When I was a kid, I loved that new plastic smell! I also liked the smell of gasoline. I think they are pretty comparable safety-wise. Those around me will see often see me smelling products, especially baby toys before I buy them. I really don't care if people think I look funny. I know that when I can smell a plastic (particularly the softer ones), it is probably dangerous. Some smells are ok, so it is good to research a little if you really need a product. For instance, natural rubber has a very strong smell but is safe depending on how it is treated. For the most part though, if you can smell it, it is poisonous.
This is a giant topic but we are going to tackle it in deceptively manageable bites that will devour the issue from all sides before you know it. In this post I'd like to talk about furniture... DUM DUM DUM
When I was pregnant with the kiddo we had an old beat up couch. That thing was impossible to get up off of; imagine me at nine months pregnant trying to lever myself off a couch with cushions that were essentially bean bag chairs. Ugh. So we started looking for couches when the baby came and that was when I discovered what off-gassing really is when I did just a little researching. How in God's name did I go almost three decades on this planet without hearing about the dangers of off-gassing?
What is OFF-GASSING anyways?
Basically anything made with any kind of chemical will vent some or a good bit of it's toxicity as the chemicals evaporate into the air. The product gets less toxic over time but the interior air quality suffers as a result. This can happen over a short time or a long time depending on the product. Here is a great blog that goes into detail with how to off-gas really any new product including electronics, furniture, clothing, cars(i won't be buying a new car - that was my requirement when we got a vehicle - at least 3 or 4 years old) http://chemicallyinjured.com/life-at-home/off-gassing Here is one I just learned today: Mail especially junk mail & magazines are extremely toxic because of the widespread use of formaldehyde (a known carcinogen).
A new traditionally made couch has formaldehyde off-gassing from the press-board (look for real wood with non-toxic finishes), off gassing foam, glues, finishes, fabric dyes, dangerous flame retardants, etc. That new furniture smell is poisonous. Working in a furniture store should be considered hazardous. I am not exaggerating That is why I couldn't believe I hadn't known any of this until only recently.
Due to the off-gassing of all of the new materials in couches, we knew we could not get a cheap new couch (http://www.wholeliving.com/134005/how-get-rid-new-couch-smell) no matter how tempting the crazy sales of beautiful furniture were. Because of a newborn in the house who has very tiny, sensitive lungs, we had to be even more careful. However, reupholstering a used couch is dangerous because all the chemicals get unleashed when you pull the fabric off. Also, older couches are dangerous because the regulations for flame retardants were even worse than they were today. Don't quote me, but at some point I read that before 2004, the chemicals used were even MORE toxic, if you can believe that. And in the really old or just really worn couches, the foam is deteriorating into dust in the air which means you are getting this chemicals directly into your system. I looked at eco-friendly, truly all natural options and the price tag left me spinning as I looked at our cheese & crackers budget.
This is when I would have become overwhelmed. New couches are dangerous, old couches are dangerous; I think I called my husband in a minor hysteria over it all at the time. My back was against a wall. I began looking for other options. We happened to have a family member with a couch that was about five years old but that had barely been used. This meant that it was pretty much off gassed but not deteriorating flame retardant foam at all. So we didn't have to figure out how to buy a $1500 eco couch!
The key: Like all things I will talk about, find the balance. Find creative ways to avoid buying new, off gas any furniture outside of the house if possible, research how to off gas particular products the quickest to keep the toxins out of your precious family's lungs.
Here are some tips to improve current air quality:
One excellent way to filter the VOCs (volatile organic components) released in off-gassing is simple... House Plants! Check out this site... http://www.greenyour.com/home/lawn-garden/houseplant/tips/choose-plants-that-purify-the-indoor-air They recommend that you:
Place two to three plants in each room of your house, or about 15 plants for every 1500 square feet. Spice it up and use a variety of air-cleaning plants.Make sure you get plants are not poisonous to your pets or children that put things in their mouths if you have them.
Also, I learned last year from healthychild.org that opening your windows for five minutes a day vastly improves inner air quality.
Everyone is different and there is no hard and fast solution that fits everyone. For each home and family there is a balance that works that can be found with a little trial and insight.
Love to all
Val
