[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: [BULK] Re: Green Cleaners

Wed Dec 6 11:49:09 CST 2006

At one point I could amaze people by washing my hands with poison ivy
leaves with impunity, that ability vanished when I was about 12.  Since
adulthood I've noticed more and more reactions to various irritants,
soaps, perfumes and cleaners, including asthma symptoms, runny nose,
headaches and so on.  I think it is a combination of becoming
sensitized, becoming aware that this is possible, and being afraid of
anything that smells like the things that set me off before. I know
others who have developed allergies as they get older.  I also thought
MCS was akin to hypochodria, now I don't laugh at it anymore.  I think
more people have this to a mild degree than we realize. 

Scented candles, cats, strong cleaners, cat boxes, infestations of
cochroaches, any kind of old dust in houses, dogs, tobacco, and horses
all set me off now.  Many of these things are addressed by LEED and
Green indoor air quality measures.  Extra heavy filtration and outdoor
ventilation air  on air handling equipment is now a requirement, in my
house at least, not a luxury.  I don't consider myself to have MCS, just
a lot of allergies, but I can empathize with those who do.  

Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP

-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Drew A.
Gillett P.E.
Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 9:25 AM
To: David Seth Melchert; Greenbuilder list
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Green Cleaners
Importance: Low

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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