Thanks for the information. It would be great if this article also pointed to sources of "healthier" floor coverings. Our apartment building requires that floors be at least 75% covered by rugs or something like them (to keep noise down) so I'm looking for solutions.

I agree with Melissa above. We need the info about what the problem is as well as some solutions to consider.

If you are removing carpeting/padding - what is the best method of disposal? - or is there none other than the landfills.

My understanding is that 100% wool carpets are usually not treated with stain resistant chemicals (or flame retardents)since lanolin acts as a natural stain resistant and flame retardent. Does anyone know if this is correct?

IKEA makes it's furniture without PBDE's and without (PFOA) stainmaster-like coatings. I'm not sure if they make their own carpets, but you could ask if they are PFOA-free. (I'll probably buy our next couch from them because they aren't using those chemicals - as well as some others I didn't know to ask about!)

Wool carpet is naturally flame resistant so it should not be treated with flame retardant chemicals, but some are still treated with stain repellents. You also have to be careful because many wool carpets are treated with pesticides! We recently started selling wonderful wool carpet and padding, as well as wool area rugs and rubber grippers that are 100% natural...no chemicals whatsoever! See www.organicandhealthy.com for information.

I hope it's OK to post this information. I love EWG and our company uses its resources to research the products we recommend and offer to our customers!

Wool is often better, but the woven kind rather than the glued kind contains less chemicals. Area rugs may be an option in that they can be taken up for cleaning.

Healthy home flooring is a very new field. I have chemical sensitivities, so I have done some searching. Here is one website I have found:
http://www.thehealthiesthome.com/products/flooring/carpeting.php

I was diagnosed as being chemically injured and permanently disabled after exposure to new carpet (for four months) in the Federal building where I worked. Lab tests showed that the VOCs and SVOCs outgassing from the carpet included but were not limited to: dichloroethane, dibromofluoromethane, bromofluorobenzene, and toulene.

Federal employees were similarly injured at the EPA building in Washington DC during an incident in the 1990s.

There are safe alternatives; using toxic chemicals in our living and work spaces puts you and the people around you at risk.

Web Sources:
Who is Looking After Our Children (online book)
http://www.healing.org/Child-TOC.html

Air Freshener Brochure:
http://www.mcs-global.org/Documents/PDFs/AirFeshenersandPlugins.pdf

Books:
Less Toxic Alternatives (a guidebook to healthier household products), by Carolyn Gorman

An Alternative Approach to Allergies, by Theron Randolph, MD

Toxic Carpet III, by Glen Beebe

Staying Well in a Toxic World, Lynn Lawson

Office Hazards: How Your Job Can Make You Sick, by Joel Makower

Your Home, Your Health, & Well-Being, by D. Rousseau, et al

The teflon in the Scotchguard and Stainmaster that's on the new carpeting can also kill your birds - especially if you let them run around on the floor like I did. Necropsy results on the two I lost showed teflon inhalation - and I don't have any teflon cookware.

I am a 40 year old female salon owner.I am currently developing products. I want so badly to open a school. I would like it to be the first cosmotology school of science of nutrinal healing. For example we get degrees up to a doctors for writing prescriptions for natural medicines. There is no government for health and beauty aids. I would like to start that government because we are the correct people who should know that knowledge. We see our client longer than any doctor does. Of course we still need that side. However I feel that some one needs to start some where. I have written my congressman. Here it is...
Dear Richard Baker:

My name is Christine Lyon -Lorio. I am a local salon owner, and my interest in writing you this letter is to bring to your attention to the February 20, 2007 report from Washington D.C.
TOXICS IN YOUR PORTFOLIO... This link will bring you to the matter at hand.
Did you know: the government cannot mandate safety studies of cosmetics, and only 11 percent of the 10,500 ingredients FDA has documented in products have been assessed for safety by the cosmetic industry's review panel. Because the FDA only controls the food and drug administration and no one is governing the health and beauty aids. For example all cosmetics, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, cleaning products, and pesticides. Due to these toxic chemicals, parabens, metals, and many other totally inorganic chemistry compounds, that are being ingested into the our totally organic body in so many different ways, the body is unable to break down these numerous carcinogenic and toxic chemicals. A person can find these on all of our shelves in every store. Especially the dollar stores. The labels are misleading. Especially on the baby isle. On the front of the product it clearly states for kids. If you read the labels they clearly state keep away from children and some even say for adults only in the mandatory warning label. Soaking our future in toxic on the counter the causing birth defects, cancer, unheard of diseases, Aids in Children, al timers, just to name a few.

I have an idea to a solution to this. Since the cosmetology board is ultimately responsible for the beauty industry, why not educate us. Start a new government, with four years of college each year acquiring a higher degree. From assoc. degree to Doctors. Learn everything on prescribing nutritional healing. The book that is written by Phyllis A. Balch,CNC fourth edition is a great source for the degree. Also take social work or psychiatry. Your hair stylist goes through everything with you any way. Education is the answer. It is totally too late for us older people, however we must give our children the antibodies they need for our future.

First thing to remember we must clearly and consciously recognize the distinction between, first, the question of whether we should use CW (chemical warfare) against our own selves,and our family! and second a totally different question whether we should protect our people against the terrible consequences that might befall us if our potential enemies should use CW or BW agents against us.

The second thing to remember. It is morally right and humane to protect our children, our wives and our neighbors against the terrible things that are happening to each and everyone of us. If someone does not stand up for this fight for adequate CW defenses, we run the risk of crystallizing a stubborn emotional resistance on the part of the righteous but uninformed. The people who must lead the demand that protection be provided for the women and children of this country are those highly respected people who have a reputation for supporting causes which are obviously for human welfare. It is the great humanitarians who should be leading the movement to persuade our Government to do the research and provide the equipment to protect our culture against this threat. One of the most important activities should be to secure the support of these people.

The third thing to remember is we must not delude ourselves into believing that our enemies will not use CW and BW against us if they feel it is to their advantage to do so. We are too prone to feel, subconsciously, that other people think as we do in spite of their different backgrounds and cultures. Wars and things done during wars are often the result of men doing things which are illogical and inhumane or the result of desperation. The history of the Communism, the experience of Hungary, and the mass killings in China leave no basis for our expecting Russia to refrain from using CW and BW agents in a war because of moral or humanitarian considerations.

The fourth thing to remember If CW and BW weapons are used against us or our allies, there is no possibility of the civilian population's being spared. The effects of RW<CW<<AND BW cannot be limited to military personnel. If CW and BW are used against us, the entire civillian populations of thousands of square miles is going to suffer the effects of this attack unless properly protected.

The fifth Thing to Remember. CW and BW are less spectaclar than atom bombs, but, used in warfate, a few hundred pounds of CW OR BW agents will kill and permanently disable as many people as the atom bomb. The whole world is acutely concerned about the possible long- range effect of atomic fallout on the health and vitality of people. The long-range aftereffects of CW and BW agents may be even more disastrous. It is within the realm of possibility that potential enemies may have, or may develop, CW or BW agents that would permanently injure the health, the intelligence, and the will to resist of whole populations.

We must do everything we can to tear away the false veil of secrecy, which is keeping the people of this country from recognizing the seriousness of this danger. We have not hesitated to inform the public about the horrors of atomic warfare and they have not panicked/ Why should we hide from them the horrors that has befallen us if we do not protect ourselves against CW and BW?

The sixth thing to remember. This is probably the most important. Providing our civilian population with adequate and effective protection against CW and BW is within our technical and financial capability. It would require education, technical effort, and both government and personal expenditures, but the magnitude of the over-all effort is not overpowering. Properly distributed, it is hardly a heavy burden.

If we are subjected to nuclear attack, millions of people will be killed, regardless of any protective measures we now know about. People as individuals have given up hope of protecting themselves. Survival, in their minds, is now a matter of the Government's spending billions, for retaliatory power. In contrast, there seems little question that adequateCW-BW protection can be provided for our civillian population if proper action is taken. Many of the things needed for a protection system, such as filters, can be provided in a very short time. Other things, such as methods of diagnosis and systems of warning, need to be developed but seem well within our technical capability.

The seventh thing to remember. Providing civilian protection against CW and BW attack will be largely a question of action by individuals and local communications. Given government instructions and government guidance, individuals can provide themselves with satisfactory protection at costs well within local financial ability.

Government agencies can develop the knowledge of the agents which may be used and the means of preventive inoculation, the filters for purifying the air we breathe, and if necessary, the protective clothing. But it takes action of the individuals, families, and local communities to secure these things, educate people in their importance and proper use, and plan the actions that must be taken if CW and BW agents should ever descend upon us.

Actually CW and BW defense lends itself to private enterprise commercial activity. It is something at which the whole citizenry of the country might work effectively for its own future safety. Having seen the magnitude and effectiveness of local activity in the field of secondary education now that our citizens have become awakened to the problem, one can have great hope of what can be done on a local basis, once people really realize that hazards of potential CW and BW warfare and the effectiveness with which they can take action to protect themselves.

Sometimes we are inclined to think that our civilization has made us so soft that we would be unable to withstand attack. Protection ourselves against chemical and biological warfare, however, is the sort of activity that can make maximum usefulness of the literacy of our population and the completeness of our communication systems. We should be more capable of protection ourselves against this kind of attack than any other country in the world.

The Eighth thing to remember. The possibilities for effective defense against CW and BW seem so great that the mere adequacy of our defense measures might keep our enemy form using these agents against us. If our defenses are developed to their full capability and are better than our enemy's it would not be to his advantage to use CW and BW against us, even if our offensive power in these areas was weaker than his. Here is one place where we might do something about discouraging war without having to threaten to destroy civilzation in the process.

The ninth thing to remember. Is in some ways the saddest and the least comprehensible. In spite of the obvious and vital danger, in spite of the horrible things that could happen to us if we remain unprotected, in spite of the fact that the development of adequate protection is obviously possible, in spite of the fact that the cost of this protection is relatively low in relation to total defense spending---- in spite of all these things, until recently we have done almost none of the things that need to be done. What has been done has been badly hampered by inadequate budgets, emotional resistance, and public and government apathy.

These are things we must remember as being important characteristics of CW and BW and the problems they present. They are things that we may remember too late, if we should ever find ourselves in a major struggle in which Russia and her satellites might be striving to over come us in order to gain world supremacy.

However, there are some other things we should remember about CW and BW, which are more general in nature, and might change the whole nature of the cold war, shift the relative offensive power of different countries, and perhaps put major power into the hands of countries, irresponsible dictators we now dismiss as relatively powerless to hurt us.

The tenth thing to remember. The development of major CW and BW offensive potential is within the capability of relatively small and weak countries. A small group of scientists, with stolen formulas and stolen bacteria, and virus cultures, can produce in a country with as little financial and industrial capability as Cuba major quantities of CW and BW agents and weapons for their delivery. Rumors are already circulating about groups which are secretly offering to do this.

On January 2, 1960 the ST. Paul Pioneer Press published on its editorial page an article quoted in part below in which was based on a North American news paper alliance story entitled "Small Powers Reported Building Clandestine Germ and Warfare Units." released December 11, 1959, out of Ottawa, Canada.

Freebooting scientists are running clandestine germ-warfare rings on an international scale, according to western intelligence services. The operations of these "germ-runners" . . . . These freelance scientists offer to set up secret biological warfare departments.

The Eleventh Thing to Remember. It is very difficult to detect the manufacture, transportation , or storage of CW, and especially BW, agents.

CW and BW agents and weapons are ideal materials for the illicit international weapons trade. The secrets are easily possible that within a few years any desperate dictator will be able to buy for a few million dollars enough BW potential to destroy his neighboring country and even blackmail us if we do not provide ourselves with adequate protection.

The Twelfth Thing to Remember. BW agents in particular, and CW materials, can be delivered in ways that make it extremely difficult to identify the aggressor. When someone stars shooting atomic warheads at us, we will know within a matter of minutes at whom we should shoot back. BW materials, however, could be released by secret agents in which would make it very difficult to identify the country responsible.

BW materials, therefore, form an ideal means for international blackmail. Some country might be making unreasonable demands upon us. A plaque might break out in one of our major cities. Information might "leak" to us secretly and indirectly that other plaques may start if we do not grant the demands that are being made upon us. Yet it might be very difficult for us to establish definitely that the country with which we have been having an argument really started the plaque; and it would probably be completely impossible to provide the kind of proof against our opponent that would give world approval to our taking effective retaliatory action.

The Thirteenth to remember. BW agents offer a means undermining a country's prosperity and it's industrial strength without actual open warfare. We are engaged in a cold war with a country that has definitely stated that it intends to overcome us by having a greater industrial might that we can develop. It is stretching every nerve to try to develop it's own capability as fast as possible. CW, and particularly bacteriological ware fare, is an ideal covert means of reducing our industrial strength and prosperity in order to give our adversary advantage over us.

If we were to have over the next three or four or five years recurring plaques of wide spread different diseases of different sorts, If our crops were to be affected by bacterial agents, if we were to be continually in a state of suspense, not knowing what disease was going to descend upon us next. Obviously our industrial progress and very civilization would be shaken and we would slide backwards, while our opponents moved forward.

All this could happen us with out Russia having one single apparent connection with it. It might be done by some little satellite country operating with her assistance. We might never be able to prove who was acting against us.

Thank you so much for your caring hearts. What would the world do without you?
What I don't understand is what will they do with a world with out our people. How can money and power over see lives. Politics is not what it is susposed to be. Change the world to make it a better place has been taken out.
Please help me get this done. I am only one person. However I know alot of people.
Thanks again,
Sincerly,
Christine Lyon Lorio

You can purchase products that seal your carpet from off gassing. The company is called Safecoat -- see www.afmsafecoat.com

SAFECOAT CARPET SEAL:
http://www.afmsafecoat.com/Techpdfs/Carpet%20Seal%20data.pdf

SAFECOAT CARPET LOCKOUT:
http://www.afmsafecoat.com/Techpdfs/Lock%20Out%20data.pdf

Though my favorite solution was to tear out my current carpet and padding, and opt for modular carpet tiles from a company called FLOR -- see www.interfaceflor.com

I have done a lot of work in the realm of fluorpolymers for use in apparel and footwear (for water and stain repellency). For those of you asking about better alternatives, Scotchguard by 3M is a different chemistry than DuPont's Teflon where Scotchguard does not contain PFOAS like Teflon. Bottomline, look for items (carpets, furniture) using Scotchguard as a stain repellent as opposed to Teflon.