significant levels.

The mislabeled products include:

• Sation 99 basecoat.
• Sation 53 red-pink nail color.
• Dare to Wear nail lacquer.
• Chelsea 650 Baby's Breath Nail Lacquer.
• New York Summer Nail Color.
• Paris Spicy 298 nail lacquer.
• Sunshine nail lacquer.
• Cacie Light Free Gel Basecoat.
• Cacie Sun Protection Topcoat.
• Golden Girl Topcoat.
• Nail Art Top-N-Seal.
• High Gloss Topcoat.

These nail polishes are only available in salons, not in stores.

Inhaling the chemicals can be a significant occupational health and safety risk for the more than 121,000 licensed nail care technicians working in salons, especially when they are of childbearing age.

Poor ventilation is a common concern in nail salons, which adds to the potential exposure.

Source: CBC News

Source capture air cleaners for nail salons and spas

Spa and salon air cleaners with
source capture attachments.

The air in nail salons and spas can be full of toxic chemicals, odors and other types of pollutants, and general ventilation systems are often unable to provide a healthy indoor environment.

Electrocorp has developed air cleaners for nail salons, hair salons and spas that can remove toxins from the ambient air.

Their multistage filtration system with activated carbon and HEPA protect from the widest range of pollutants and special source capture attachments can remove toxins at the source before they have a chance to spread.

For more information, contact Electrocorp: 1-866-667-0297.
 

Study links air pollution from fracking with health risks

Chemical intruders? Living close to a fracking site
can be harmful to human health, researchers say.

Hydraulic fracturing, a booming oil and gas drilling method, may cause air pollution that may contribute to acute and chronic health problems for people living near natural gas drilling sites, a new study from Colorado School of Public Health shows.

Researchers monitored Colorado fracking sites for three years and found that the air near the wells was polluted with potentially harmful chemicals, including benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene.

Benzene is a known carcinogen and the other toxins have been linked to a wide range of symptoms.

Living within a half mile of a natural gas drilling site increased the health risks substantially. In Colorado, companies are allowed to drill for natural gas within 150 feet of homes.

Since hydraulic fracturing involves injecting water and sand laced with chemicals into shale formations in the ground, opponents have been focusing on the effect the process has on the underground and surface water.

However, the focus may now shift to the air pollution that comes with fracking sites and the potential health effects that those living close by may experience, including eye irritation, headaches, asthma symptoms and cancer.

The EPA is looking at new rules to curb air pollution at oil and gas drilling sites.

The study report will be published in Science of the Total Environment.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Filter out harmful chemicals with carbon air cleaners

Potentially harmful chemicals like benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene can be removed from the ambient air with the right granular activated carbon air filters.

Electrocorp works with environmental consultants and other professionals to help residents and companies close to fracking sites breathe cleaner and healthier air indoors.

Electrocorp’s air quality specialist will help determine the right carbon blend or impregnation to be the most effective for these chemicals.

For more information and recommendations, please contact Electrocorp today.
  
See also:

• Air purifiers for xylene and formalin exposure
• Occupational safety and health: Xylene exposure
• Doctor says studies needed on fracking health concerns

 

Fumes and chemicals in nail salons an occupational hazard

Nail salon workers may be exposed
to dangerous chemicals and fumes.

The chemical smell wafting out of most nail salons may be familiar, but they can pose a health threat to the workers that are exposed to them every day.

A growing concern over the “toxic trio” – the chemicals toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde that can be found in many nail polishes and treatments – have prompted some authorities to pass new regulations regarding the health and safety of nail salon workers, but most continue to work in poorly ventilated areas with little or no protection against the fumes.

Since many nail salon workers are newly arrived immigrants less likely to complain, and many health effects may only become apparent over the long-term, the issues has been flying under the radar for some time.

However, with a growing public awareness of the danger of chemical exposure, and after the toxic trio chemicals were listed as substances that can cause cancer and birth defects, action seems overdue.

In addition, studies have shown that nail salon workers have a greater prevalence of respiratory and skin conditions as well as headaches.

What is the toxic trio?

• Toluene – a solvent found in nail glues, can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, linked to short-term memory loss and neurological problems
• DBP – a chemical used to reduce polish brittleness and cracking, is hazardous for pregnant women and has been linked with reproductive problems
• Formaldehyde – a hardener and preservative, is a known carcinogen and has been linked to asthma

Experts recommend using more natural, organic products and opting for nail treatments with the least amount of chemicals in them. Nail salon workers should have work stations that are well ventilated.

The Salon 5000 and 6000 are ideal
for nail salons and spas.

Wearing a mask will only protect from dust and tiny particles, but not from chemical fumes.

A portable air filter with activated carbon and HEPA and a source capture attachment can reduce the amount of chemicals, fumes and particles right at the source. Electrocorp offers a variety of air cleaners for beauty salons and spas.

Contact us for more information.

Source: New York Times article

 

Indoor air concerns in the healthcare industry

Patients can be exposed to
harmful pollutants at hospitals
and other medical facilities.

Facility managers in hospitals and medical facilities are faced with the daunting task of protecting both patients and staff from airborne pollutants that are known to cause health concerns as well as worsen existing conditions.

Facility managers must meet air quality limits in order to stay in compliance with government regulations.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the ambient air in hospitals is filled with chemicals like glutaraldehyde (used for equipment sterilization), diethyl ether (anesthetic gas), formaldehyde (used to preserve tissue) and of course biological agents.  Even more toxic chemicals can be added to that list if there are ongoing construction and renovation projects and out-gassing of building materials.

Mold - a serious health concern in hospitals

Inhaled fungi causes a stir in hospitals.  According to Disease Control and Prevention centers, an estimated 2 million people contract infections in the hospital while they have been admitted for entirely different ailments.  Frightfully, of these 2 million people, 100,000 die as a result.

Chemical exposure a concern in the healthcare environment

For hospital employees, chemical exposure is common.  Vapor and gases that can have both short and long-term effects on health are ubiquitous in hospital air.

A short list of these chemicals include:

• Xylene
• Glutaraldehyde
• Halothane
• Formaldehyde
• Mercury
• Acrylamide
• Methyl methacrylate
• Ribavirin
• Nitrous Oxide and volatile anesthetics
• Toluene
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Benzene
• Ammonia
• Phthalates

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), exposure to waste anesthetic gases can cause a slew of negative health effects; for example:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Irritability
• Disorientation
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease

These gases are able to escape during procedures, and many studies link waste anesthetic gas exposure to miscarriages, cancer, genetic damage and birth defects. The harrowing effect of these volatile chemicals extends to the spouses of hospital workers, with reports of higher incidences of miscarriage and birth defects.

In addition, hospital workers deal with hazardous drugs designed for cancer and other diseases, for example chemotherapy and antiviral medication. These toxic drugs pose the threat of infertility, leukemia and other forms of cancer.

Where are hazardous pollutants lurking in hospitals?

I-6500 Series: Superior air
cleaning for biological contaminants,
chemicals and particles.

According to OSHA, everywhere.  Hospital pharmacies, laboratories, operating rooms, radiation and x-ray areas, as well as morgues, have high concentrations of hazardous airborne pollutants.

Electrocorp is a global innovator in industrial air filtration, with over 30 years of experience in chemical, odor, particle and airborne pathogen control for applications like the hospital and healthcare industry.  Our customer portfolio includes the Mayo Clinic, the US Army and 3M. We manufacture the most extensive line of air quality management systems, and provide filtration for industry-specific air contaminants.

Our high-performance industrial air filtration systems provide versatile and effective solutions for even the most complex indoor air quality (IAQ) problems.

Each air cleaner is equipped with Carbon +HEPA Technology, which is proven to be the most effective system for solving difficult indoor air problems, and we also offer UV light technology to eliminate biological contaminants.

Contact us for more information.

OSHA issues health alert for hair smoothing products

Many hair straightening treatments contain dangerous chemicals.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor and several State OSHA programs are investigating questions and complaints from hair salon owners and workers about possible formaldehyde exposure from using Brazilian Blowout and other hair smoothing products.

Many agencies have already issued warnings about these products to salon owners, stylists, other salon workers, and clients.

 
Most hair smoothing products contain or release formaldehyde

OSHA has found formaldehyde in the air when stylists use hair smoothing products. Some had "formaldehyde-free" on the label or did not list formaldehyde on the product label or in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The MSDS is required to provide users information about the chemicals in a product, the hazards to workers, and how to use a product safely.

In most cases, OSHA found that hair salon owners did not know that a hair smoothing product contained or could expose workers to formaldehyde because manufacturers, importers, and distributors did not include the correct warnings on product information.

 
What is formaldehyde and how can it affect your health?

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas that presents a health hazard if workers are exposed. You can be exposed to formaldehyde if you breathe it into your lungs, if it gets into your eyes, or if it is contained in a product that gets onto your skin. You can also be exposed accidentally if you touch your face, eat food, or drink after using a product containing formaldehyde without first washing your hands.

Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and nose, and cause coughing and wheezing. Formaldehyde can cause allergic reactions of the skin, eyes, and lungs such as asthma-like breathing problems and skin rashes and itching.

When formaldehyde is in a product that gets sprayed into the eyes, it can damage the eyes and cause blindness. It is also a cancer hazard that is linked to nose and lung cancer. Formaldehyde is a health hazard, whether in a product or in the air.

 
Formaldehyde in beauty salon products

Formaldehyde in keratin-based hair smoothing products might be listed as methylene glycol, formalin, methylene oxide, paraform, formic aldehyde, methanal, oxomethane, oxymethylene, or CAS Number 50-00-0. All of these are names for formaldehyde under OSHA's Formaldehyde standard.

Workers can be exposed to formaldehyde during the entire hair straightening process, especially when heat is applied (e.g. blow-drying, flat ironing).

 
Reduce exposure to formaldehyde when using hair smoothing/straightening products

Salon owners should:

• Test the air if formaldehyde-containing products are used.
• Install air ventilation systems in the areas where these products are mixed and used to help keep formaldehyde levels below OSHA's limit and perform regular maintenance to make sure the systems work correctly;
• Ensure workers understand the information on a product's label and MSDS;
• Tell workers about the health effects of formaldehyde, how to use the product safely, and what personal protective equipment to wear while using the product;
• Give employees appropriate gloves and other personal protective equipment (e.g., face shield, chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant aprons) and train them on how to use this equipment while mixing and applying the products;
• Give workers respirators, if needed; train them to use the respirator properly; and meet the other requirements in OSHA's Respiratory protection standard;
• Train workers how to safely clean up spills and properly throw products out.
• Make sure the workplace has eye and skin washing equipment if products that contain formaldehyde could be splashed onto the workers’ skin or into their eyes;
• Get workers the right medical attention (e.g., doctor exams) if they develop signs and symptoms of an exposure to formaldehyde or are exposed to large amounts of formaldehyde during an emergency (e.g., a large spill).

Employers must also keep records of the air tests they perform, any medical attention needed by their employees, and respirator fit-testing.

Workers have a right to a safe workplace. Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their workplace if they believe that their employer is not following OSHA standards or that there are serious hazards.

Source: OSHA Health Alert

Clean Breeze 3 captures pollutants
at the source.

Air purifiers with source capture attachment provide cleaner air

Electrocorp designs air filtration systems for beauty salons and spas. Our units feature proprietary blends of activated carbon filter media that specifically target the chemicals and odors from dyes, solvents, polishes, fragrances, drying agents, peroxide, and other common salon hazards, including formaldehyde, ethanol and toluene.

The CleanBreeze 3 is designed to capture many harmful airborne contaminants at the source. Equipped with pre-filters, HEPA and an activated carbon filter that offers more inches of bed depth, the CleanBreeze 3 captures more chemicals, gases, odors and particles than ever before.

Contact one of our air quality experts for more information.

EPA to take action on two harmful chemicals

Floor finishes, spray foam insulation and
concrete sealants may expose homeowners
and workers to dangerous chemicals.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released action plans to address the potential health risks of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and related compounds.

Americans may be exposed to these chemicals when they are used in certain applications such as spray foam insulation, sealing concrete or finishing floors.

The action plans are part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s commitment to enhance EPA’s chemical management program. The plans identify a range of actions the agency is considering under the authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act.

“There has been an increase in recent years in promoting the use of foams and sealants by do-it-yourself energy-conscious homeowners, and many people may now be unknowingly exposed to risks from these chemicals,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “EPA is working to protect the health of the American people and the environment.”

Diisocyanates are used to make polyurethane polymers. Most polyurethane products, such as foam mattresses or bowling balls, are fully reacted or "cured," and are not of concern. Some products, however, such as adhesives, coatings, and spray foam, continue to react while in use, and may contain "uncured" diisocyanates to which people may be exposed.

Diisocyanates are known to cause severe skin and breathing responses in workers who have been repeatedly exposed to them. The chemicals have been documented as a leading cause of work-related asthma, and in severe cases, fatal reactions have occurred.

To protect worker health, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates workplace exposures through permissible exposure limits. In contrast to the availability of exposure data for professionals who work with diisocyanates, there is very limited information available about the use and exposure patterns of consumers  who may be exposed to products containing uncured MDI and TDI. EPA plans to carefully consider the potential risks from consumer exposure to these chemicals.

Actions to address concerns associated with TDI, MDI, and related compounds include issuing rules to call in data on any past allegations of significant adverse effects, obtain unpublished health and safety data from industry sources, require exposure monitoring studies for consumer products, and possibly ban or restrict consumer products containing uncured MDI or TDI.

EPA will continue to work with other federal agencies, the polyurethanes industry, and others to ensure improved labeling and provide comprehensive product safety information for polyurethane products containing uncured compounds, especially in consumer products.

More information about spray polyurethane foam.

Source: EPA

Avoid release of toxic substances during home energy retrofits, renovations, experts urge

Lead-based paint in older homes
constitutes a health risk.

Without adequate training and precaution, renovators, energy retrofitters and do-it-yourselfers who disturb lead-based paint, asbestos insulation and other toxic materials in older buildings put the health of all — especially children — living there at risk of serious health impacts.

Lead exposure can lead to lowered intelligence and worse; asbestos exposure can potentially lead to debilitating long term illness, and certain materials used in renovation can increase other health risks, experts warn in a new report by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA).

“Many families in Canada struggle with high energy costs and retrofits help ease the financial burden while aiding the fight against climate change,” says CELA Executive Director Theresa McClenaghan.
“Retrofits, done right, will also make these families’ homes healthier and prevent health problems known to result from mould or inadequate heating and ventilation. Unless care is taken to avoid the release of toxic chemicals and ensure proper ventilation, however, such renovations can create serious health risks, especially for children.”

Report outlines greatest dangers in home retrofitting

The report, “Healthy Retrofits: The Case for Better Integration of Children’s Environmental Health Protection into Energy Efficiency Programs,” offers recommendations for improvement in several areas, including the coverage and design of government energy efficiency incentive programs and policies, the training of energy auditors, the education of contractors and public awareness of the issues.

The main concerns in home renovations were:

-    Lead. Lead was widely used in lead paints and can make its way into the air during renovation work.
-    Asbestos. Asbestos is a known carcinogen for which, like lead, there is no safe exposure level. Disturbing asbestos-containing materials can release microscopic fibres into the air.
-    PCBs. Buildings constructed or renovated in Canada between 1950 and 1978 may also have Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)-contaminated caulk around windows and door frames and in other masonry building materials. PCBs cause cancer in animals.


Choosing healthy building materials
The report notes that sealing and tightening a building to improve energy efficiency can reduce air exchange, resulting in more concentrated levels of indoor pollutants and potential health troubles.

New building materials such as such as caulking, sealants, glues and insulation that contain volatile organic compounds can off-gas or release toxic chemicals such as benzene, toluene and formaldehyde.

Recent studies have shown that the risk of asthma and respiratory diseases increases in infants or children exposed to formaldehyde or particleboard with formaldehyde-based glues, phthalates or plastic materials and paint fumes.

Polystyrene insulation material also carries potential health risks. It is manufactured by combining two carcinogens, ethylene and benzene, to produce ethylbenzene, which then forms styrene. Polystyrene often contains the flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), a long-lasting compound associated with decreased fertility and effects on the thyroid gland.


Seek out information before starting renovations

• The US EPA offers a free handbook, “Renovate Right”
• The Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment has a Safe Renovations Fact Sheet Series that will be augmented with additional educational materials as the Healthy Retrofits project moves forward. For more information, go to www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca

Editor’s note: This release has been edited. Read the full public release.

Source: EurekAlert Science News

Scientists discover new method to detect air pollution

Researchers at Kyoto University have successfully completed a study where they used a newly formulated entangled framework of porous crystals (porous coordination polymers, or PCPs) to capture air pollutants.

The mixtures start glowing in a variety of different colors when exposed to ultraviolet light and are visible to the naked eye.

The CPC reacts with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, xylene, anisole and iodobenzene.

According to the Jan. 26 article in Science Daily, this breakthrough could lead to the development of new mobile, solid-state pollution detectors. So far, chemical sensors have to be custom-designed to detect certain compounds, and another mechanism is needed to prove that VOCs have been captured.