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I see no reason why products can't be made that don't contain these toxic and irritating chemicals. In fact, here in the States at least, there are many such products. The problem is, that the other products are still on the market. This means that when someone with chemical sensitivities goes to visit a friend at home, he could end up having to flee to avoid toxic overload. I think more study and more public awareness-raising of the issue needs to be done.
Maybe some of the popular TV news shows, like the BBC has, and 60 Minutes in the US, could take this on, and offer in-depth reports.
Ruth Ive already gave an interview for the BBC which is online. it still didnt help us getting help with doctors in the UK.. of course they could make all products without all these dangers, but the public are conditioned to think they need everything to smell strong of flowers, jasmine and vanilla for some strange reason.. I only use fragrance free products in the house and for my own personal use.. I even buy shaving foams and gels for my husband.. Scotlands Scottish Executive in Edinburgh admitted to me in writing that theyve known of this illness for years.. so what the hell is going on, is there too much money involved or do they think we want to sue.... its not like that here in the UK. we just want help, understanding and treatment..
Last edited by dizzybint; 07-31-2012 at 02:34 PM..
Reason: S a
I see no reason why products can't be made that don't contain these toxic and irritating chemicals. In fact, here in the States at least, there are many such products. The problem is, that the other products are still on the market. This means that when someone with chemical sensitivities goes to visit a friend at home, he could end up having to flee to avoid toxic overload. I think more study and more public awareness-raising of the issue needs to be done.
After more than 30 years of fabric softeners being on the market you want studies to be conducted?
Wouldn't you think that if there was more than a miniscule number of people having a reaction to fabric softeners law suits would have been filed and rallies would have been held?
Shall this (more studies be done) on every item that someone, somewhere is allergic to?
The top 10 most common allergy triggers in America are:
Don't you think we should raise people's awareness on the above first before we raise people's awareness of the effects of fabric softener on the small minority of people?
I don't have any statistics but I'd bet more women wear perfume than people using fabric softeners and those women don't think twice about someone around them having an allergic reaction to the perfume they are wearing.....
Some dont realize whats causing the illness or reaction should I say at first, it took me quite a long time suffering sore eyes. nausea, headaches, memory loss and many other symptoms to put two and two together.. No one I knew had these symptoms back in the 60s.. most of the time I just carried on not complaining because of reactions like some on here... I didnt have anyone or anything to gauge this illness on.. so dont ever think its something I read, or manufactured. I found it highly embarrassing to be honest and worrying..
Friends with chemical sensitivities don't go to a friend's house that is overloaded with chemicals because they know better. There is always going to be a certain amount of people who think more is better. I suspect a few may take a bath in Chanel No. 5 because they smell like it.
Perfumes, aftershave, deodorant, shampoo, soaps, gasoline and diesel fume, vanilla and flower scented products such as candles and soaps, beauty salons, dry cleaners, and visits to the laundry aisle gave me a migraine headache for hours. As far as I am concerned the enemy is partly fragrance and partly poor ventilation.
When my spouse had heart surgery that failed, I learned how to cook heart healthy on the fly. Why my spouse was diagnosed with two lung diseases, I learned about mold spores and how to have clean air inside the house from an environmental biologist. When I was diagnosed with a skin disease it was a disaster for I became immediately very sensitive to fabrics and threads (except cotton), and rubber based products.
I will be forever grateful for discovering how much better our life gradually changed as I introduced natural products, and better working products, into our home. I also gradually became aware of how some products that are better for me, are also environmentally friendly to the earth and animals, as well as to necessaries like my septic systems.
If there is a lesson here it is that some items I must use; a fabric softener is #1. With out it, seams in clothing, such as tee shirts or dress shirts, feels like glass shards are being driven into my shoulders and every any where on my body a seam touches. At this point in time the best I can find is alcohol and fragrance free fabric softener.
The EPA determines which chemicals, and compounds, when used properly, are not harmful to the environment.
Some dont realize whats causing the illness or reaction should I say at first, it took me quite a long time suffering sore eyes. nausea, headaches, memory loss and many other symptoms to put two and two together.. No one I knew had these symptoms back in the 60s.. most of the time I just carried on not complaining because of reactions like some on here... I didnt have anyone or anything to gauge this illness on.. so dont ever think its something I read, or manufactured. I found it highly embarrassing to be honest and worrying..
This is what I don't understand, why you should feel highly embarrassed feeling a certain way just because "doctors" and "specialists" can't diagnose what is the cause of your reactions. They are not perfect, they are not know-it-alls even though they try and come across as one....
You should be proud of yourself for determining what is the root cause of your affliction(s).
Honestly if this thread had been worded slightly different I would not had any issue with it....
"I have experienced XYZ my entire life and after stopping the use of ZZZ fabric softener my XYZ symptoms went away. If you are experiencing these symptoms you might look into your use of this product"
But instead you used a blanket statement asking people to stop using *ANY* fabric softeners because they are IYO "toxic" with absolutely no scientific evidence to even slightly back up your allegation(s).
I looked at the list of Allergy triggers on the 10 top Test Country. I found a filter that traps particles larger than .03 microns from bacteria, virus, allergens, pet dander, mold spores, smoke, dust bunnies and more. During the past six years I used this filter there has been no flu, colds, lung infections or allergy issues despite pet dander, dust bunnies, candle smoke, and an endless parade of medical persons every week.
Mold spores are released in the air every time we walk in grass or sand. I personally think that doctors don't very well understand the relationship between mold spores and kids with chronic lung problems and neither do parents. I made a believer out of our doctor and when his new baby was born he had already switched to the same filter I use.
This link takes you to an article about the hazards of fabric softeners.
I think the reason there aren't a lot of studies to prove these hazards is due to MONEY. In this country the big chemical companies like Monsanto have huge amounts of MONEY to fund any study they want, to prove anything they want to prove. They also have huge amounts of MONEY to donate to political campaigns and to pay anybody to say anything they want.
Many people can remember when DDT was regularly sprayed onto crops. How about when LEAD was used in paint and gasoline? It takes a lot of MONEY to get the scientific studies done and a lot of MONEY to get a harmful substance banned.
In the meantime, while we are waiting, it makes good sense to be aware and avoid things that probably are toxic.
Just because a chemical isn't making you sick right now doesn't mean it won't accumulate in your body and over the years cause a disease. Cigarettes are a good example. I'm glad the OP started this thread because people need to be alerted to dangerous substances, especially those that are in common every day use like fabric softeners.
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