Federal Toxmap Shutters, Raising the Ire of Pollution Researchers

[antares4141]

https://undark.org/2019/12/16/toxma...OZY4MGGEwcEm9xHWRJXTZnvDAiDieW-qIMMk-B5TtWnqQ

Shucks, I didn't even know this existed. Now it's too late to use it. We need this!

 

[ebethc]

wish I would have known about this! thanks for sharing the news..

FYI, this data is still around for now:
this map tracks pollutants, based on AQI ("air quality index"; an international standard) for two dimensions, Ozone and PM:
https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.main

the lung association State of the Air report tracks AQI at a county level, state by state... you can look up your location:
https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/city-rankings/states/

 

[BeADocToGoTo1]

For air quality, since it is so hyperlocal (e.g. you could have a methcooker around the corner, or new furniture or carpet fumes in the house), the best way would be to get a meter. Some airfilters will provide some measurement, like the Philips ones. I use a little handheld device Temtop LKC-1000S which indicates air quality for PM2.5 and PM10 (µg/m3) particles, HCHO and TVOC. Based on that I will run my air filter for the room that I am in, or before bedtime in the bedroom.

Here is a map site for superfund (the most heavily polluted admitted sites):

https://www.epa.gov/superfund/search-superfund-sites-where-you-live#map

For water pollution, this site has a wealth of info:

https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

 

[antares4141]

For air quality, since it is so hyperlocal (e.g. you could have a methcooker around the corner, or new furniture or carpet fumes in the house), the best way would be to get a meter. Some airfilters will provide some measurement, like the Philips ones. I use a little handheld device Temtop LKC-1000S which indicates air quality for PM2.5 and PM10 (µg/m3) particles, HCHO and TVOC. Based on that I will run my air filter for the room that I am in, or before bedtime in the bedroom.

Here is a map site for superfund (the most heavily polluted admitted sites):

https://www.epa.gov/superfund/search-superfund-sites-where-you-live#map

For water pollution, this site has a wealth of info:

https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

Interesting, didn't know they had consumer grade devices that would check for things like that. I am suspicious of my wall paneling in my alternative building. Styrofoam sheets with a thin layer of foil on one side and clear plastic film on the other.

Can't really smell it unless I damaged the sides where there is no membrane preventing the outgassing. But other types of foam like the foam they use to pack products in boxes have a very noticeable smell.

I should be an expert on this stuff by now all that I have used. But I am wondering how safe this material is? Whether some of my symptoms might be derived from exposure to it. I'm guessing a consumer level device like the one you mentioned doesn't even measure the chemicals released by these products.

Thanks for the superfund map and water quality site!

I actually have a well and need to get the water tested. Used to be a place in town but it's 50 miles away and when I go there once a month I usually never get all my errands complete.

 

[BeADocToGoTo1]

Hi @antares4141

When I was trying to figure out why my health had divebombed I was looking at all possible insults to the body. For my place I had a professional company come and check for mold, humidity, air quality, toxins and EMF levels. For indoor air quality they looked at temperature, relative humidity, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), formaldehyde (HCHO), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate levels and natural gasses. They had serious equipment which will be far more sensitive and specific than a little handheld.

There is a water quality testing company that looked interesting but I never ended up using after seeing the EWG report on my area. May be of help with your well. Water quality is often overlooked in chronic health issues. Tap water in the US and many countries is horrible with added toxins like fluoride, ammonia, chlorine, chloramines on top of bad infrastructure and poor filtering. Well water is worth testing for other reasons.

Water Test Lab:

https://mytapscore.com/collections/water-testing-packages