Lead Prevention and HealthyHousing Newsletter. Home, Sweet Sofa

Transcription

1 Lead Prevention and HealthyHousing Newsletter Family and Consumer Sciences Volume 16 Number Home, Sweet Sofa RECALL # from the Consumer Product Safety Commission: Yamaha Corporation of America Recalls Benches Sold With Grand Pianos Due to Violation of Federal Lead Paint Standard The paint on the bench s interior compartment contains an excessive level of lead. Aside from the family pet(s), it just may be the most beloved non-human member of the family. After all, it has a long history, wherein it has been a part of every home s most mundane, most memorable, and sometimes! most madcap experiences. It has been at the center of ho-hum evenings, watching good or not-so-good television offerings and movies; it served as a retreat where family members could sulk, cry, recenter, resolve; it has been an impromptu diaper changing station, a backdrop for photo after photo after photo, a sickbed, an office away from the office, an afterhours trysting place for romantics, young and old. While it never knowingly divulges the secrets of its family members, the occasional evidence of clandestine activity is uncovered. Cookie crumbs reveal the family dieter has cheated! Dog fur tattles on the family pet, whose sojourn there is strictly forbidden. A general state of disarray or neglect divulges a crack in housekeeping routines.

2 From Hal Borland, American author, journalist, and naturalist, known as Chronicler of the Seasons Summer ends and Autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night; and thus he would never know the rhythms that are at the heart of life. To be sure, it may be taken for granted, but it is always loved no matter whether it is beautiful and pristine or overused and shabby. It bespeaks home and comfort, security and familiarity. In time, it will likely be passed down to a younger family member, or it may be replaced by a newer model, but always the transition will be marked with a gush of affection, a swiftly bittersweet pang of auld lang syne. This centerfold of family life has been known by many names, some of which have passed into genteel extinction: the davenport, the settee, the divan. With slight mutations in size and utility, it has been known as a love seat or a futon. In today s home, it typically bears the moniker of couch or sofa. Regardless of the noun used by any individual family, it is among the most fundamental artifacts of home. And yet.... It is possible that a family s couch is a deterrent to physical health. For the sake of the sofa itself and the people whose security and comfort are tethered to it, there are a number of things to consider in keeping the couch from affecting the health of those who lounge there. NO SMOKING!! As with all other textiles, a sofa s fibers will allow any smoke in a home s living room or den to malinger there. Mounting evidence as to the health effects of thirdhand smoke (on clothing, draperies, and upholstery) mean that respiration can be adversely affected. For this, as with a plethora of other reasons, smoking should be banned from the sofa and the house. NO PETS... Sorry to say, but in the event anyone in the household, or any visitor to the home, suffers from allergies, pet dander lodged in the upholstery can mean an attack of itchy eyes or runny noses.

3 Pet dander is the chief respiratory irritant, but pet fur can also harbor and leave behind outdoor allergens. If possible, it is always best to confine pets to areas with hard surfaces only, such as kitchens, laundry rooms, etc. Next CLPPP Advisory Committee Meeting: Monday, October 30, 2017 Ellington Agricultural Center AVOID REMODELING DUST or DETRITUS Even in a newer home without lead-based paint, demolition or remodeling will mean the disbursement of construction dust, which can be laden with any number of undesirable respiratory irritants. Always cover furniture completely and securely to avoid trapping particulate in the fibers of upholstered items. If an older home is undergoing renovations and lead-based paint could be present, upholstered furniture should be removed from the area. A HEPA Vac is Your Sofa s Friend! Vacuuming your sofa will help ensure cleanliness and sinus friendliness. A HEPA vacuum with an upholstery attachment provides the best defense against the smallest particulate matter. In purchasing a HEPA, buyers are cautioned that HEPA-like or HEPA-type products do not confer the same advantages as a genuine HEPA vacuum. Change furnace filters regularly. A clogged or exhausted furnace filter allows unhealthy air to circulate throughout a home and settle where it may. Check furnace filters monthly. The average home without pets requires a new filter roughly every 90 days, while a home with pets is well served by a new filter after 60 days. Here s wishing you and your favorite item of furniture many healthy days and nights!!

4 Household Hazardous Waste Collections: September 2017 Coffee Maury Overton Anderson Dickson Montgomery Hickman Marshall Monroe Chester Lawrence October 2017 Greene McMinn Wilson Henderson Jefferson Loudon Blount Cumberland McNairy Unicoi Wilson Sumner Marion HAPPY 90 th BIRTHDAY... to Child Health Week, celebrated this year from October 1 7. For ideas on how to commemorate CHW in your area, check out the state s webpage at: chw October also marks the annual lead poisoning awareness week. National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is October 22 28, To order free lead poisoning educational materials, please contact: BONNIE HINDS bhinds@utk.edu Fall 2017 Household Hazardous Waste Collections: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation sees to it that our state s residents can safely

5 dispose of hazardous materials at locations within their own counties. Mobile events have already been scheduled for the counties denoted in the sidebar for this fall. Note that residents from other counties are also welcome to these disposal events. For precise dates, locations, and acceptable materials, visit TDEC s HHW webpage at: Happy Fall, Ya ll!