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Take Back The Air © 2006



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WOOD SMOKE - Not just a nuisance, but a severe health hazard!
  • Recent studies by Harvard University in 6 major American cities showed that during a 3-month experimental ban on wood burning, hospital death rates from respiratory disease and heart attacks went down dramatically.
  • Wood smoke is vastly more concentrated than cigarette smoke.
  • The higher the particulate pollution, the higher the death rates in the general population.
  • London has banned wood and coal burning since 1957 when thousands of people died in a devastating high-particulate smog incident.
Wood smoke is implicated in:
  • Asthma attacks
  • Heart attacks
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
  • Birth defects
  • Autism
  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
See www.burningissues.org

 

SCENTED LAUNDRY PRODUCTS:
  • Contain toxic fragrance chemicals (even if called "natural" or "safe") that are on the "Top 10 Killer Household Chemicals" list (US Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency).
  • Fragrance chemicals contain many of the same toxins and carcinogens that are in cigarette smoke.
  • The fragrance industry does not have to disclose what is in their products, so the public is not protected.
  • Fragrances contain phthalates, the hormone-disrupting and so-called "gender bending" chemicals that are also in plastics.
  • Phthalates in fragrances can cause genital malformations and other birth defects, especially in baby boys. All birth defects are dramatically on the rise.
  • Fragrances in scented laundry products are breathed into the lungs 24 hours a day, as are all scented products such as lotions, hairsprays, scented candles, and air fresheners.
  • Chemical fragrances invade others' air space without their permission.
  • Essential oils are usually chemically-enhanced and become "terpenes" in the distilling process--with properties similar to "turpentine", a classified hazardous substance.
  • "Natural", "non-toxic", and "organic" do not mean safe. Any label that says "fragrance" usually means the product contains carcinogenic chemicals.
All chemical fragrances are implicated in:
  • Asthma attacks
  • Migraine headaches and nausea
  • Heart attacks
  • Cancer
  • Autism
  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
  • SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)
  • Birth defects
Download the fragrance flyer, "Breathe Easier—Hold the Fragrances"

www.mcs-america.org

 

LAWN CHEMICALS:
  • Harm pets and people.
  • Can cause cancer.
  • Can cause birth defects.
  • Children and pets track these chemicals into homes.
  • Cause ground pollution which runs into streams and lakes.
  • Invade people's air space without their permission.
  • Exacerbate asthma.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  • Stop using fragrance chemicals, including essential oils.
  • Use unscented laundry detergents, available at most grocery stores (make sure the ingredient list does not say "fragrance").
  • Use unscented fabric softeners--available in many grocery stores, and especially whole foods stores. Look up natural recipes online, or stop using them altogether; often they are not really needed.
  • Whole Foods stores have many healthier household cleaning products; look for products that say "fragrance-free".
  • Know that "Non-toxic", "Organic" and "Natural" do not mean free of harmful fragrance toxins. If a product has fragrance in it, it is usually chemically enhanced.

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