Title: Silent Dangers: Traditional paints, solvents emit harmful toxic chemicals | | journalnow.com
Headings: Silent Dangers: Traditional paints, solvents emit harmful toxic chemicals
Silent Dangers: Traditional paints, solvents emit harmful toxic chemicals
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Content: We’re talking about a risk of respiratory, cognitive and developmental health problems that will last their lifetime.” The EPA’s office of research and development’s “Total Exposure Assessment Methodology Study” found that levels of organic pollutants average 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. During and for several hours immediately after certain activities, such as paint stripping, levels may be 1,000 times background outdoor levels. Some organic chemicals are known to cause cancer in animals and some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Among the immediate symptoms that are sometimes experienced with exposure are eye irritation, nose and throat irritation, allergic skin reaction, nausea, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, fatigue and memory impairment. In individuals who are exposed to high levels of VOCs for long periods of time, such as professional painters, there have been reports of damage to the liver, kidneys and nervous system. People with breathing problems and young children should be protected from paint fumes. Currently, there are no regulations for the homeowners or occupants regarding the toxins in paint and related supplies. But there are regulations by the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration limiting exposure for professional painters doing residential painting, according to Neal O’Briant, spokesperson for the NC Department of Labor. These regulations acknowledge the dangers of these toxins.