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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