HEAL of Southern Arizona
MCS Housing
Every individual with MCS needs housing that is 'safe' (tolerable) for the individual to heal and avoid becoming even more sensitive. Unfortunately, the vast majority of conventional housing is not safe, mainly due to toxic building products and practices, pesticides, carpeting, the widespread occurrence of mold, the use of lawn care products, and other chemicals by neighbors, as well as fumes from industry and highways.
Assess Your Home and Make a Plan
The first thing to do is to assess your current home. If it is contaminated with mold or pesticides or some other toxin and cannot be easily remediated, then you should try to find temporary, less toxic housing as soon as possible. If your home is not contaminated, but generally unsafe, do the things listed in the MCS Primer. If possible, build an OASIS for yourself. These two things will lessen your total toxic load and then you can decide from there if you need to find less toxic housing elsewhere.
Inside Air and Outside Air
When assessing your home and looking for a location consider the inside air and the outside air.
Inside air is outside air plus the contaminants of the home.
There are three parts of your home environment:
The Location: OUTSIDE AIR The part of the country where you live and the city. Consider the general air quality and the presence of industry and agriculture. Larger cities are more polluted. Contaminants might be high levels of ambient air pollution, rainy/moldy climate, coal-fired power plants, agricultural pesticides with aerial spraying, or specific industry that contaminates the air with chemicals not assessed by air pollution monitoring.
The Place: OUTSIDE AIR The neighborhood and the location within it: Consider traffic, local industry, wind direction, and neighborhood activities. Contaminants might be laundry/dryer smells, wood or trash burning, running of diesel engines, nearby highways, lawn chemicals, or home businesses using paint or chemicals.
The Home: OUTSIDE AIR PLUS INSIDE AIR Since the indoor air is outdoor plus indoor pollutants, the nontoxic home must have low levels of indoor pollutants. The pollutants in your home are determined by three things: 1. What you bring into the home, 2. Air Cleaning, 3. Home construction.
i. What you bring into your home in terms of cleaning and personal products, furnishings, hobbies, and people determines, to a large extent, the air quality in your home. See the MCS Primer for the first things to do to detox your home.
ii. Cleaning the Air -Air filters can remove both particles and chemicals. A good air filter can filter about 400 square feet if the source of the contaminant is removed. Ongoing contamination can be partially remedied by a strong and appropriate air filter, but it is not a substitute for removing the source of the contamination. If the air outside is good and not too hot or cold, the home can be aired out by opening windows.
iii. If the construction of your home or contaminants from outside is making it intolerable for you, you have the option of making a bad or unpleasant situation better or moving.
Finding a Non-toxic Home
Finding a location within your country: Some places are better than others. Some considerations are weather and the size of the city or town. In general, dry climates and rural locations are better. Ambient air quality is the first consideration. For those who are EMF sensitive, a rural location is required. All cities and many towns in California, Phoenix, and Dallas are on the most polluted cities list. Car exhaust mixed with sunshine equals smog and ozone pollution. Most towns and cities in the northwest US, such as Seattle and Portland plus Eugene, Grants Pass, and Spokane have particulate pollution from wood smoke and are also prone to mold. The dry climate of the Southwest US, as long as not near a large city, is considered good. Many people with MCS live in Arizona and New Mexico. Another consideration is altitude. Many with MCS are also sensitive to air pressure and altitude or become so with continued exposure. Much of the western US is mountainous, and the valleys are very populated.
A support system is especially important. If moving away from family and friends, it is important to weigh the benefits of a new place verses the loss of support and interaction.
Data on Locations
As of 2019, more than 141 million Americans live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution according to the American Lung Association’s '2019 State of the Air' report.
The 30 Most Polluted Places in America
AirNow.gov Air quality in US cities is compiled by the EPA and the air quality Departments of all 50 states and also by the Canadian Government. The toxins tracked for air quality by the government only consist of six contaminants, including: large and small particulates (dust and smoke), ozone, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide. There are thousands of other possible pollutants. People with MCS may not be ok when the air quality is 'coded green' on the healthy air scale map. Air quality may be different in a specific location or at a specific time than that which is monitored.
Approximately 20% of counties in the United States have actual air monitors, per the CDC. Therefore, you must go to these places you are considering (also see: PurpleAir.com)
The EPA as of this writing is required to control 187 hazardous air pollutants. The aforementioned list of pollutants is considered toxic by the EPA, and they are not generally controlled. If there are mines or factories, research what type of pollution they may produce in your specific area.
The Search For A Toxin-Free Shangri-La (good advice from the Chemical Injury Information Network).
Don’t overlook big air pollution sources based on “I am not sensitive to that”. If you have MCS you will become sensitive to anything you are exposed to for extended periods of time. Find the best ambient air you can within your list of personal needs and restrictions.
The Environmental Housing Bulletin comes out as a newsletter once a month. It is published by the Phoenix Chapter of HEAL. It is a format for people to advertise less toxic homes for sale or rent. To subscribe for free, send an e-mail to phxhealchapter@msn.com. Use caution though, as one person's idea of a toxin-free house may not be yours.
Snowflake, Arizona is often cited and known as a place where people with MCS live. There are about 30 people with MCS living there. There are four rental units built for people with MCS and several people have built their own homes or cabins. It is at 5000’ elevation. There is a small town nearby and it is about 200 miles from Phoenix. There are large parcels of 20-80 acres available at reasonable prices.
See: Rocky Mountain Environmental Health Association, Healthy Housing Resources.
Also see: Air Quality in Tucson Arizona. It is about Tucson specifically, but also is an example of things to think about.
Considerations of family, job, finances, or other illnesses may make it impossible for you to relocate to another area or state. But you can still improve your health and lower your exposures by:
Finding a Place within your location that has the lowest possible sources of toxins.
Try to locate:
· Away from a congested area with high population.
· Away from manufacturing. Look for smoke stacks. Keep away from agricultural pesticides and burning.
· Upwind: If there is a predominant wind from large population centers and factories, try to locate upwind from it.
· Away from freeways and traffic: At least three miles from a freeway and one mile from major traffic arteries.
· Higher in elevation: Don’t locate in a valley or depression where pollution can be trapped, sit and linger. If your area has air inversions, try to be well above them.
· On the largest lots within considerations: A larger lot may give you more distance from your neighbor’s laundry and other chemical pollutants. However, there is a trade-off when looking at larger and more rural places. It takes a very large lot, more of a ranch of hundreds of acres, to be far enough away to not get wood smoke and diesel fumes. Many larger lots are in a rural zoning area that may allow for toxic activities. Often people who want to do toxic things or consider themselves 'pioneers' move to a multi-acre lot. There is an old joke – The definition of a bad neighbor: A retired man with a tractor! Not a joke if you are his neighbor!
· Away from any local new building projects. Consider the size of any such project and the stage that it is in. Also, consider vacant lots – who owns them and what development could happen there in the future.
· Away and upwind of any local pollution sources such as restaurants or schools.
· Not under a flight path. Dropdown pollution from air traffic is very toxic.
When you have picked a neighborhood or place, spend some time there. Check if your new neighbor smokes cigars or paints cars, or if school buses turn around at the end of your street. Someone may have a burn pit in their backyard or do laundry constantly.
Finding a House within your place.
It may be possible to find a home that is a good start as a less toxic house.
The following are considered negative, potentially toxic.
AVOID:
o New construction: Most building products do outgas eventually. Five years is a good number, ten is better.
o Urea-formaldehyde insulation: It has caused MCS. Prevalent as a retrofit in block homes in the Southwest.
o Also beware of shredded newspaper insulation. It has been sprayed with fire-retardant.
o Gas Appliances – even 'ventilated' ones. Unless the appliance, such as a water heater, is outside and sealed from the interior.
o Homes that have been smoked in. It is very difficult to remove cigarette smoke contamination, and it cannot be effectively sealed with paint.
o Flat roof – they must be resurfaced every ten years with very toxic materials. Flat roofs often leak and cause hidden mold within the walls and insulation.
o Wood heat – even though wood stoves can be replaced, the house will be permeated with wood smoke chemical byproduct contamination – very toxic for those with MCS.
The following are problems that can possibly be remediated:
· Carpeting/other floorings – Carpeting can be removed and replaced with tile. Even though recent carpet is not as toxic as that from the '80s, the rug padding is usually made of foam. Dirt, toxins, and liquids have been soaking through the carpet and into the pad and down to the subfloor. The subfloor may be pressed wood. The carpet holds dust, mold, mites, and allergens. If the carpet is too expensive or the subfloor is not cement, VCT tile is an alternative. Laminate flooring can be a problem. For several years it contained enough formaldehyde to cause MCS in children. Recent manufacturing from 2010 on is less toxic. Some types of vinyl flooring never stop smelling like plastic and emitting toxic fumes. They can be removed or possibly sealed with shellac or AFM Safecoat products.
· Pressed wood cabinetry – outgasses formaldehyde or other -hydes. These can be sealed with 3 coats of Shellac. If the cabinets are older, they may be ok. Check for that familiar 'New House' smell – you don’t want it.
· Recent upgrades using high VOC paints, sealers, and caulks. These would have to be sealed and then repainted or possibly allowed to outgas over time – for some high VOC paints and grout sealers it can take 4+ years.
· Pesticides – Pesticide history is generally available. People are often proud of their pesticide use and willingly tell about it, and some states keep a record of termite applications. Companies sometimes will have records they can give to the homeowner. Once you know what has been used, look up what the half-life of the product is. Many current pesticide products don’t last long. Plan to wash down the entire kitchen and bathroom with a strong unscented detergent including all of the insides of the cupboards and walls to remove pesticide residue. In the entire southern half of the US, it is necessary to do some termite prevention. Some people have successfully used the trap system that goes in the ground around the house and has no active pesticide release unless termites are discovered. It does not come into contact with the surface. There are boric acid systems as well. Some people just monitor for termites by sight and then treat them with soap. The flying type of termites (the kind where they put the house in a huge tent) is enough of a problem that is probably a good idea to find a place where they are not.
· Previous use of air fresheners and scents. The walls or cabinets near where one of those plug-in air fresheners will be a problem. It will not wash off and it is hard to seal out. Perfumes sprayed in the bathroom or bedroom can also pollute the cabinets and walls. This will not wash off.
· Gas range – Even though you don’t want to use a gas range because you are chemically sensitive, you can have the gas turned off on the street and use countertop appliances for cooking.
· Plastic ductwork – Central heating installed in the last 20 years will have plastic ductwork. It usually isn’t a problem for cooling, but when the ducts are heated they offgas a plastic contaminates and smells – forever. It will probably be necessary to use an alternate source of heat – electric radiators for example.
OUTGASSING – molecules escaping from the surface.
VOC’s (Volatile Orgainic Compounds) – material that outgasses organic compounds.
Temporary Homes
Many with MCS move to a temporary home to get away from the contaminants that are making them ill. This can be a good strategy in the short term. Some temporary homes become pretty good long-term homes. Some lead to a life of homelessness, more sickness, and misery. Possibly good long-term homes are modified travel trailers and cabins or small buildings, while others are shared or rental housing with other people with MCS. Bad short-term housing options are cars, backs of pickup trucks, and tents. These do not have the necessities of living and they do not have a place to be. To take a trip to look at possible locations is one thing – to leave home without a destination or plan for locating is another. If you are desperate for a place to move to – don’t. There are no perfect places, no MCS havens, no groups or funding somewhere else.
Building a sanctuary in your home or the yard of your home may be enough. See: Building an Oasis and Tiny Homes & Shelters for the Mold & Chemically Sensitive. This link is to Corrine, a Certified Building Biologist and non-toxic home builder. She has several ideas for small buildings or tents to use for a home for the chemically sensitive or mold sensitive. Not all of these are appropriate for the chemically sensitive. It is a good starting place for ideas.
Camping
Camping can work under some conditions, for some people. Camping should be used as a short-term way to get away from pollutants that you absolutely cannot live with or when you are traveling and looking for a non-toxic place.
Traditional camping is not MCS friendly – it usually involves campfires and gas cooking appliances. Camping gear may be coated with insect repellents from previous use. And speaking of repellants, you cannot use them. Camping means bugs.
Where to camp – Campgrounds are not good places for people with MCS for the above reasons. During certain seasons campfires are not allowed in State and US Forests and those are the best times to be there – often, however, they are allowed in fire rings, and there may be forest fires. RV parks, if they allow tent or car camping, are filled with toxins and campfires.
Remote camping – in the National Forest or on BLM land without facilities, called dispersed camping, is usually the best. It is free to camp in a National Forest for two weeks at any given location. Some places, close to cities or congestion are not open for camping, but that leaves 740,000,000 acres to choose from. BLM land is also open for camping. This kind of camping requires that you bring water, pee on the ground, and eat cold food.
RVing
RVing is a good way to bring your bed and water to your camping place. RV parks may or may not be tolerable. There are a lot of gas appliances, wifi, and laundry products used in RV Parks. They are also getting very expensive. Boondocking or camping with your RV in a remote location works well if you are up for that. You must of course have a tolerable RV. Older vans work well as a starting place, but, just like cars, they are hard to find without cigarette smoke contamination. Some people use the back of a pickup for a bed space. No matter what you are using you are going to need a place to park and sleep and just to be. A unit that can go into the forest is good. Don’t plan to be on the side of the street. This is a popular concept on the internet, but not appropriate for those with MCS.
Camping in your Car Also called sleeping in your car, is homelessness with all of the inconvenience. Try not to get into this situation. If you are sick, you are going to be uncomfortable and more ill while trying to live in a car. You do not have water or a toilet. If you plan to sleep in your car while traveling, it is best to make other plans. Many people who sleep in their cars try to live on the side of a street in a town. What could be more toxic than that? If you are traveling in your car, fix up a camping kit and plan to be in a camping location, not on the side of the road or in someone’s driveway.
Renting It might be possible to find a tolerable rental. Some people with MCS rent apartments or condos or houses and do ok. The average rental is going to be toxic. But, careful selection for those things listed above under Finding a House may result in a home that is ok or can be made ok. If you go to a place where there is good air quality and want to try it out, you may find a rental is ok. If there is good air quality and it is not a cold place, indoor air can be cleansed with outdoor air. An advantage of renting is that it is not long-term and you have not committed to buying a house. It is a very good way to further check out an area. All of the requirements you want in a home do not have to be there. As long as it remediates the things that you are most sensitive to, it can be a good choice.
When renting for the long term you should stipulate that you are going to need certain provisions in your lease, and likewise stipulate that the landlord cannot do certain things. Some people have removed the carpet, (saying that they will pay to have it re-laid), and used only the concrete underfloor. You can also ask to steam the carpet to remove cleaning carpet soap smells. Some rooms may need to be closed off. Rentals with gas heat or ranges can be worked around by using electric small appliances.
You should make arrangements about pesticide use. No 'nuisance' pesticide for example. And if termite pesticide treatment is done, you should have the option of leaving.
If renting an apartment, the neighbors are much closer and you will be impacted by their activities more than in a house or cabin. A common laundry room far away from your apartment would be better than having neighbors in adjacent apartments doing laundry. A no-smoking apartment is a requirement. Note where the parking lot is and how much traffic there will be. Renters with pets use flea collars, sprays, and other pet chemicals.
Cabins made of logs are tolerable to some for a short-term rental. The trouble with cabins is that they are often in a forest, and forests mean wood burning.
Building and Making Renovations for MCS
The important thing is to know that 'green building' is not MCS building. When looking for materials do not confuse ecological with non-toxic. Many products sold in green building supply stores are toxic to those with MCS. Test every product you are thinking of using first. Remediation for mold will normally involve the use of toxic materials unless you specify others.
When ordering work done have a written agreement with the construction people. The agreement should specify each product that is going to be used specifically – for example – “The painters agree to use only AFM Safecoat products (provided by the homeowner)”. You can write this into the contract they present for you to sign. Each construction project will have several products and you must understand what those are, and then specify a tolerable product for use. In painting one wall, a painter will use caulk, sheetrock mud, sealers, and paint. Construction people may not feel comfortable using unfamiliar products. It is helpful to also have in the contract, “the homeowner will not hold the construction company responsible for the failure of the specified products”. Be prepared that it may take three coats of your 'safe' paint to cover what a more toxic paint would do in one. Be prepared to pay a little more.
The Law and MCS housing
Remediation may be tax deductible as a medical expense. After meeting the income vs expense rule – in the US, of medical expenses over 7.5% of income are deductible. The cost of remediation for the purpose of health can be deductible. You will need a Dr’s prescription for the things you deduct. Here is a suit in Canada about such deductions that were won by the person with MCS in A victory for victims of environmental sensitivities or multiple chemical sensitivities.
Many people with MCS have been run out of their homes by landlords who apply pesticides. One person in Oregon sued the landlord over this and won. Oregon Appellate Court Rules Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Testimony Admissible.