[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Green Cleaners

[Drew A. Gillett P.E.]

i used to laugh these symptoms off in others, but i've learned.  after mild 
exposure to fibreglas dust and rock wool dust, i am now quite sensitive and 
develop an immediate asthma when exposed to low level but noticable amounts. 
i now stay out of attics without some dust protection and handle fibreglass 
very gingerly.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Seth Melchert" <dmelchert at earthlink.net>
To: "Greenbuilder list" <greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 9:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Green Cleaners


> Over the years I have worked with people with Multiple Chemical
> Sensitivity (MCS), also called Environmental Illness (EI). While many
> are only moderately sensitive to toxins in their homes and lives, some
> are way off the scale. In my experience they are not being dramatic,
> hypochondriacs or fussy. It would seem that their bodies had been
> whacked out by some sort of chemical trauma which made them hyper
> sensitive, and they are unable to get back to normal. Seemingly
> innocuous things such as isopropyl alcohol, scent from those cling-free
> sheets people put in their clothes dryers, newsprint ink, new wood
> resins, duct tape glue (I could go on writing a very long list) now make
> them ill. Allergy doctors in general are unable to help very much
> either. It is as if some sort of critical mass had been reached in their
> bodies and from that point on they are in an entirely new quantum level
> of sensitivity. Normal MSDS criteria no longer apply.
>
> While I myself am not sensitive to these things I've had to train myself
> to perceive them. You can start by walking down the gardening isle in
> any mainstream store to experience the assault on your body by
> fertilizers and pesticides. Then go to a mainstream drug store and
> choose cosmetics or detergents. From here, try paper products or
> medicines. Each level is more subtle, but I have learned that even the
> faintest of chemicals can set people off. Right now I have a client who
> is reacting to some AFM Safecoat clear finish. Another to Bona Chemi
> Traffic catalyzed floor finish. These are way out on the clean end of
> the scale, but that is no guarantee to MCS folks. My mistake was to not
> give them samples to check ahead of time.
>
> So Keith you are really on your own. Your own body is the testing
> laboratory that will determine any product's toxicity to you. I am
> sorry, and I wish you luck. If you can stay clean, real clean for a
> period of time my hope is that you will lose your hypersensitivity.
>
> By the way, you are a rare case of an MCS man. Most are women.
>
> best wishes,
>
> Seth Melchert
> Oakland CA
>
> Keith Winston wrote:
>> Just to be clear, since I got several personal emails on this:
>>
>> It wasn't the scent. I didn't get high.....
>> I almost died. I am not being melodramatic.
>>
>>
>> Of course in retrospect this was all very stupid (did I mention this was
>> stupid?), but it seems unlikely to me that I could be THAT overcome in
>> one case, and it's all friendly and yummy when used in smaller
>> quantities. But I don't really know about that.
>>
>> Keith
>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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