Volatile organic compounds (or VOCs, for short) are compounds that easily become vapours or gases. They are released from burning fuel such as gasoline, wood, coal, or natural gas. However, VOCs can also be released from a wide variety of consumer products such as...
On December 30th, 2018, Canada formally introduced The Prohibition of Asbestos and Products Containing Asbestos Regulations. With some exceptions, the new set of rules prohibits the import, sale and use of asbestos as well as the manufacture, import, sale and use of...
Most of us think of mould as that mossy, green stuff that grows on our food when it’s gone bad. And while it only makes sense to toss out such food as it’s no longer safe for consumption, the presence of mould in our homes can present dangers even when it isn’t eaten....
Individuals who work in the construction, oil, gas, manufacturing and agriculture industries have no choice but to contend with the possibility of crystalline silica exposure. This is an unfortunate danger of many jobs that exist within these fields. Especially for...
Surely, we don’t have to inform you about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. It’s common knowledge that the numerous chemicals in cigarettes make smoking more than a nasty habit. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in Canada. While quitting is...
These days, paint is made from four main ingredients: pigment (to give it its colour), resin (which is used as a binder to hold the pigment particles together), solvent (which acts as a carrier for the pigments and resin) and additives (which promotes ease of...
Most of us are very familiar with mould. We’ve seen it on food we’ve left in the fridge (or out of the fridge, for that matter) for far too long. We’ve seen it between the tiles of our shower walls. We’ve even seen in on our baseboards and other parts of the home...
Asbestos is deadly. When you really think about it, it’s hard to believe that, for so many years, the toxic material was used as an insulation source in the construction of homes and other buildings. Thankfully, the federal government has imposed a ban on asbestos....
“Gross”, “nasty” and “disgusting” – these three words are often the first ones conjured up when thinking about mould and mildew. However, there’s a fourth word that doesn’t generally get the amount of recognition it deserves – “dangerous”. When mould is present in...
During our notoriously long and cold winters, here in Canada, the vast majority of us like to stay inside with our thermostats turned way up. Keeping warm and toasty during the winter is practically a Canadian pastime. But it isn’t necessarily good for our indoor air...
