MCSCAN Australia
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY DATABASE
LINKS
Planning:
A Layperson's Approach
MCSCAN Australia: - database design requirements
Duty of Care
Corporate
Responsibility
Community understanding and awareness
MCS:- Related Issues; Community.
Personal Stories In the life of an MCS Victim or their Carers
Articles and Progress Reports.
MCS: Related; Questions-and-Speculation
Conclusions and
Recommendations
Self Help Links. Information on how to clean without using Harmful Chemcials.
Summary: Public Database summary
Some American and Canadian Research
Overseas sources are concerned that there is a rapidly increasing incidence of the condition.
Research in the USA show that it is estimated that approximately 12 1/2%, perhaps even as high as 15%, of the population is affected with MCS.
Estimating the USA population as 288.4 M in year 2002, based on the 12 ˝ % we can conclude there is approximately 36.05M people effected in the States.
Applying the same formula to Australian Population figures
Until accurate information is available, we may use the same percentages to apply for Australian condition.
At the moment understanding that Australia is a large user of Chemicals, and we are using many chemicals that have been withdrawn overseas, there is every reason to conclude it to be equal American/Canadian usage, if not more.
We have polluted our metropolises; our airways; our waterways, our agricultural land and our environment.
Applying the same formula, Australia with a population of approximately 19.7M as of 2003; we can conclude that there are approximately 2.46M people may be effected with MCS in Australia.
At 15% it would be 2.96 Million Victims.
Economical impact
These figure are conservative as they do not take into account the resources e.g. hospital and medical, social welfare required to provide support.
Nor does it account for the cost and impact on families and their capacity to live normal and independent lives, nor the long term effect on the environment.
It does not take into account the loneliness
suffered by the victims and their families are they are forced to try and
find an area where they will not be effected by chemicals, either through
wind drift, waterway , etc.
It does not count the cost of unemployment and job loss.
Understanding the flow-on effects of using chemicals
Chemicals are used by each type of business without knowing how far the
effect of their use can extend, i.e. water tables, water storages, including
waterways and under-ground storage.
We need to understand the distances
that chemicals can travel through air flows and waterways and the
implications to the environment, the community and also industry.
E.G. Some studies have shown spray
drift can travel halfway around the world. Consider Australian dust storms
have travelled across the ocean to New Zealand.
For example, if chemicals get into
our waterways it can be some time before the community and authorities
become aware of a potential problem.
Further more we need more information of the accumulated effects.
What may be minimal in use, may also
have an accumulative effect; see the effect of Dieldrin and
Organophosphates, encapsulated poisons, etc. on farming areas.
Chemicals used in public places.
Chemicals are used by schools and community centres for pesticide and Weedicide control. It is also used to clean and disinfect buildings.
T
here are many instances where these have had a severe effect on people suffering from the effects of MCS to the extent that they are unable to enter public buildings.Sick Building Syndrome
Toxic building materials and chemicals cause "sick building" syndrome.
Therefore, it is important that we look for and consider alternatives, replacing the materials with safe alternatives. that are available.
Chemical Termite treatments are dangerous to everyone, not just MCS victims.
All chemicals are dangerous to everyone.
MCS victims are usually the people who are more sensitive to the effects of using chemicals.
They are in a sense, our human "mine canaries", and when there is an adverse reaction it should signal an alert to the community.
It is not sufficient to consider that because you don't appear to be effected, there is nothing there. You may be less sensitive or may even not acquire the sensitivity until there is a pro-longed contact.
Chemical termite treatments are dangerous to everyone, whether victims of MCS or not. There are also some questions about how effective the present treatments are.
They are not completely effective and thus there is a need for re-application; each time increasing the take up into the environment and placing people at risk.
We need to consider and investigate alternative means to the problems and these should be replaced with safe alternatives that are available especially with physical barriers in new buildings.
In some cases the use of chemicals have even made it impossible for child MCS sufferers to attend school because their peers wear scents, hairsprays, scented soaps and talcum powders, etc.
Chemicals used in public places, because of their effect on MCS victims, deny them the right to attend public functions, theatres, dance, restaurants, etc and enjoy a reasonable quality of life.
INCREASING PRESSURE FOR FOOD AND OTHER PRODUCTION
The reality is that we will not be able to do without the use of chemicals because there will always be increasing pressure on the food countries to increase the production of food to feed the population of the world.
Modified plants (GE) while highly productive are raising concerns as to the overall benefits over natural selection.
Also the long term impact on the naturally evolved plants and animals.
At present GE crops are in the discussion of the public and there is a growing awareness of the problems they have created.
There are also concerns that if allowed to be introduced into Australia may impact on Australia's capacity to provide safe food or that GE crops might effect the ability of more naturally evolved crops to continue to produce safe foods.
Australia has a growing market for GE free crops and this will be jeopardised if allowed to be introduced.
More and more countries are banning such modified crops.
