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Title: hotels, stores, Doctors and Dentists, Health Car


1
Chemical Injury
  • Bonita Poulin
  • Canadian CoordinatorGLOBAL RECOGNITION
    CAMPAIGNMultiple Chemical Sensitivityand other
    Chemically Induced Illnesses, Diseases
    Injuryaffecting civilians and military
    personnelwww.mcs-global.org 

2
Studies show many illnesses could have an
environmental/chemical connection
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Asthma
  • Autism
  • Brain Central Nervous System Damage
  • Cancer
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome
  • Gulf War Syndrome (GWS)
  • Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
  • Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue
    Syndrome (ME/CFS)

3
  • Parkinsons
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Arterial Sclerosis
  • many forms of Arthritis
  • Macular Degeneration
  • Lupus
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Alzheimer's,
  • ALS (Lou Gehrigs)

4
How to know when youve had an exposure?
  • Whenever you can
  • Touch
  • Taste
  • Smell
  • a chemical
  • you have already been exposed!

Some chemicals/fumes cannot be seen or smelled
5
How do chemical injuries happen?
  • one or more large exposures or multiple smaller
    exposures over time via
  • Ingestion
  • Inhalation
  • skin contact
  • absorption through eyes

6
How I Got Sick
  • worked 10 years at a laundry detergent factory
  • responsible for making sure chemicals were being
    added things were flowing through the various
    pipes, pumps etc.
  • developed first case of Bronchitis during first
    week working in dept 5 more times during first
    2 ½ years
  • in 1991 the companys enzyme hygiene program
    found several employees were sensitized to
    enzymes

7
How I got sick
  • investigation revealed defective respirators
  • better respirators purchased for the entire plant
    with strict training maintenance program
  • were told to wear PPE and no health problems
  • 1994 I developed asthma using inhaler
  • 1995 department safety, enzyme and hazardous
    system coordinator - moved me into the office
    area still did tours, inspections

8
How I Got Sick
  • 1997 developed bilateral carpal tunnel and tennis
    elbows, - I did not do any repetitive work
  • carpal release surgeries on both hands
  • more carpal tunnel arthritic symptoms
  • diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • 1998 back to regular technician job in department
  • after 3 days of working with chemicals I started
    having some serious problems - left hand arm
    was swollen to twice the size of my right hand

9
How I got Sick
  • ordered by plant doctor to take 3 days off to
    rest
  • rheumatologist - only office work indefinitely
  • carpal tunnel symptoms continued Rheumatoid
    Arthritis spread worsened
  • short term disability for several months and my
    carpal tunnel healed by itself
  • back at work - trouble thinking clearly
    concentrating, severe fatigue spontaneous
    crying for no reason

10
How I Got Sick
  • carpal tunnel symptoms started up again
    Rheumatoid Arthritis got worse
  • discovered Brown Antibiotic Protocol for
    Mycoplasma as a cure to Rheumatoid Arthritis
    talked family doctor into trying it in fall 1989
  • worsening of symptoms from die-off so was
    referred to an Environmental doctor on Ottawa
  • provocation neutralization testing discovered
    many food environmental allergies chemical
    sensitivities that contributed to symptoms

11
How I Got Sick
  • list of things to avoid, strict diet, nutritional
    supplements serums to neutralize reactions and
    build up immunity
  • dr. advised me to stop working at factory but I
    refused pay benefits too good
  • avoidance serums worked well for while -
    asthma, carpal tunnel and Rheumatoid Arthritis
    got better
  • new symptoms - slurring speech, staggered gait,
    constant nausea, dizziness, reduced sensation on
    the left side of body occasional jerking of my
    right hand - couldnt read what I had written

12
How I Got Sick
  • environmental doctor discovered I was on verge of
    a stroke with thick sticky blood
  • dr. insisted I take a couple of weeks off work
  • advised us to remove all chemicals from home
    wash everything in Borax baking soda to
    eliminate residual chemicals
  • the more of this we did, the better I felt - no
    longer sick while at home
  • now I got nauseous dizzy from a whiff of
    perfume, woodsmoke or other exposures was
    constantly vomitting.

13
Living With MCS
  • no longer able to tolerate any environment other
    than my house totally disabled by MCS
  • for over a year I had to wear disposable mask
    everywhere to reduce exposures
  • we owned a hobby farm 5 miles east of Brockville
  • whenever wind blew from the town the factorys
    perfume would make me nauseous dizzy, even
    inside my home.
  • installed electronic air filtration - helped
    while inside but still sick when I went outdoors.

14
Living With MCS
  • started having more and more left sided weakness
    (partial paralysis) unable to look after my
    horses
  • 2005 decided we had to move away from area
  • used map to find area with few roads, very little
    farming and no industry
  • used pollutionwatch.com website that tells all
    the polluters in area when postal code punched in
  • searched For Sale By Owner websites until we
    found our safe house in Quadeville

15
Living With MCS
  • house was 10 years old, built of century logs,
    sits high on hill surrounded by forest, no
    neighbours for ½ a mile
  • inside is all natural wood with hardwood and
    ceramic floors, no drywall and no basement
  • equipped with energy conserving Heat Recovery
    Ventilator with charcoal filter and humidity
    control

16
People I Know Have Developed Multiple Chemical
Sensitivities From
  • pesticide application
  • carpet installation
  • construction and renovations
  • inhabiting a sick building (pesticides, moulds)
  • handling strong chemicals
  • burning CCA pressure treated wood and garbage
  • breathing polluted air

17
What is MCS? Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
  • a chronic condition
  • affecting multiple organ systems
  • symptoms recur reproducibly
  • in response to low levels exposures to unrelated
    chemicals
  • symptoms improve when incidents are removed
  • reactions may be immediate or delayed

18
Is MCS An Allergic Condition?
  • MCS is not an allergic condition although it is
    sometimes described that way in order to make it
    easier to understand.
  • Many of the immediate MCS reactions occur via the
    central nervous system rather than the immune
    system. i.e. migraine, numbness, nausea

19
Principals of MCS
20
Adaptation
  • Because the body is constantly exposed, the
    reactions become the normal state and so
    reactions to specific things go unnoticed.
  • However, the person never feels well and
    complains of various symptoms never relating them
    to exposures.
  • After several days of avoidance symptoms clear
    and then can be noticed when they reoccur after a
    new exposure.

21
Bipolarity
  • Reactions to environmental stimulus can be
    emotional and often varies from depression to
    mania and can change from one to another very
    quickly. Patients are often misdiagnosed as
    bipolar.

22
Biochemical Individuality
  • The total body burden from current and past
    illnesses and exposures and the immune system
    status of the patient as well as their parents.
  • Studies have shown that chemical exposures can
    cause changes for several generations.

23
Spreading or Kindling
  • One sensitivity leads to many more and to
    unrelated items.
  • MCSers usually also develop intolerances to foods
    eaten regularly and hypersensitivities to molds,
    pollen, algae, insect bites, and medications, all
    of which can be
  • life-threatening.

24
Switching
  • With repeated exposures symptoms become more
    severe and can become life threatening i.e.
  • anaphylactic shock instead of nausea

25
Why is it so important for an MCSers to avoid
exposures?
  • Each exposure causes the MCSer to
  • . become less tolerant to exposures
  • . develop sensitivities to new things
  • . reactions can become more serious and even life
    threatening!

26
What causes MCS?
  • MCSers have defective detoxification pathways
    meaning their bodies accumulate toxins instead of
    removing them. These defects are caused by
    exposures to certain chemicals.
  • Many MCSers can pinpoint the exact time of their
    sensitization and most often it is linked to
    exposures to pesticides or solvents.

27
MCSers can develop symptoms from exposure to
  • Scented products
  • Solvents
  • Body care products
  • Construction materials
  • Furniture / Appliances
  • Cigarette Smoke
  • And more

28
Symptoms of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
  • . can affect any part of the body
  • Severity and duration of the reaction depends on
  • type of chemical involved
  • frequency, intensity and duration of the
    exposure
  • history of past exposures, especially recent
  • biochemical makeup of the person i.e. immune
    system status, health and exposures of parents

29
Common MCS Symptoms
respiratory illnesses neurological
problems mental /cognitive capacity severe muscle
and joint pain mood swings extreme
fatigue Regardless of the form in which the
symptoms of MCS manifest themselves, it is a
reaction to the toxic chemicals in our
environment not to smells.
30
How prevalent is MCS?
  • . An alarmingly increasing public health problem
    worldwide especially in industrialized areas
  • . Millions of people of all ages, including young
    children, have become sensitized following
    exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment.
  • . Toxic pesticides that are used in schools,
    housing, offices, malls, lawns, public parks and
    facilities, contribute greatly to the incidence
    of MCS.  

31
Canadian MCS Statistics
  • Socio-economic impact of MCS study of Canadians
    in 2001 by the
  • Environmental Illness Society of Canada
  • 4 million Canadians (approximately 15) are
    affected by chemical sensitivity, half a million
    of whom are severe cases, with 5,000 being
    disabled by this condition.
  • 10 billion are lost in productivity,
  • 1 billion is lost in taxes,
  • 1 billion is used in avoidable health care
    costs,
  • 1 billion in (avoidable disabilities) paid
  •  

32
MCS Causes Many Life-changing Losses
  • health
  • ability to work and support self/family
  • financial security and ability to buy
  • self-confidence and self worth
  • hobbies and enjoyment
  • social interaction (family, friends)
  • entertainment (movies, concerts, shopping,
    dining)
  • marriage and relationships
  • ability to complete activities of daily living
  • home (live year round in cars, tents etc.)

33
What is it like to live with MCS?
  • Imagine a life in which you have to stay away
    from anyone using regular laundry and personal
    care products and places that use chemicals lest
    you become ill?
  • A teacher who cant be near books or photocopies
    or work in a portable classroom
  • A soldier that cant tolerate cleaning their gun
    or polishing their boots

34
Who Acknowledges MCS?
  • Canada Pension Plan
  • WSIB
  • CMHC
  • Nova Scotia Workers Compensation
  • Health Canada
  • Ontario Ministry of Health
  • Ontario Medical Association
  • Nova Scotia Medical Association
  • Nova Scotia Department of Health
  • Public Works Canada
  • Public Service Alliance of Canada
  • Ontario Human Rights Commission
  • Canadian Human Rights Commission

35
The Ontario Canadian Human Rights Acts state
  • Employers, schools, offices,
  • hotels, stores, Doctors and Dentists,
  • Health Care Facilities, other
  • public places and transportation
  • must make their premises accessible
  • and provide reasonable
  • accommodations.

36
MCS Disability
  • . Most disabled MCS patients are denied
    disability pensions because there are no tests
    to prove It because medical science cannot agree
    on test requirements.
  • . The chemical manufacturing industry has
    launched an anti-MCS campaign designed to create
    the illusion of controversy about MCS and cast
    doubt on its existence.
  • . The only diversity of opinion comes from the
    authors with industry affiliations.
  • http//www.getipm.com/personal/mcs-campbell.htm

37
RISE Responsible Industry For A Sound Environment
  • . RISE is made up of executives from companies
    like Monsanto, Sandoz Agro, DowElanco, Dupont
    Agricultural Products, The Scotts Company,
    Procter and Gamble and other pesticide
    manufacturers, formulators, and distributors
  • . Keeping MCS controversial is a key task of the
    cigarette-science activities of RISE.
  • http//consumerlawpage.com/article/chemical.shtml

38
Is There A Cure For MCS?
  • . There is no cure for MCS using allopathic
    medicine.
  • . Drugs administered to treat symptoms are
    usually not well tolerated and often end up
    making the patient worse.
  • . Until recently, General Practitioners had no
    training in toxicology or environmental health.
  • . The Ontario College of Family Physicians
    developed and is now conducting training on
    Environmental Health for new family doctors.
  • http//www.ocfp.on.ca/English/OCFP/Members/Committ
    ees/EHC/default.asp?s1

39
Things That Do Help
  • avoidance to prevent severe reactions and
    worsening including eating only whole organic
    foods
  • supplementing with the required nutrients
  • detoxing to lower total body burden
  • keeping a positive attitude with activities
    that promote self-esteem
  • Great strides have been made with alternative
    health care approaches i.e. Environmental
    Medicine, Holistic Medicine, Orthomolecular
    Medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Acupuncture
    Chiropractic.

40
Can Avoidance Cure MCS?
  • Total avoidance is impossible. A person with MCS
    can only decrease exposures, not eliminate them
    completely.
  • It is important to avoid toxic chemicals whenever
    possible to prevent worsening.

41
MCSers Fall Through The Cracks
  • Most of the treatments that help are not covered
    by OHIP or the Health Insurance Industry and are
    expensive.
  • Since many MCSers have no health insurance and
    have only small or no disability pensions, it is
    impossible for them to afford the help they need.

42
Hazardous Of Fragrances
  • up to 4,000 ingredients, mostly synthetic
  • many are human toxins and suspected or proven
    carcinogens
  • in 1989, the US National Institute of
    Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 2,983
    fragrance chemicals for health effects
  • they identified 884 of them as toxic substances

43
Why A Scent Free Policy
  • fragrances are everywhere in everything
  • known to trigger asthma attacks
  • US Environmental Protection Agency found that
    100 of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause
    liver, kidney and brain damage as well as damage
    to a developing fetus.
  • is a common skin irritant.

44
Hazardous Of Fragrances
  • Symptoms reported to FDA from fragrance exposure
    include headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin
    discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and
    allergic skin irritation.
  • Clinical observations show that fragrances can
    affect the central nervous system,
  • causing depression, hyperactivity,
  • irritability, inability to cope other
  • behavioural changes.

45
Analysis Of Eternity Perfume By 2 Independent
Laboratories
  • 41 chemical ingredients
  • 5 are skin irritants
  • 3 are skin sensitizers (cause contact dermatitis)
  • 6 are respiratory tract irritants
  • 2 are respiratory sensitizers (cause asthma)
  • 5 are nervous system irritants
  • 1 is toxic to central nervous system
  • 2 affect reproductive systems
  • 2 affect fetus
  • 3 are suspected carcinogens (cause cancer)
  • 27 have not been thoroughly investigated for
    health or toxicological properties
  • 11 have little or no data

46
Essential Oils - Tips Cautions
  • MCSers are often sensitive to even small
    quantities of essential oils, especially the
    stronger smelling ones like tea tree, lemon and
    patchouli.
  • Strong smelling scents, even natural ones, are
    not appropriate for scent-free workplaces.

47
Where To Buy Scent-Free Products
  • Many products labeled as perfume-free actually
    use a masking fragrance to hide smells of other
    chemicals
  • Truly scent-free personal care products cannot be
    found in drug stores, grocery stores or
    department stores!

48
Air Freshener, Deodorizer
  • Freshen air by removing or diluting the
  • offending odour (cleaning, ventilation
  • absorption) not covering with other chemicals. 

49
Natural Air Freshening Tips
  • baking soda will absorb odours
  • zeolite will absorb odours heavy metals
  • simmer water and spices on stove
  • bowls of fragrant dried herbs flowers (not
    commercial potpourri)
  • open a window run central vacuum or use fan in
    another window to exchange air

50
Anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners are not
necessary!
  • exposes us to harmful chemicals
  • high levels found in human breast milk
  • kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria leaves
    us more vulnerable to harmful ones
  • widespread use contributes to the development of
    resistant bacteria
  • children need exposure to some germs to develop
    their immune systems.

51
Pest Control
  • Free e-book on safe alternative pest control
    methods written by an ex pesticide applicator who
    developed MCS

http//www.thebestcontrol.com/bugstop/
52
Learn to Read Labels
  • In Canada, ingredients are listed in order of
    quantity. The first ingredient makes up the
    greatest amount of the product
  • Ingredient lists may not contain all ingredients
    i.e. inert ingredients are not listed
  • Inert ingredients can be just as hazardous

53
  • Manufacturers Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are not
    required to list ingredients which make up less
    than 1 of a product.
  • Manufacturers can cite trade secrets as an
    excuse not to list ingredients anywhere.
  • In Canada, manufacturers are not required to list
    ingredients at all on labels of personal care
    products or household cleaning products. This is
    changing!

54
Things To Think About
  • . The Center for Disease Controls Body Burden
    report documents that everyones body contains
    many toxic chemicals that should not be there.
  • . Everybody is only one exposure away from
  • developing Multiple Chemical Sensitivities,
    Cancer or other Chemically Induced Illnesses.
  • . If you already react to one chemical, take heed
    because your body is warning you to be careful
    about exposures.

55
Rules For Your Protection
  • Do not rely only on Personal Protective Equipment
    to protect you. PPE can fail!
  • Educate yourself about MCS other chemical
    injuries
  • Use less harmful chemicals/products where ever
    possible
  • Pay attention to what your body is telling you

56
Clean and Safe Environment
  • An environment which is free of smoke,
    pesticides, fabric softeners, air fresheners,
    commercial disinfectants and anti-bacterial
    cleaners will decrease exposures to many
    chemicals which have been linked to human health
    problems.
  • Choosing less toxic products is an important part
    of providing a healthy environment that benefits
    everyone.

57
(No Transcript)
58
Dont be a stinker!
Chemicals in perfumes cause health problems!
59
The End
60
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