http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/02/27/new-home-makes-family-sick/ Reporting on Sustainably Built Environments from Bricks to Cities Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/02/27/new-home-makes-family-sick/comment-page-1/#comment-129879 Sylvia Le Flohic Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:58:00 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=968#comment-129879 I have read your article with much interest. I was diagnosed with formaldehyde ( a carcinogenic substance by the way) sensitivity a few years ago and since then I make sure to limit my exposure to this chemical that is used so widely in our modern sociteties. A couple of years ago, I joined a low carbon consultancy firm who had recently relocated to a "green" building. Within two weeks, I felt so sick that I had to leave the office and work from home. I immediately knew that it was formaldehyde, I guess emanating mainly from the carpet, the electronic equipment and colleagues perfumes/deos. This experience has left me with a big dilemma: How can we reconcile low carbon buildings with a healthy environment? Unless the occupants have a high awarenesss of formaldyde (which is in all products that we use daily: deodorants, perfumes, wahsing powders, new stuff especially the scented type, etc., they are bound to fall ill.  I fear that this is a time bomb and it might make the asbestos crisis look like a small problem in comparison. We have just heard that the number of respiratory-related cancer among women has gone up sharply in the last few years. Coincidence or an indicator of a new crisis on the horizon? Sylvia  Le Flohic I have read your article with much interest. I was diagnosed with formaldehyde ( a carcinogenic substance by the way) sensitivity a few years ago and since then I make sure to limit my exposure to this chemical that is used so widely in our modern sociteties. A couple of years ago, I joined a low carbon consultancy firm who had recently relocated to a “green” building. Within two weeks, I felt so sick that I had to leave the office and work from home. I immediately knew that it was formaldehyde, I guess emanating mainly from the carpet, the electronic equipment and colleagues perfumes/deos.
This experience has left me with a big dilemma: How can we reconcile low carbon buildings with a healthy environment? Unless the occupants have a high awarenesss of formaldyde (which is in all products that we use daily: deodorants, perfumes, wahsing powders, new stuff especially the scented type, etc., they are bound to fall ill.  I fear that this is a time bomb and it might make the asbestos crisis look like a small problem in comparison. We have just heard that the number of respiratory-related cancer among women has gone up sharply in the last few years. Coincidence or an indicator of a new crisis on the horizon?
Sylvia  Le Flohic

]]> http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/02/27/new-home-makes-family-sick/comment-page-1/#comment-24693 New Homes Making People Sick | Integrity Block Blog Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:44:55 +0000 http://greenbuildingelements.com/?p=968#comment-24693 [...] subject are the ingredients used in the materials to construct them. The Wilson family mentioned in this piece from Green Building Elements highlights a problem that needs to be addressed, and is as important [...] [...] subject are the ingredients used in the materials to construct them. The Wilson family mentioned in this piece from Green Building Elements highlights a problem that needs to be addressed, and is as important [...]

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