Page 29 - The Villager June 2021

Health & Wellness

may cause sleepiness and headaches,
CO is highly toxic and if there’s a high
concentration of the gas in the room, it
can cause brain damage, organ failure
and possibly even death.
The other gas, NO₂, is also commonly
emitted from home heating elements
such as gas, oil, and kerosene burning
appliances, including stoves, room
heaters, and water heaters, as well as
wood-burning and coal-burning furnaces
and fireplaces. Some of the effects of
NO₂ poisoning include wheezing or
coughing, conjunctivitis, headaches,
throat irritation and dyspnea (shortness
of breath).

POLLUTANTS
Formaldehyde from pressed wood, lead
from lead-based paints and lead water
pipes, volatile organic compounds
(VOC) such as the organic solvents found
in cleaning materials, disinfectants,
aerosol sprays and pesticides, along with
some building materials and furnishings AVINASH kuMAR ON uNSPLASH
can pollute the indoor atmosphere. The
health effects from exposure to these
pollutants include eye, nose and throat
irritation, headaches, tiredness, nausea, gases from left over cleaning materials can
dizziness, reduced co-ordination and escape into the atmosphere even if the
various allergies. containers are ‘closed’ merely adding to
When it comes to cleaning materials, the general mix of toxins circulating in the
solvents and the like, the professionals air in your home.
recommend rather buying these in smaller
quantities/volumes and, when you have MOULD
finished the task, disposing of the rest If you have any damp areas in your
in a responsible manner. This is because home, the chances are that you have
a thriving colony of mould growing SANDY MILLAR ON uNSPLASH
there. Mould is often found in showers, of mould found in nature, but in the home,
under fitted baths where the sealant the most prevalent are:
between bath and wall has degraded Acremonium – which often develops into
(a good reason to install a a fine, powdery substance
freestanding bath!), under sinks, Alternaria – found in showers, under
in cupboards, and anywhere leaky sinks and around bath tubs
where the plumbing is leaking Aspergillis – in dust and on dry walling
or the roof leaks. It can also Aureobasidium – behind wallpaper
occur in HVAC ducts and air- Chaetomium – in water-damaged areas
conditioning filters, as well as Cladosporum – on fabrics and wood
inside washing machines and surfaces
dishwashers if they have been Memnoniella - frequently grows in
left standing with the doors insulation material
closed for any length of time. Penicillin – on food
There are over 100 000 different types Stachybotrys – thrives where there’s

The Villager • Issue 6 2021 • 27