The Hidden Danger of Deodorants

 

 

The harmful impact that aerosol deodorants can cause to the natural environment has been well documented. However the chemicals released into the home environment every time we spray could pose a risk to our own health too. Recently, deodorant sprays have been linked to a series of health problems including asthma, headaches and eczema. In some rare cases, use of aerosols has even been linked to the death of teenagers who have died from heart problems after excessive use of the deodorants.

 

The charity Allergy UK says that around one in three adults in the UK has some form of allergic disease such as asthma, rhinitis or eczema. These conditions may all be aggravated by inhaling the chemicals found in aerosol deodorants.

 

Problems are more likely to arise when spraying deodorants in a confined space such as a bathroom or a bedroom – especially if the doors and windows are closed. Although canisters have warnings not to use excessively and not to use in confined spaces, deodorants are so commonplace that most people don’t think to read the instructions before liberally spraying their favourite product.

 

If you can’t give up your favourite deodorant but want to avoid potential problems caused by aerosols then try switching to roll-on versions. Alternatively, when spraying an aerosol canister keep a window open and only spray in small bursts.

 

The British Aerosol Manufacturers Association (BAMA) points out that aerosol products have been used safely for 40 years. You can find out more at their website: www.bama.co.uk or for more information about allergies, visit: www.allergyuk.org

 

Categories: aerosol, aerosol deodorants, deodorants, deodorants nbsp, nbsp, problems, Spraying

Government Gives Million Pound Fund to Save London Trees

Under a new £1.5m government fund announced this month, environmental wellness experts will increase the spraying of insecticide on oak trees in order to eradicate a pest moth that causes health problems and can strip the trees bare. This follows an announcement from the Forestry commission that they will undertake the first aerial spraying to guard the wellbeing of a woodland in West Berkshire. In May, the Forestry Commission will use a helicopter to blanket-spray the woodlands.

The extra funding to escalate efforts to control the oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) will be targeted on areas in south and south-west London. The money will be spent on a pilot project to expand spraying in and around areas where the moth’s caterpillars have been found, and on trees where infestations are less obvious. The moth species was first found in England in 2006, and since then has affected the wellness of trees in Kew gardens and Richmond park, as well as the site outside Pangbourne in West Berkshire.

According to Lord de Mauley, parliamentary under secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), ‘Tree health is a priority for us and this pest not only affects our trees but can also cause skin irritation in people and animals. The additional funding will allow us see if a wider programme of spraying is effective in destroying these pests.’

Since 2009, Richmond council alone has spent £50,000 on spraying in a bid to stop the moths. However, Zac Goldsmith, the Tory MP for Richmond, said that officials have previously dithered on control efforts, and so now stopping the infestation would now be ‘enormously expensive’. The insecticide being used to eliminate the moths is a widely used toxin, which is produced by a bacteria that occurs naturally in soil called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

This is not the only attempt to remove the infestations, however, as efforts are also being put into vacuuming caterpillars off trees. Yet, if you see nests of caterpillars, it is advised that you report it rather than trying to remove the nests yourself. This is because the insects’ hairs are toxic, and can cause allergic reactions such as rashes.

Categories: efforts, forestry commission, moth, Moths, richmond, Spraying, Trees, west berkshire