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Tushy
Wipe with water instead of toilet paper—turn your toilet into a bidet in 10 minutes for less than $100. NO plumbing, NO electricity, NO hassle. Fits most standard two-piece toilets.
Does Ecos Air Purifying Paint Make Toxic Chemicals Stick To The Walls?
This past week on my Zero Toxics Facebook Group there was a question about ECOS Air Pure Air Purifying Paints.
I have used many ECOS paint and varnish products, but I’ve never used their “air purifying” products, and I just had a thought about them. They have trade-secret “inert minerals” that “trap” various harmful toxins and “transform each wall in your home into a massive indoor air filter.” This sounds good until you realize that this means THE HARMFUL TOXINS NEVER LEAVE. I wondered what group members think about this, and if anyone has used these products.
Since I can’t write a lengthy response on Facebook that includes multiple images and links, I thought I would respond here and link there.
This is actually a very good question.
I read everything on the webpage and then called ECOS and spoke with Julian Crawford, CEO of the company that is the US Distributor of Ecos Paints. I interviewed him in 2014 when I was doing Toxic Free Talk Radio (listen to our interview here)
Julian answered all of my questions and explained very clearly that the paint TRAPS the chemicals and then HOLDS them on the walls, thereby removing them from floating freely in the air where you can inhale them. The chemicals DO NOT release back into the room.
The web page says “VOC-neutralizing.” To me that means make something that was previously toxic becomes neutral. To ECOS this means that the room becomes neutral of toxic chemicals.
They consider applying this paint turns your room into a giant air filter. And it does, to a degree. It passively and silently is removing chemicals 24 hours a day to the capacity of the paint to hold the chemicals. How long it takes for the paint to reach capacity depends on how much VOCs are in the room. I have always been an advocate of removing chemical exposures as the first choice, but I also know there are times when it’s not possible to remove. A paint like this just might be perfect for a rented apartment, for example, where neighbors are sending toxic VOCs your way. But I would also have on hand a dedicated air filtration unit that removes both particles and VOCs to turn on when you need it.
Here are the reductions in chemicals present in the air of a room following the application of this paint (to read more, Click on tab “Data Sheets” then “APP Performance Test”.
I also noticed that ECOS is participating in the “Declare” program of the International Living Future Institute.
Below is the ECOS Declare statement that lists all the materials that are used in this paint. I’ve rewritten the ingredients along side because I find this format difficult to read.
Vehicle: Water
Binder: Oleic Acid, Sulfonated, Potassium Salt
Extender Pigment: Titanium Dioxide, Kaolin Clay (Calcinated), Hectorite
Thickener: Calcium Carbonate, Xanthan Gum
Absorbant: Zeolite, Rheology
Modifier: Hydroxethyl Alcohol Cellulose, Polyoxyethylene Trimethyldecyl Alcohol
Dispersant: Ammonium Polyacrylate, Polyacrylic Acid
Preservative: 1-Hydroxy-2(1h)-Pyridinethione, Sodium Salt
Defoamer: Paraffin Oil
Retarder: Glycerin
Antimicrobial Adhesion: Vanillin
This is an interesting list of ingredients. Ecos does not claim their paints are “natural,” they claim their paints are “odorless.” Julian sent me a box of samples of all their different types of paints and finishes before our interview in 2014 and they certainly were odorless. But if you have a personal need to eliminate petroleum, this isn’t your paint.
It’s interesting to me that on one hand there are petroleum ingredients and on the other hand there are edible food ingredients such as sodium and potassium salts, xanthin gum, and zeolite.
In addition to air purifying paint, ECOS also has
- Air Purifying Primer
- Air Purifying Varnish
- Anti-Formaldehyde Paint
- Anti-Formaldehyde Radiator Paint
See them all at ECOS Air Purifying Products.
Flosspot
This is the best dental floss I’ve found. Materials are natural and biodegradable and it comes in a refillable glass jar. No plastic here of any kind. There are two types. Flosspot is made from silk worm silk floss with a coating of candelilia wax for a smooth glide between teeth. Flosspot Gold is silk made from corn husks, coated with candelilia wax, and a ginger-mint flavoring. Both are certified by the USDA as biobased products.
The Date Lady
I love dates as a sweetener. Now you can get all the deep sweetness of certified organic dates in a syrup that is easy to use. Comes in it’s own squeeze bottle. “The organic dates in this delectable syrup were sun dried on palm trees deep in the Coachella desert. The fruit from this arid climate results in a golden brown nectar with notes of rich butterscotch that you might want to eat on… everything.”
Once Again Nut Butter
A line of nut butters from peanut to hazelnut, some organic, others not. The difficult thing about natural nut butters is they separate. This company has made the first certified organic peanut butter that doesn’t separate.” It’s stabilized, like supermarket peanut butter, but uses organic palm oil instead of unhealthy fats. Like other stabilized peanut butters it contains sugar, but if you want a peanut butter that tastes and spreads like a favorite supermarket brand, but is all organic, this is it. And if you are a fan of that chocolate-hazelnut spread, here’s an organic version (first ingredient organic sugar). These might not be the healthiest nut butters, but if you’re going to eat them, here’s an organic alternative.
Known Supply
Pima cotton t-shirts in various colors and styles for women and men. The thing that is different about these clothes is you know who is making them. Labor is transparent.
Seventh Generation Disinfecting Spray (and Other Alternatives)
Question from JC
Hi Debra,
Thanks for all your efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy!
I was wondering about using the Seventh Generation Disinfecting Spray (lavendar scent) on my son’s mattress where he was sick recently.
His skin would not come into contact with it directly and it dries quickly, but I wanted to double check with someone more knowledgeable regarding its safety!
Thanks again!
Debra’s Answer
Here are the ingredients for this product from the Seventh Generation website
ACTIVE INGREDIENT:
Thymol (present as a component of Thyme Oil): 0.05%.
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
- Water
- sodium lauryl sulfate
- copper sulfate pentahydrate (bluestone)
- citric acid
- sodium citrate
- essential oils fragrance††
Compressed air (propellant).
- Coriandrum sativum (coriander) fruit oil
- cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) oil
- eucalyptus globulus leaf oil
- lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil
- lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil
- mentha viridis (spearmint) leaf oil
- pelargonium graveolens (geranium) extract
- pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil
- vanilla planifolia flower extract
- vanillin
†† Linalool is a component of this fragrance
OK so first, let’s note that the active ingredient is Thyme Oil. That’s what is doing the disinfecting. Just search on “thyme oil” and you’ll find many articles on it’s effectiveness as a disinfectant. So you could simply buy thyme oil and spray it on his bed and it would be like using the herb in food, but stronger. And there are other essential oils that could be used for disinfecting as well.
But back to the product you want to use.
I don’t see any ingredients that are particularly toxic here, they are just unnecessary to do the disinfecting.
I’m not sure about how they have worded the fragrance ingredients. There seems to be an “essential oil fragrance” that contain Linalool along with other essential oils. And then they list some other essential oils. So I’m not really sure about all this fragrance. And linalool might cause skin rashes but…
I don’t have a toxic reason to tell you not to use this product,
My only reasoning is simpler is always better.
Here’s another interesting post I came across while researching this:
KITCHEN STEWARDSHIP: EPA Says Natural Disinfectant as Effective as Bleach
High Cotton Ties
Apparently is a tradition in the South for men to wear brightly striped cotton bow ties, and you will certainly find a good selection here. Made of 100% cotton with no stain resistant or “no iron” finishes.
Bryr Studio
Stylish clogs made just for you from a solid block of lindenwood (finish with a natural wax) and leather “made in the United States by heritage tanneries.”
2NFrom
Beautiful handcrafted hats for women and men, bags and accessories made from “upcycled bits of leather, silk, hemp, organic cotton, and precious findings, along with a diversity of fine fabrics, leather, and locally sourced materials from their Northern California Fibershed. This exclusive, limited edition handmade collection is a fine balance of craft and art .” These really are works of wearable art.
