|
Aloe Vera Plants
Aloe Vera plants are effective at eliminating many toxins, which cause
indoor air pollution. No home should be without an aloe plant as it takes the sting out of burns, which you get, from a stove and even
sunburns; this is indeed a handy plant.
Dracaena “Janet Craig” (Dracaena deremensis)
The Dracaena plant easy to grows up to 10 feet with a spread of
3 feet..These plants do best in bright indirect sunlight coming from the east/west. They can adapt to lower light levels if the watering is reduced. Keep
the soil evenly moist and mist frequently with warm water and remove any dead leaves.
Dwarf Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
Dwarf Date Palm is a hardy, drought-tolerant and long-lived
plant. The Dwarf Date Palm needs a bright spot which is free of drafts. It grows slowly, reaching
heights of 8 feet to 10 feet. The Dwarf Date Palm has sharp needle-like spines arranged
near the base of the leaf stem, so these can easily penetrate skin and even protective clothing.
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata )
Boston fern plant grows up to 4 feet in height with a spread up to
5feet. It has feathery ferns which are best displayed as a hanging plant.
Boston Fern plant prefers bright indirect sunlight. Keep the soil barely moist and mist frequently
with warm water. This plant is prone to spider mites and whitefly which can be controlled using a soapy water spray.
Ficus Alii (Ficus macleilandii)
The Ficus Alii plants grows easily indoors, and resists insects. It prefers a
humid environment and low to medium light when grown indoors but it should not be placed near heating or air conditioning vents, or
near drafts because this could cause leaf loss. Soil should be kept moist but allowed to dry between watering.
English Ivy plants
English Ivy is a beautiful climbing plant and also gets rid of
formaldehyde and indoor air pollution problems. This is a vine like plant
that can easily have climb across archways. These plants are perfect in
the living room, den, or office where there are pieces of wooden furniture or carpeting.
Harmful indoor air pollutants
Harmful indoor air pollutants can cause a host of serious llnesses, including asthma, cancer, reproductive and neurological
disorders and more than 1.6 million deaths a year, according to a 2002 World Health Organization report. The VOCs emanate from furnishings,
carpets, plastics, cleaning products, building materials like drywall, paint, solvents and adhesives. Even tap water can be a source of
VOCs. The air inside homes and offices is often a concentrated source of these
pollutants, in some cases up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, according to research.
Chemicals found in indoor polluents
Trichloroethylene (TCE) a commercial product found in a wide variety of industrial uses. Over 90 percent of the TCE produced is used
in the metal degreasing and dry cleaning industries. In addition, it is used in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, and adhesives.. In
1975 the National Cancer Institute reported that an unusually high incidence of hepatocellular carcinomas was observed in mice given TCE by
gastric intubation and now considers this chemical a potent liver carcinogen.
Benzene a very commonly used solvent and is also present in many
common items including gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber. It is used in the manufacture of detergents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and dyes.
Benzene has long been known to irritate the skin and eyes. Repeated skin contact with benzene
will cause drying, inflammation, blistering and dermatitis. Acute inhalation of high levels of benzene has been reported to cause
dizziness, weakness, euphoria, headache, nausea, blurred vision, respiratory diseases, tremors, irregular heartbeat, liver and kidney
damage, paralysis and unconsciousness. Chronic exposure to even relatively low levels causes
headaches, loss of appetite, drowsiness, nervousness, psychological disturbances and diseases of the blood system, including anemia and bone
marrow diseases.
Formaldehyde a ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor
environments. The major sources which have been reported and publicized include urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and particle board or
pressed wood products used in manufacturing of the office furniture bought today. It is used in consumer paper products which have been
treated with UF resins, including grocery bags, waxed papers, facial
tissues and paper towels. Many common household cleaning agents contain formaldehyde. UF resins are used as stiffeners, wrinkle resisters, water
repellents, fire retardants and adhesive binders in floor coverings, carpet backings and permanent-press clothes. Other sources of
formaldehyde include heating and cooking fuels like natural gas, kerosene, and cigarette smoke.
Formaldehyde irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. It is also a highly reactive chemical which combines with
protein and can cause allergic contact dermatitis. The most widely reported symptoms from exposure to high levels of this chemical include
irritation of the eyes and headaches. Until recently, the most serious
of the diseases attributed to formaldehyde exposure was asthma. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently conducted
research which has caused formaldehyde to be strongly suspected of causing a rare type of throat cancer in long-term occupants of mobile homes. |
|
|
