Toxins 101
Where are toxic substances lurking in your home?
Harmful toxins adversely affect our health and are found in everyday consumer products as well as in the air, water and food. Chemicals from industrial processes or products cycle through the natural world, and when we drink, eat and breathe contaminated water, food and air, those nasty chemicals end up in our bodies and can cause serious health problems. Just ask Erin Brockovich.
Chemicals cycle through the ecosystem
Many toxic substances can build up in the ecosystem and ultimately accumulate in our food sources. For example, mercury is released into the air by coal-fired power plants and other industrial processes. Mercury accumulates in the food chain, meaning large fish contain more and more mercury with every contaminated food they eat. When we eat those big fish, we absorb and store the mercury in our bodies. Also, when common but hazardous materials like electronics and batteries end up in landfills or are incinerated, they can release harmful substances back into the natural world.
Home sweet home
Indoor air can actually be more polluted than outdoor air — about 3 -10 times more polluted — because of low ventilation in homes and the off-gassing of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) from common synthetic materials like paint and carpet. Outdoors, herbicides and pesticides used for major agriculture or in lawns and gardens accumulate in soil and water and can have neurologically damaging effects if introduced into our bodies. Pesticides and herbicides sprayed on crops end up in our mouths. Harmful chemicals can be found in everyday detergents, cleaning products and building materials like paints, carpets and adhesives — even cosmetics.
