Last week I received a new post from the O Ecotextiles blog regarding Environmental Working Group’s recent post about couches without flame retardants.

As the sisters who founded O Ecotextiles pointed out, while it’s good that California revised their law about flame retardants, shame on EWG for simply going along with the flame retardant free message being promoted, and failing to talk about the other toxic chemicals in the handful of sofas they mentioned.

This is exactly the problem with any claim of being free of a single chemical, whether it be lead-free, fragrance-free or flame-retardant-free. Products could certainly be free of one chemical but contain many others, as pointed out in the blog post from O Ecotextiles.

Of course, you can find the real toxic free sofas on Debra’s List on my Interior Decorating | Furniture page. 

Read the post at O Ecotextiles blog for more info on toxic chemicals in sofas: The Environmental Working Group’s recent post about “five couches without flame-retardants.”

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Question from Ellen

Hi Debra,

Can anyone recommend an good non-toxic exterior paint that is hopefully also durable? I’ve been putting off various painting jobs for fear of exposure to fumes. I’d be especially interested in hearing any experiences.

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from TA

Hi Debra,

I live in an area where periodically a truck will drive through, spraying into the air something to deal with mosquitoes. I don’t know what they’re using but assume it’s probably toxic.

Do you know anything about this? Is it something that does its job right away and then dissipates by the next day (and thus I could just find out when they are going to spray and plan to stay inside for that day or two)?

Or is it something that continues to be toxic to us long after the fact?

I saw a mosquito control association website which indicated that those with chemical sensitivities can request that their property not be sprayed, but I am trying to track down how I would arrange for that here in our area.

And I’m wondering if it’s necessary to do so – to make a special request, I mean – since the whole neighborhood will be sprayed anyway. I guess they’d just turn off their spray as they approached our house? But that seems kind of silly, since it would be in the air all around us and our neighbors anyway!

Debra’s Answer

You need to contact your city mosquito abatement agency and ask them what they are using. Then leave me a comment here and I’ll be able to answer your question.

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Question from Hannah Ellen

Hi Debra,

I am considering installing new siding on my home, partly for aesthetic reasons and partly for health reasons.

Currently my home has wood shingles that are covered with aluminum siding on 3 sides and vinyl siding on the fourth.

I don’t love the way it looks and would love to replace with fiber cement boards or wood.

Partly I would like to get rid of the aluminum siding for EMF reasons.

However, I assume that the wood shingles underneath have lead paint on them, though the lead inspector was not able to verify this because they were completely covered. So I am trying to weigh risks – some EMF issues with keeping the house as is vs. the potential disturbance of lead-painted shingles if they are removed.

We would certainly leave the house during the work and keep all windows closed tightly. However, with 2 children under the age of 6, I don’t take lead hazards lightly. Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated as always 🙂

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

What I would do is have someone remove one or two pieces of the aluminum siding so the lead inspector can really see what is underneath. Lead-removal professionals are supposed to remove lead in a safe way that doesn’t spread it around the surrounding environment.

So get more information before you make a decision.

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Question from Joyce Kerkhoff

Hi Debra,

I am glad I found this site.

I am trying to make my home and that of my family as toxic free as possible.

I have recently bought glasses made by Libby; and table ware made by oneida, and have bought knives made by Henckles. Also earthen ware made in China exclusively for Williams-Sonoma.

The plates have colores of orange, green, yellow and background of white. I try to find out about the glazes used and the level of possible iron and cadium. I do not find this information.

I recently rid myself of inherited glassware from my grandmothers used back in 1940’s. and 1950’s. Was also gievn pewter steins made in Germany back in 1992.

Would appreciate your help.

Debra’s Answer

I wish I could give you information about all these items, but I don’t have it either.

I have never had any experience with knives being a problem.

I assume clear glassware to not be toxic, based on the ingredients used to make glass.

As for the ceramicware, get some Lead Check Swabs. If it tests positive it’s for sure toxic, if it tests negative, there’s probably no lead but we don’t know about other metals. I use clear glass dinnerware and ceramic pieces that I have tested safe with LeadCheck swabs.

I need to get some dinnerware manufacturer to test their dinnerware so we know it’s safe…

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Question from Jonathan

Hi Debra,

I found your site to be a wonderful source of information, and was hoping you might be able to help me with a question or two.

I am considering buying a country home, in Upstate New York. It is across the street from a golf course. (Given the acreage of the property, it’s reasonably far away.) There is also a gas station a few thousand feet away. I know that both of these are concerns, but how great a concern are they? I have three young children, and the entire point of the country home is to give them a place to play outside. Is that safe?

Thanks so much.

Debra’s Answer

Distance really is the deciding factor. I wouldn’t buy a house bordering on a golf course or next door to a gas station, but a few thousand feet away should be sufficient.

I would just check the prevailing winds. If they are blowing in your direction, you’ll get fumes from these sources.

Also I would check what pesticides are used to maintain the golf course. Many golf courses have switched to less toxic maintenance. If your golf course isn’t already with the program, you might suggest they look into it. Just search the interest for “IPM golf courses” and many websites will come up. IPM is Integrated Pest Management, a program that greatly reduces pesticides if not eliminates them altogether.

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Question from Patricia Thomson

Hi Debra,

I recently was given a different vehicle to drive at work a 2005 Chevrolet Express Van. There is a disintegrating layer of foam on the ceiling of the front seat covered by a thin layer of cloth. The cloth had departed from the ceiling so there was foam dust falling into the dashboard. I taped up the cloth to the ceiling using duct tape and covered any exposed foam with duct tape and cleaned the vehicle. Is there anything else I can do to seal off the ceiling. It’s a work vehicle – I don’t have a choice in the vehicle I use but would like to be safe while driving it. I also thought about getting a good quality auto air filter. Has anyone had experience with one that was good?

Debra’s Answer

If I really want to block fumes I use heavy duty aluminum foil or foil-backed building paper if I need extra strength. I tape around the edges with foil tape. This works without fail. Not pretty, but it blocks and you can put something better looking over it if you want.

In the past I had an auto air filter by E. L. Foust. It worked very well. You just plug it in to the cigarette lighter.

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Question from Nancy Carew

Hi Debra,

We are building a new house and I have multiple chemical sensitivities. I have a question about closet shelving. I believe you suggested wire shelving to someone else who wrote in. I read about Rubbermaid wire shelving and it says it is recycled steel with an iron phosphate coating and the finish coat covered with an epoxy-polyester powder coating. Closetmaid uses PVC coated steel. Would you feel the Rubbermaid is a safe choice? Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

Yes, you figured that out exactly right.

The epoxy-polyester powder coating is baked on and makes a “hard” finish that doesn’t outgas.

The PVC coating is a “soft” finish that outgasses.

BTW, all steel nowadays contains at least some recycled content whether noted on the label or not.

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One way to find products that contain fewer toxic chemicals is to look for products “Made in USA.” While some foreign products can be less toxic than those made in the USA (particularly some products from Europe and especially from Germany), many many products on USA store shelves com from foreign countries that do not have laws that restrict the use of toxic chemicals.

While most organizations that support “Made in USA” products feel that manufacture of the product by USA labor in a facility in the USA is sufficient to warrant a Made in USA claim, federal and state regulations that apply to claims that products are “Made in USA” don’t agree.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a Made in USA standard that applies if a product makes a “Made in USA” claim. According to the FTC, “Made in USA” means “all or virtually all” the product has been made in America.  That is, all significant parts, processing, and labor that go into the product must be of U.S. origin.  Products should not contain any – or should contain only negligible – foreign content.”  (http://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/complying-made-usa-standard)

The State of California agrees, requiring that every component of a product be made in the USA.

California law prohibits the sale or offer for sale of any merchandise that is labeled “Made in the USA” or similar words “when the merchandise or any article, unit, or part thereof, has been entirely or substantially made, manufactured, or produced outside of the United States.” (http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=17533.7.)

There is value in purchasing “Made in USA” products that refer only to USA labor and business ownership. This keeps our dollars in the US economy. But USA laborers can very easily assemble toxic materials from other countries. If you are wanting, for example, to avoid products made in China, a “Made in USA” label would be misleading and inaccurate if the materials being used came from China.

I’m in agreement with the Federal and California state law. To me, Made in USA means that the raw materials are sourced in the USA, and processed and assembled in the USA. From beginning to end.

If you are looking for “Made in the USA” products, it’s important to ask if the claim refers to labor, or labor and materials. Manufacturers should know the country of origin of their materials, as well as the source of raw materials and any processing done to them. They should know, but often don’t.

Just be careful when you see “Made in USA” and make sure the materials come from the USA as well as the labor.

Question from Jamie Smith

Hi Debra,

I am looking for an organic mattress. I have never heard of this brand but it claims to be organic. From what you know, does this seem legit?

Thank you so much for all you do!!

http://www.saatvamattress.com/saatva-mattress.html

Debra’s Answer

There is a very specific definition of organic mattress. The only mattresses I know of that qualifies for this definition—established by the Organic Trade Association and the Global Organic Textile Standard—is Naturepedic. They now make adult mattresses as well as crib mattresses.

Saatva is not an organic mattress.

The cover is made from organic cotton.

The foam is “bio-based”. My understanding of bio-based is that it is basically polyurethane foam with a little vegetable oil added. It still would be flammable and require some kind of fire retardant, which is not mentioned.

The coils are made from recycled steel. That doesn’t make it organic, and all steel coils are now made from recycled steel. Virtually all steel in every consumer product is now is made with some, if not all, recycled content.

See Debra’s List: Beds & Bedding for more mattress choices.

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