Sick Building Syndrome: (Public Health)

[Wiilo]

Some indoor air pollution can provoke complaints among building occupants of problems such as chest tightness, mucsle aches, cough, fever, and chills. These symtoms if what is now termed Building Related Illness (BRI) may persist for an extended time period after affected persons leave the building, but they have clearly identifiable causes and can be clinically diagnosed. SBS refers to situations where building occupants experience various forms of acute discomfort-eye iritation, scratchiness in the throut, dry cough, headache, itchy skin, fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, nausea and dizziness--but no causative agent of such symptoms can be found. Furthermore, these symptoms generally vanish soon after sufferers leave the building (sometimes the complaints are associated with only one part of the building or even with a single room).

This situation has become so widespread in recent years that a committee of the World Health Organization had suggested that as many as 30% if the world's new and remodeled building may generating complaints. Synthetic mineral fibers released into the air from acoustical ceiling tile and insulating material have been identifies by the researcher as Cornell University as the prime cause of many SBS situations. Most often, however, SBS had neeb traces to inadequate ventilation and its rise in frequency parallels efforts since the 1973 Arab oil embargo to incorporate energy conservation features in building design. Building codes require that a specified minimum amount of outside air be provided in order to establish an acceptable balance between oxygen and CO2 indoors, to dilute odors, and to remove contaminants generated wthin the structure. Therefore, be aware of such things.

[raula]

Wiilo-indeed a good read. Also, do Westerners' (those who live in developed world-especially in USA) know the health and environmental hazards that pertain to VINYL CHLORIDE and its additives/derivatives (such as PVC, dioxine)? Studies have proven that Vinyl chloride, PVC and dioxine can result in mutations and lead to several cancers and tumors (e.g Larynx, throat, uterus, angio-sarcoma etc). It has also been proven to lead to some fetal dysfunctional developement. The astounding aspect of VINLY CHLORIDES wide effects, is that its all around us-about 60-70% of urban houses in USA use VINLY siding(for outside coating) because its resistant to denting and normal wear and tear.

 

*nevertheless this documentary " BLUE VINYL " (or VINYL producing state in LOUISIANA)-some call it "cancer alley"-as in BOUTEN ROUGE (a city in LOUISIANA) will boost your knowledge about toxic wastes and especially the most common one in the USA.

[Wiilo]

Well, raula, good question, why don't we do a survey and ask ppl what they know about that.

 

 

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