Nicole Bijlsma - Healthy Home Guru

A recent investigation by Greenpeace and the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) found up to one third of children's products sold in China contained heavy metals in their paints including lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony or chromium. These metals cause learning and behaviourhal problems in children. China currently produces two thirds of the world's toys. Despite strict regulations to ban these metals, most western countries don't have the resources to screen every shipping container relying instead on product recalls (of which there have been many!). For more information click here.

Around 10 years ago I had my hair analysed for heavy metals and minerals. The reading that came up highest was arsenic which was well above the normal limit. I always suspected that it came from years of drinking apple juice which I pretty much grew up on. My hunch is likely to be accurate in light of the new evidence that 10% of apple and grape juices tested had total arsenic levels of 10 parts per billion (ppb) and 25% had lead levels higher than the 5 ppb. This type of arsenic is carcinogenic. Best to stick with filtered water especially for children and pregnant women who are most at risk. Read more

Polypropylene (number 5 plastic) commonly used in everything from food storage containers, nappies, water pipes and clothing has recently raised concerns amongst scientists because it has been found to leach quaternary ammonium biocides and oleamide the adverse health effects of which are unknown. Concerns were first raised this week when it blocked an enzyme in a laboratory experiment.

I have classified polypropylene as a safe plastic in my book, however this news should raise alarms about all plastics (see my interview on The Circle). Once again, go back to basics, store your food and beveriges in glass, stainless steel, pyrex and ceramics. Read more.

Victorians can now sign an online petition against smart meters at the link at a
great new website: http://stopsmartmetersau.com/

There is also space to enter your specific concerns, which will give added
weight to the petition (look at Signatures at the bottom of the petition webpage
to see other people's comments). You can also register yourself at the new website if you wish to be informed of updates posted to the site.

Halt Smart Meters would appreciate it if this information is distributed to as
many Victorians as possible, as quickly as possible.

Benzophenone (BP) is an ingredient that is commonly found in perfumes, lipstick as well as hair and skin products such as sunscreens to prevent sunlight from breaking down the products. It is a hormone disrupting chemical that interferes with thyroid function and lowers testosterone (Kim et al, 2011). There are serious concerns about its impact on male fertility.

Smart meters are receiving alot of adverse attention worldwide for many reasons. Could it be the significant increase in your energy bill, the worldwide collapse of bee colonies (and ultimately our food source!), the fire risks or the admission by the World Health Organisation this year that radiofrequencies are likely to cause cancer that get your attention?

Here are 8 reasons why they should not be in your home!

The US EPA is about to crack down on Glymes (glycol ethers)- solvents used in thousands of everyday household products including paints and paint strippers, carpet cleaners, inkjet cartridges, lithium batteries, brake fluid, polycarbonate plastics, adhesives and sealants, and during the production of hypertension, asthma and anti-depression drugs.

Concerns were first raised in 1995 as a result of a significant increase in miscarriages in semiconductor manufacturing workers. More recent studies have also highlighted these concerns (Schenker, 2010). As a result of the fact that glymes are potent development and reproductive toxins, the European Union has enforced that labels of products containing monoglyme or diglyme must warn consumers that they “may impair fertility” or “may cause harm to the unborn child.” No such labelling exists in US or Australia to date.