The Old is New

1. The Old is New Kathleen Norlien MN Dept. of Health

2. Gasses emitted from certain solids or liquids May cause short or long-term adverse health effects Indoor concentrations up to 10Xs higher than outdoors Health effects- dependent on “dose” and sensitivities Need to look at each specific chemical for health effects Irritants (eye, nose, throat, lungs, skin) Headaches, dizziness Central Nervous System (CNS) effects Some are carcinogens Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

3. Manage your environment& protect yourself! • 1. Eliminate source of pollutant • Don’t use the chemical/product • Remove/reduce pollution source • Control harmful gases • 2. Ventilation • Use outdoor venting fans • Open windows or doors • Maintain HVAC equipment and appliances • If still needed, purchase an air cleaner/purifier (may help) • Use “HEPA” filter-type! • Ok to use electro-static types • Don’t use ozone producing (ionizing) air cleaner • Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for certain tasks

4. Use low irritancy, low toxicity products • Use labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to identify preferable products • Choose low Volatile Organic (hydro) Carbon (VOC) emitting products • No fragrance products • Proper use and storage

5. Read and follow directions– “the label is the law” • Read and heed any Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) • Maintain good ventilation- fresh air while applying, drying, curing products • Toss unused containers • Keep kids and pets away from materials • Most common hazard- ethylene glycol (antifreeze/radiator fluid) • Most common place child poisoning occurs- grandparents home • Never mix household cleaners/products unless directed on the label Safety Precautions

6. Chemical Biocides • May be used to kill bacteria and/or fungus in flooding situations • Initially may “clean” and disinfect, however, long-term effect against mold recurrence becomes problematic (not a substitute for proper building construction, maintenance, use, management and other appropriate water control methods) • Used to control legionellae in water-cooled, heat transfer equipment

7. Over 1,000 antimicrobial pesticide products registered with EPA with mold and/or mildew claims • Alcohols • Aldehydes (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde) • Halogens (“bleach”– chlorine, bromine, iodine, fluorine) • Heavy metals • Peroxides (hydrogen peroxide) • Phenols (Lysol) • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (“Quats”) Chemical Biocides (cont.)

8. Eliminate source of pollutant

9. Chemicals • Hobbies and crafts • Storage of chemicals over winter • Air fresheners • Cleaning supplies • Pools and hot tubs • Building renovations • Decorations and new furnishings

10. Air Care Air freshener Odor removers/eliminators Automotive Care Motor vehicle wash Tire/wheel cleaners Windshield water repellant Cleaners & Degreasers Pressurized gas duster Dusting aids Fabric care Dry-cleaned clothing Fabric softener Fabric protectants Carpet cleaners Spot removers Lubricants/Penetrants Personal Care Aftershave Astringents Personal fragrance products Sealants/caulking Waxes and Polishes Floor maintenance products Future Nail care products Paint thinners Greenhouse gases Classes of Chemical Products To Be Addressed by the State of CA

11. California Air Resources Board • Research: ozone producing air cleaners • Four models of ozone generators tested • All exceeded 0.08 ppm • None would have passed the FDA standard of 0.05 ppm for medical devices • Laws and standards • Formaldehyde: Regulate wood products used in cabinets wall and floor materials Examples:particleboard, plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF)

12. Consumer products regulation • Reduce 30-40 tpd VOCs by 2014 • Limits must be commercially and technologically feasible • Cannot eliminate a product form • Prohibit use of perchloroethylene, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene • Education • Fragrance policies • Climate change– Early action measures (incentives) CARB (cont.)

13. Paint removerMethylene Chloride CH2CL2 USE ONLY OUTSIDE– WELL VENTILATED AREAS Methylene chloride is metabolized to formaldehyde and carbon monoxide

14. What is formaldehyde? • H2CO • A gas– an irritant • The simplest of the aldehydes Carbonyl group

15. Odor ………………………………….. Eye & nose irritation, nasal stuffiness, lung discomfort (coughing, wheezing, bronchitis symptoms)….. NIOSH ceiling limit………………….. ACGIH ceiling limit………………….. OSHA STEL…………………………. Allergic reactions, worsening of asthma symptoms…………………… Cancer…………………………… ….. 50-500 ppb 40-500 ppb 100 ppb 300 ppb 2,000 ppb Variable No “zero risk” level Health Effects: Formaldehyde ACGIH estimates 10-20% population sensitized to “very low” conc. <250 ppb

16. Historical Use • UFFI: Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation • MDH legislation addresses this. Since 1985, Minnesota has required that manufacturers of building materials made with urea formaldehyde provide a written disclosure. • New furniture is not included in these product standards. • No person shall remake or renovate any article of bedding unless all the material to be used…shall first be thoroughly sterilized and disinfected by the methods set out herein… • “Formaldehyde and sulphur concurrently in a moist atmosphere for a period of not less than ten hours. Formaldehyde gas shall be generated from the use of one pint of formaldehyde solution, 37% to each 1.000 cubic feet of air space, or though the use of any of the high class commercial fumigators which generate an equivalent quantity of gas.”MN statutes 325F.28, 1929

17. Minnesota’s Concerns:Mid 1980’s Spray Foam Insulation Urea formaldehyde (UFFI) Phenol formaldehyde Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Emits isocyanates

18. Minnesota’s FEMA Housing These were mobile or manufactured homes FEMA “Trailers” HUD “Park Models” Could be travel trailers, park models and mobile homes…<320 ft2

19. Brazilian Blow Out (and other products) • Hair straightening treatment- “keratin treatments” • NIOSH found that Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, Formaldehyde Free Smoothing Formula contained 11% formaldehyde by weight • Air levels exceeded NIOSH and ACGIH ceiling limits

20. Brazil Blow Out (cont.) • Formaldehyde (CAS 50-0-0) = methanal, methylene oxide, formalin, and methylene glycol • Formaldehyde in water, a diol (CAS 463-57-0)= methylene glycol or methane diol

22. Formaldehyde • Wood products • particleboard, plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF); often used in cabinetry, wall and floor materials • Coatings and furniture products • acid-catalyzed urea formaldehyde type finishes • Consumer products • fingernail hardeners, nail polish, wallpaper, some other paper goods, paint, coatings; often a preservative in these and other products • Permanent press fabrics • clothing, linens, draperies • Combustion appliances • wood stoves, gas appliances, kerosene stoves • Smoking products • cigarettes, cigars

23. Other Products • Carpet pads and mastic (glue) • Latex paint • Photocopier toner • Perfumes, colognes, and essential oils Environmental Health Perspectives Charles Weschler October 2006

24. Indoor concentration depends on… • Amount of formaldehyde emitted by products and number types of products present • Extent of their use • Loading factor (m2/m3)–surface area relative to volume of indoor space • Ventilation and fresh air provided • Temperature & Relative Humidity • Material age • Interaction effects

25. How to reduce formaldehyde levels in the home • Source control • Remove sources of formaldehyde in home • Reduce use of items that may emit formaldehyde • Restrict tobacco smoking to outdoors • Ventilation • Bring more outdoor air into home • Consider installing whole-house fan or fresh air ventilation system • Exhaust all combustion appliances directly to outdoors • Keep temperatures moderate (warm temperatures, e.g., 50 raised to 90 degrees can double formaldehyde emissions) • Keep relative humidity at 40-50% (or less)

26. CLEARING THE AIRFilters, Scrubbers, Cleaners, Ozone Generators

27. Least likely of all racial and ethnic groups to report having rule to protect themselves from secondhand smoke in workplace or home • 69.3% did not allow smoking at home (compared with 79.1% of nation overall) • 68.4% where smoking at work not allowed (compared with 75.3% of nation overall) US Census Bureau- Tobacco Use Supplement 2006-07 Smoking Statistics: American Indians and Alaska Natives

28. Inefficient wood stoves • Unpaved roads • Tribal populations at increased risk from proximity to emission sources • 82.3% American Indians and Alaska Natives live within 50 miles of major NOx sources • 65.8% American Indians and Alaska Natives live within 25 miles of major PM10 point sources National Tribal Air Association, Tribal Air Quality Status Report, 2009 US-EPA Region 10, Pacific NW, 1/12/2010 Other Sources of Particulate Pollution

29. Johns Hopkins SPH Image Library

30. Text Morphology From EML-Lab

31. New concerns after 9-11 • 3 primary routes of transmission • Direct contact (fomites) • Large droplets MMAD >10 µm • “social distancing” - 3 ft. from source • Small droplet nuclei MMAD < 10 µm • C = S (1-e –Iqpt/Q) ASHRAE Position Paper on Airborne Infectious Disease 2009 Airborne Infectious Disease

32. Equipment to “Condition” the Air • HVAC system- as part of home equipment* • Heating devices such as space heaters • Window air conditioners • Humidifiers* • Dehumidifiers* • HRVs–Heat Recovery Ventilators • ERVs–Energy Recovery Ventilators Equipment to “Clear” the Air • Fans and filters • Air cleaning devices *

33. Inspect, clean, repair home and equipment at regular intervals • If you have forced-air system, use good quality pleated filter and change filter regularly –Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) non-commercial 1-12 –11-12 deep-pleated, electrostatically charged Over time… a) Electrostatic efficiency decreases b) Filtration increases Proper Maintenance of HVAC System

34. Respond to minor problems before they become major problems Use equipment you have (fans) Use safe practices for renovations Proper HVAC Maintenance (cont.)

36. U of MN

37. Contact Information Kathleen Norlien Minnesota Department of Health kathleen.norlien@state.mn.us 651-201-4613 www.retahome.org

38. Household Equipment Needing Fans & Vents • Boilers, furnaces, hot water heaters • Fireplaces, wood burning stoves • Clothes dryer–vent to outside and maintain clear opening • Bathrooms–for moisture • Kitchen ranges–especially gas burners • Remove moisture, odors, grease • If gas oven or range, remove products of combustion such as CO, NOx • Must be vented to the outside • If it’s not reasonably quiet, many people won’t use it

39. Air Cleaners or Purifiers 1. Eliminate source of pollutant • Remove/reduce pollution source • Minimize dust • Control harmful gasesAprilaire 5000 (whole house) Friedrich C-90A (portable) 2. Ventilation • Maintain HVAC equipment and appliances • Use outdoor venting fans • Open windows or doors 3. If still needed, purchase an air cleaner/purifier —Check out Consumer Reports—

40. Ozone Generators • Produce ozone intentionally (to kill bacteria, viruses and other biological contaminants) • Associated with “clean” odor • Like after a thunder/lightening storm • Can lead to increased indoor levels of formaldehyde and ultrafine particles • Ozone in our outdoor air regulated by EPA under National Ambient Air Quality Standards • 0.08 ppm for 8-hour standard • 0.12 ppm for 1-hour standard

41. Inflammation and irritation of lung tissue Coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing Can trigger asthma attacks May lead to permanent lung damage in children Increased risk of premature death in susceptible populations Health Effects of Ozone

42. Marketing • These types of air cleaners/purifiers are marketed to individuals most susceptible to adverse effects of ozone • Families with young children • Asthmatics • The elderly

43. If you must… • Choose whole-house or portable • Whole house air cleaner will only work with forced air systems • Correct size for area • Removal of particulate is specific to particle size or chemical concentrations • Filtration-type air cleaner • Non-ozone generating • Pleated fabric-type • Charcoal • Filters may need to be replaced according to instructions; • Maintain equipment

44. Use healthy home benchmarks Identify major sources of asthma triggers Provide low cost solutions where possible Vacuum Damp dust But always…