GET THE FACTS ~ Healing Homes Guru

BUILDING MATERIAL RESOURCES

There are various sources of information you can tap into if you want to learn about the chemicals used in modern America and the increasing list of healthier building materials that avoid using them. Sources that provide information on toxic chemicals and the relative health of various building materials include: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the Healthy Building Network (HBN) and its cousin HomeFree. Other groups include the mindful MATERIALS Collaborative and private groups and subscription services like BuildingGreen, Pharos, and a European concern called Friendly Materials. Also, green building certification programs like the Living Building Challenge can be additional sources of information.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The EPA is the first place to look for information on toxic chemicals used in the U.S., though the EPA’s emphasis is on toxic materials primarily used in industrial applications. The EPA is the group tasked with enforcing the Toxic Substances Control Act and maintains the official inventory of chemical substances that are manufactured or processed in the United States. You can access the list here.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG)

The EWG is just a phenomenal group chock full of all kinds of useful consumer information on a full range of household health hazards with Toxic Chemicals being just one of seven of their major Areas of Focus. Their Consumer Guides to things like sunscreens, pesticides in produce (their so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’ report), and tap water are superb and need to be a part of everyone’s arsenal of information on day-to-day products used and consumed around your home. For over 20 years, HBN has been on the forefront of researching healthy building materials, advocating for their use and educating others so everyone can more easily make informed decisions about the chemical hazards within the building products industry HBN was founded by one of the giants in the healthy building space, a man named Bill Walsh. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Walsh but the Internet has allowed me to look over his shoulder and surreptitiously check-in periodically to see how his ventures are doing. It is clear that this organization very much reflects Mr. Walsh’s own values and ideals. I especially like HBN’s Mission Statement and Values, and their eloquently Healthy Building Network (HBN)