M1.4 Blog Assignment: List of Environmental Exposures

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There are several different types of exposures you can come into contact with in your lifetime. You spend the majority of your time at home, work, school, and in the community. It is important to be aware of the chemical, radiological, and biological agents you can be exposed to in those areas.

For example, I currently live in Half Moon Bay. In Half Moon Bay it is common to get termites and whenever a property is sold, it is required to be fumigated. When I see so many tented structures, I cant help but wonder how effective are they are sealing and preventing access to those places and what are the lingering effects of sulfuryl fluoride on the things in the home. I did some digging and found an interesting report done by the EPA on fumigation and the risks that it poses to individuals:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-12/documents/_epaoig_20161212-17-p-0053.pdf

Even if you feel healthy, it is important to know that you are still being exposed to hazards. One hazard that is most furniture  flame retardants. Not all flame retardants pose a risk, but Halogenated flame retardants containing chlorine or bromine bonded to carbon and Organophosphorous flame retardants containing phosphorous bonded to carbon do.

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) is another common exposure, and is common in yoga mats, plastic pipes, children's toys etc. PVC can expose someone to Phthalates, dioxins, and BPA, which are suspected to be endocrine disruptors.

There are a lot of different chemical, radiological, and biological hazards that you can come into contact with in your home, school, work, and community. It is important to be aware and try to avoid constant exposure to these agents due to their serious health risks.

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 1, 2018 at 1:55 PM

    Hi Kera!
    Thank you for doing an extensive research on termite fumigation and other health hazards such as PVC! I had no idea newly sold properties in Half Moon Bay have to be fumigated for termites! Makes me wonder about the chemical side effects the sulfuryl fluoride may have on HMB residents in the long-run, and if there are companies that provide healthier options for fumigation. Great post!

    Carmen

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 2, 2018 at 1:56 PM

    Hi Kera,
    I never thought of how dangerous fumigation to homes can be for those who live near by. You're right it does not seem like a simple tent can keep all of the chemicals from being released to the environment. Very informative link you shared regarding additional measures that should be taken. I also agree that even though we may feel healthy, we are still constantly being exposed to dangerous environmental hazards that can cause much harm as we get older. Great post! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Daisy AlbarranSeptember 4, 2018 at 11:06 PM

    Hello Kera,
    It's interesting to see how common termites are in homes. I know that it's one of the recommended tests to look for when buying a home because termites can lead to more complications in terms of the environment and structure. Have they been able to identify what makes the termite population so high? Potentially finding the reason why termites flourish could lead to to another alternative other than fumigation.

    ReplyDelete

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