What are some common sources of toxins in the home or office?
Dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene, or “perc” as it is known in the business. Perc is a hydrocarbon derived from petroleum, with chlorine molecules attached. As a “chlorinated hydrocarbon,” perc shares certain characteristics with other chlorinated hydrocarbons: they tend to be soluble in fat and not in water (and therefore they tend to accumulate in fatty tissues as they pass through the food chain); they tend to persist for a long time in the environment; and they tend to be toxic. New wet cleaning techniques are available in some cities, which use environmentally safe alternatives to the harmful percs. Old surfaces with lead paint on them. See LEAD topic on this site. http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/2002/perc_adopt.htm http://www.epa.gov/otaq/toxics.
