We're in the middle of a house search. The one we are in is ideal. Just tiny for 10 of us.
Thus we receive occasional e-mails from realtors. I received one yesterday that was titled "Homes with Lead Paint." It was a helpful reminder to homebuyers to beware of lead paint. It was stunning how similar the issue of lead paint is to the issue of mold.
The dangers of lead paint were discussed as early as 1910. A hearing was conducted in the House of Representatives. At that time Marion E. Rhodes testified that, “the most eminent scientists and doctors of Great Britain…reached the conclusion that white lead is poison…the small particles that result from chalking…when taken by inhalation into the lungs, are absorbed and become poison to the system.” The bill was dismissed.
In 1921 the president of the National Lead Company stated in a letter to the head of Harvard Medical School that "manufacturers, as a result of fifty to sixty years experience, agree that lead is a poison when it enters the stomach of man."
Also in 1921, the Third International Labor Conference of the League of Nations held in Geneva banned lead-based paints from homes. The United States did not attend the Conference and did not agree to the resolution.
In fact, 56 years went by before the United States prohibited the use of lead paints. Not until 1977!
Thus when I received the e-mail yesterday and read the contents, I imagined what might happen in 20 years IF we wake up to this issue. This is the exact email I received with my changes in bold.
All sellers with homes built prior to 2015 are required to fill out a mold disclosure form and provide you, the buyer, with a mold educational booklet in any sale. Mold is highly toxic and is found in and around our homes. Mold may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children 6 years old and under are most at risk, because their bodies are growing quickly. If in doubt, have the house tested and evaluated at a local laboratory.
About Andrea Fabry
I am a former journalist and the mother of nine children ranging in age from 28 to 12. My husband Chris, myself, and our children find ourselves in the desert of Arizona attempting to rebuild our health and our lives following a massive toxic mold exposure. The organization momsAWARE comes out of this crisis as a means to help educate and empower others on the subject of environmental health. Our family has also launched a natural line of personal care products called Just So, available at our Online Store.
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I hear you! I just took a class to become a Realtor. I said the same thing about mold after reviewing the Lead Paint Act.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to take people to get the Acts in place and Laws changed and implemented.
I'm ready to right this battle!
Andrea - I heard your interview on the radio the other day. Oh my, my heart and prayers go out to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI would like to suggest that you investigate or seek out a N.A.E.T. specialist in your area. http://www.naet.com/ N.A.E.T. is an non-envasive allergy ellimination technique through your body's energy and massage. I know it sounds bazzare. but it works, I had been on allergy meds all my adult life (30 some years) allergic to a lot of things. I no longer take any meds (3 years now) and can "stop and smell the roses". My doctor was Paul Honan in Lebanon, Indiana. He is an MD and says, there is no medical reason why this procedure or technique works but it does. He was a patient before becoming certified in the field.
God Bless you, Shelley Stergar, Brownsburg, Indiana.
I found your blog on a various mold site i was looking up. I have been living with mold in my home for the past 8 yrs. I bleach I clean I get rid of things that could cause mold but we have leaky ceilings that roofers have supposedly fixed 3 times now. My kids are constantly ending up with sinus infections, ear infections, tonsillitis and strept throat. We have all had bouts of various yeast infections. We all cough and sneeze and sound terrible, throats hurt gosh the symptoms could go on forever here. We have tried buying a new house but its been tough getting credit not because we have horrible credit but because we dont have much of a credit history we mainly paid for everything with cash over the yrs. Sorry to rant and rave but its so nice to know im not the only one who has lived this way and to hear all the things you are saying is like almost mirroring my own life.
ReplyDeletePlease do take care and my prayers and those of my family go out to you. I hope to be getting out of this situation soon. So maybe we can lead a normal life together.
Angie
Pennslyvania