10 Dangerous Everyday Things in Your

Home
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/tips/dangerous-
home-products.htm
1. Studies on one active ingredient in some repellents, paradichlorobenzene, found
that it can cause cancer in animals [source: EPA]. Although scientists do not know if it
is also a human carcinogen, the animal trials provided sufficient evidence to urge people
to handle them with caution. Other types of moth balls use naphthalene, which after
prolonged exposure can damage or destroy red blood cells [source: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention]. The chemical can also stimulate nausea, vomiting and
diarrhea.
2. Pesticide is a broad term that encompasses a variety of chemical formulas that kill
everything from tiny microorganisms up to rodents. They could be insecticides,
fungicides, disinfectants or other varieties. Because these are poisons, the
U.S. EPA requires pesticide manufacturers to include the toxicity level of the product
on its packaging.
3. Pressed wood products also include particle board, fiberboard and insulation, which
were particularly popular for home construction in the 1970s.
However, the glue that holds the wood particles in place can cause a sticky situation for
people. Some products use urea-formaldehydeas a resin, and the U.S. EPAestimates
that this is the largest source of formaldehyde emissions indoors, which can increase as
well in hotter, more humid conditions [source: EPA].
Formaldehyde exposure can be dangerous, possibly setting off watery eyes, burning
eyes and throat, difficulty breathing and asthma attacks. Scientists also know that it can
cause cancer in animals, which leaves open a possibility for the same in humans.
If you live in an older house with pressed wood paneling or insulation, the good news is
that it releases less formaldehyde as it ages [source: EPA]. Using a dehumidifier and air
conditioning to keep the indoor environment temperate can help. Today, pressed wood
products also are more closely regulated to reduce formaldehyde emissions.
4. Indoor carpeting has recently come under greater scrutiny because of the volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) associated with new carpet installation. Although the
popular floor covering isn't inherently dangerous, people have reported health problems
associated with it [source: EPA].
The glue and dyes used with carpeting are known to emit VOCs, which can be harmful
to one's health in high concentrations [source: Consumer Reports]. But often, the initial
VOC emissions will subside after the first few days following installation
[source: Consumer Reports].

5. A 2007 study from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia found that
some laser printers give off ultra fine particles that could cause serious health problems
[source: He, Morawaska and Taplin]. Another study from the National Institute of
Public Health also confirmed that laser and ink-jet printers can release volatile organic
compounds(VOCs), ozone, and particulates[source: Kagi et al].
Tests so far have shown that concentrations of the released particles return to normal
levels after a couple of minutes [source: CBC]. But depending on the size of the specks
and exposure time, they have been linked with heart and lungdisease [source: Davis].
For that reason, the biggest implication for this finding is in office settings, where
someone may sit next to a printer.

6. In 1991, the U.S. government declared lead to be the greatest environmental threat to
children [source: EPA]. Not a big surprise considering the nasty effects that lead
exposure can have on adults and children alike. Even low concentrations can cause
problems with your central nervous system,brain, blood cells and kidneys[source: EPA].
It's particularly threatening for fetuses, babies and children, because of potential
developmental disorders.
The hubbub surrounding lead paint isn't a new one, but still warrants discussion since
many houses built before 1978 contain lead paint [source: EPA]. The intact paint on a
surface won't kill you. Only once the paint begins to peel away will it release the
harmful lead particles that you can inhale. For that reason, do not try to remove lead-
based paint by sanding, scraping or burning it because that will liberate the toxic metal.
Leave it to a professional instead.
This is the same type of paint that set off the widespread recalls of toys from China in
late 2007. Retailers feared that children could ingest the paint, possibly contributing to
brain damage [source: Lipton and Barboza]. Regulated commercial paints and painted
products in the United States today do not contain lead.

7. Air fresheners and cleaning solutions freshen and sanitize our indoor habitats.
However, a study by the University of California at Berkeley found that when used
excessively or in a small, unventilated area, these products release toxic levels of
pollutants. This comes from two main chemicals called ethylene-based glycol
ethers and terpenes[source: Science Daily]. While theEPA regards the ethers as toxic
by themselves, the non-toxic terpenes can react with ozone in the air to form a
poisonous combination [source: ScienceDaily].
Air fresheners in particular are linked to many volatile organic compounds, such as
nitrogen dioxide. Concentrations of this chemical are two to five times higher indoors
than outdoors, which can cause cancerin some animals [source: EPA]. Some fresheners
also contain paradichlorobenzene, the same chemical we discussed earlier
with mothballs.
Cleaning your bathroom or spritzing air freshener shouldn't make you sick, but you
must keep air circulating through the area as a precaution. Professional house cleaners
should especially ensure that they aren't breathing harmful levels of these chemicals on
the job [source: ScienceDaily].

8. Canada has taken the first steps to outlaw the sale of baby bottles made
from polycarbonate plastics, which are the most common type on the market. It has
done so because the plastics are made with a chemical called bisphenol-a (BPA). When
heated, these types of baby bottles can release BPA.
What's wrong with a little BPA mixed in with a baby's formula? BPA has a structure
very similar to estrogen and for that reason is referred to as a "hormone disruptor." As
the name implies, hormone disruptors can interfere with the natural human hormones,
especially for young children. According to a joint U.S.-Canada study conducted by a
group of environmental health organizations, BPA in products and inside
awoman's body (from using BPA-containing products) may cause development and
neurological problems for fetuses and infants based on the results of extensive animal
trials [source: The Working Group for Safe Markets].
In one study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 93 percent of
participants had detectable levels of BPA in their systems [source: CDC]. Of those,
children had the highest concentrations [source: CDC]. Other common products
containing BPA include refillable plastic bottles, compact discs and some plastic eating
utensils [source: CDC].

9. Commonly used in mattresses, upholstery, television and computercasings and circuit
boards, flame retardants have likely saved many lives by preventing unexpected fires in
homes across the world. However, science has revealed a darker side to these chemical
superheroes, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs for short, found in a
variety of consumer plastics. Two forms of PBDEs were phased out of use in
manufacturing in the United States in 2004 because of related health threats
[source: CDC]. However, the products containing them and their cousin deca-PBDE
linger on.
Studies have linked PBDEs to learning and memory problems, lowered sperm counts
and poor thyroid functioning in rats and mice [source:Underwood]. Other animal
studies have indicated that PBDEs could be carcinogenic in humans, but that has not
been confirmed [source:CDC].
People can inhale them through air and dust or ingest it by eating animal products that
contain it [source: Duncan]. And once these get into our bodies, they set up camp.
These chemicals have spread so extensively that traces of them have also shown up in
waterways.
In humans, PBDEs accumulate in females' wombs and breast milk, passing the
chemicals along to infants [source: Cone]. Likewise, the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has discovered levels of PBDEs in almost all people tested for it
[source: CDC]. Future CDC studies will focus on the safety of deca-PBDE, which could
lead to a complete phase out of these flame retardants.

10. Phthalates, also called plasticizers, go into many products dotted around your
bathroom and vanity, including hair spray, shampoos, fragrances, deodorants and even
your rubber ducky. Along with increasing the durability and flexibility of plastics,
phthalates also bind the color and fragrance in cosmetic products.
Why worry about this chemical additive? They may demand a higher price for beauty
than you wish to pay. Like BPA mentioned earlier, these hormone-like chemicals are
linked to reproductive and developmental problems in animals. Because of these
findings, California and Washington state have banned the use of phthalates in toys for
younger children [source: Underwood]. Nationwide manufacturers no longer use them
in baby pacifiers, rattles or teething rings [source: CDC].
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to complete more research
on the effects of phthalates before judging its safety in consumer products. However,
the agency recognizes a potential for lowered sperm count in boys and premature breast
development in girls, among other things [source: CDC]. As for cosmetic products, the
Food and Drug Administration maintains that levels in products are safe for adults but
also is studying the potential effects in infants and children [source: FDA].

Ver tambm:
http://www.curaeascensao.com.br/alimentacao_saude/agrotoxico/agrotoxico1.html