Welcome
to our Website
ET
(Foundation) was set up in 2001
to cater for the lack of developmental and research programs in the
field of toxicology. The intention: to focus on the impact of chemical
agents on human health.
It
is our view that the relevance of toxicology can no longer be ignored.
As more and more research are pointing towards mounting evidence of
structural and genetic damage, potentially caused to the human morphology,
through the huge influx of chemical agents found in the air, soil and
water today.
Potentially,
it is a cumulative effect of many chemical substances which are allowed
to build up in our bodily systems, until the optimum operating condition
for cell viability is breached, equilibrium break downs and starts to
manifest itself in a host of diseases, ailments and syndromes that are
known today.
Any
natural chemical substance can become ‘toxic’ to the human body if it
exists in an inappropriate composition and/or quantity and/or 'energy
state'. Oxygen molecules are prime examples.
With
a change in the energy levels, oxygen molecules, crucial for survival
of cells become 'free radicals'. These 'free radicals' in turn, once
produced in substantial quantity, can cause enormous damage to the structure
of cells and organs alike by the process of oxidative damage.
Oxidative
damage, however, is implicated as one of the main processes, involved
with ‘aging'. While the 'aging process' is best known to gives rise
to sickness and disease, it is also a process that eventually signifies
the breaking down of bodily systems until the body is no longer functional
with death as the final outcome.
Carbon
monoxide, for example, is a natural forming chemical agent that is also
found within the body. It is speculated that carbon monoxide possibly
acts as a neurotransmitter. It is known that carbon monoxide assist
in the break down of aging cells and possibly signals for mutation of
healthy cells, especially in pregnancy, for growth and repair and much
more. Many of its other physiological functions, however, still remain
unknown.
Carbon
Monoxide is also produced in the natural process of combustion, of any
hydrocarbon fuel.
Any
hydrocarbon fuel such as: natural gas, propane, butane, oil, kerosene,
coal, wood, jet fuel etc. Carbon monoxide is however, a product of
incomplete combustion.
When
there is insufficient oxygen present in the ambient air to complete
the combustion process, carbon monoxide and many other toxic chemicals
are produced, instead of the intended end products of carbon dioxide
and water vapor.
As
the process of combustion is never complete under normal circumstances,
carbon monoxide is therefore produced each time combustion of any hydrocarbon
fuel takes place.
A
natural process nevertheless, which produces a natural chemical substance,
but if carbon monoxide is present in an increased quantity in the air
we breath, this chemical agent now becomes a ‘toxin’ when it enters
the body.
ETF is a non-profit making organization, which
aspires to bring publicity and awareness to individuals and institutions
alike. Institutions both in the public and private sectors, and in associate
industries with a duty of care owed to consumers. Here, the organization
aims to serve as a constant reminder of industries' obligation, to provide
services and products, with safety as the industry‘s guiding beacon.
In
doing so, the organization hopes to be a major player, in order to bringing
about change in areas of policy that are deemed to be lacking.
Any
proposals for change will need the backing of solid research data.
It is hoped that the organization, in time is in the position to conduct,
and/or commission and/or fund some of this research work.
In
doing so, it is hoped that safety issues will no longer remain secondary,
as material evidence should be available for lobby to ensure that industry
keeps safety matters as high priority within its commercial activities.
ETF
is not a propaganda machine. It is here to serve the interest of
ordinary people where by it hopes to bring about betterment to the quality
of life for everyone concern.
As
more and more people are made aware of the implications from the accumulation
of varying levels of different chemicals in our bodies, the need to
monitor and curb the influx of these agents permeating into our daily
lives, becomes seemingly obvious. An influx of agents absorbed, ingested
and inhaled from the food we eat, the water we drink and from the air
we breath.
It
is hoped that work of the many different facets of this organization
will in time snowball and for each facet to take on a life of its own.
At
present, only the voluntary segment is being developed and the expansion
into the charitable and foundation sectors will take place in due course.
We
are seeking support and asking you to join in with us, in raising the
profile of this very crucial issue of: chronic sub-lethal poisoning
to our bodies from the: inhalation, ingestion and absorption of heavy
metals, inorganic and organic chemical compounds which
are increasingly prevalent in our modern environment.
Up
to 4000 different chemical compounds are now unsuspectingly present
in our bodies and these chemicals compounds are in turn (potentially)
causing many of the unwanted, undesired chemical reactions as our bodies
are finding it more and more difficult to overcome and ultimately to
uneventfully and successfully, excrete.
Thus,
as the balance of micro and macro-nutrients, hormones, and proteins
are disrupted, the entire metabolic system dysfunctions.
In
a cascading effect, it sets off a 'chain reaction' of events and as
the first of these dominos fall; ripples are felt far away from the
initial site of injury.
Initially,
the bodily systems compensate and adapt, as best it can, to a changing
environment but as time goes by, the increasing lack of nutrients, hormones
and compounds required for all the bodily processes to function properly
becomes critical.
A
changing internal environment that is to become increasingly hostile
towards cell stability and thus ultimately, its viability.
Left
unchecked, this is potentially, the start of the 'slippery slide', as
the bodily systems slowly malfunction and eventually leads, to wide
spread disruption of normal bodily functions and rests with end organ
damage.
On
the strength of this assumption, it is hoped that more and more people
are persuaded to come forward to support us, as we call for more research
and the long term monitoring of known victims.
Monitoring
of victims for the effects of chronic exposure to sub-lethal levels
of different chemical substances on different groups of individual,
exposed under different conditions.
Important
to remember that much of the past and present research in toxicology
has come from animal models.
However,
it is only by purposefully studying human subjects that the effects
of long term damage such as neuro-degeneration, cognitive dysfunction,
vascular diseases and other associated problems such as proper thyroid
hormone conversion, insulin utilization and energy metabolism etc.,
going to be apparent and better recognized.
There
is a desperate need for change to our current attitude, from the general
public to the medical profession, politicians to industry, towards the
importance and relevance of toxicology in relation to our health and
our general well being.
Policies
and decisions, good and bad, will impact every individual, as (chronic)
sub-lethal poisoning is a universal problem that affects
the entire social spectrum.
At
present, many of the policies taken at the highest office, on both sides
of the Atlantic and across the world as a whole, have remained strongly
in favor of commercial considerations.
That
must change for the toxic damage to cell physiology is irreparable,
and can potentially destroy the building blocks to life: its DNA, RNA
and its proteins.
ETF
is also here, secondary
to our objectives, to cater for those whose lives are already affected
and wrecked by chemical poisoning: like victims of sub-lethal poisoning
from toxic fumes including carbon monoxide from the incomplete combustion
of any hydrocarbon fuel. Our organization aims to provide victims with
practical help, advice and support in order these victims are better
informed and not left vulnerable and isolated.
In
turn, the organization hopes to encourage corporate businesses to cooperate;
for example by providing funds, to support programs mainly in education
and rehabilitation.
ETF
aims to forge community groups where victims within a locality,
can organize and come together for support locally. In return, local
groups are encouraged to conduct campaigns with special interest to
their area and community.
Different
communities, for example, are supplied natural gas from different pipelines.
As the composition within each supply is slightly different, it is possible
that certain supplies contain more hydrogen sulfide and/or heavy metals
which can be extremely important, especially when a system malfunctions
and/or fails.
The
composition of the fuel and its bi-products of incomplete combustion
are important to identify as these different chemical substances can
cause damage, to specific areas in the body, from which long term complications
can potentially stem from.
Cyanide,
for example: where it is produced in appreciable quantity as a bi-product
of incomplete combustion, causes disruption to the cochlear.
Thus,
specific to the ear with impairment to hearing as the resultant damage.
Hydrogen
Sulfide is known to cause damage to the cerebella (brain stem). As
the composition of each combustion bi-products is slightly different
from one supply to another, it is therefore possible to see a specific
damage in one case but not seen in every other case of poisoning.
Therefore,
it is on the strength of these arguments, that we are focusing our efforts,
make a start, and call for the identification of more and more of these
different chemical substances to be identified from the cocktail mix
produced as bi-products of incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuel.
Landfill
sites can be hazardous where leakage of toxic gases, spillage and contamination
of the water, land and air are sometimes detected.
Lakes,
rivers and waterways: where these reservoirs are used by public and
commercial utilities for the discharge of large volumes of ‘chemical
waste’ from industrial processes, to everyday household waste, contamination
is more often than not, a serious environmental problem.
There
are so many different areas of contamination, both in and outdoors:
within homes, workplace and in public utilities. Some sources of potential
contamination are evident but many sites which posses a problem associated
with chronic exposure (for example: to toxic fumes including carbon
monoxide) are much less obvious.
Unless,
we start taking notice and begin to attach importance to these environmental
issues, the health and welfare of every single one, is at stake.
These
different sources of potential exposure are important for the residence
in a particular community. As for the wider issue of chronic
Sub-lethal
poisoning, this is a universal problem shared by all of us.
ETF
kick off with the campaign to raise the profile that of chronic
sub-lethal poisoning from toxic fumes including carbon monoxide.
Poisoning from toxic fumes including carbon monoxide is gaining in recognition
within conventional medical circles as a problem of increasing importance
from its potential damage to major (oxygen) dependant organs such as
the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and pancreas.
Carbon
Monoxide is a potent chemical asphyxiant. Thus, it is speculated that
through the creation of an acidotic hypoxic ischemic environment: neurotoxicity
of carbon monoxide is becoming more evident in the manifestation of
disease process.
The
long held perception of no long term damage to cell physiology following
exposure to toxic fumes including carbon monoxide from the improper
evacuation and/or extraction, is outdated and no longer sustainable.
There
are increasing medical evidence towards long term structural damage
even in circumstances where the monitored levels of carbon monoxide
alone, for example, is known to be extremely minute.
Hydrocarbons
are everywhere and in everything 'alive and natural'. A grain store
is an unlikely source of carbon monoxide but as the grain is stored,
the gas is produced and can be lethal if allowed to build up.
Decomposing
fish and animal products, and vegetation are examples, where there is
an accumulation of waste, toxic gases are produced from the decaying
matter.
Combustion
of any type of hydrocarbon fuel: jet fuel, natural gas, kerosene, propane,
butane, coal, charcoal, wood, etc. is never complete.
The
combustion process is dependant on many factors such as the temperature
of the surrounding air. Altitude determines the amount of oxygen available
for combustion. Other examples include: pressure at which the fuel
source is delivered, air pressure in and outside a building, and if
the space housing the burner is sealed tight. These are only some of
the many considerations that can affect the kinetics of combustion.
As
combustion is never complete, there is always the generation of bi-products
such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, n-hexane,
xylene and many more, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, hydrogen cyanide,
and particulate which are fine particles that cannot be detected by
the naked eye. There are many heavy metals present such as mercury,
lead, and inorganic compounds such as arsenic, cyanide, which all have
very toxic properties.
Where
natural gas is used, there is always the element of raw unspent fuel,
methane, which is often ignored and touted as harmless.
That
again, is mis-leading as methane itself is another chemical asphyxiant.
Raw (unspent) fuel is also often discharged at the same time into the
atmosphere with combustion products and bi-products even under normal
conditions.
However,
in special circumstances where there is significant volume of traffic
from fighter jets, for example, large amount of raw fuel when injected
outside the combustion chamber, provides the thrust required for great
speeds, but leave entrails.
A
process which harnesses the properties of incomplete combustion but
such a process also, inevitably leaves its toxic products behind.
Thus,
under this particular circumstance, the combustion process is even less
complete with large volumes of unspent fuel being discharged together
with products of incomplete combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel, JP-8
(kerosene plus additives).
These
are merely a few examples and a fraction of the chemical substances
present to form the lethal cocktail mix of gases and particulate, produced
as a result of the combustion process.
Although
carbon monoxide, is by far the most well known, it is therefore only
one of the many chemical substances that can cause serious harm
to living cells.
Thus,
the relevance of all other potential toxic chemicals within the cocktail
mix of exhaust gases produced from the combustion of any hydrocarbon
fuel must now also be considered.
In
portraying carbon monoxide as the sole culprit
bi-product
of incomplete combustion, industry helped along by the medical profession,
have long argued that there is no long-term permanent damage to the
morphology of an exposed victim.
Once
re-perfusion of oxygen to bodily structures occur, and the offending
source of contamination is removed, industry and the medical profession
have argued that a victim is no longer harmed as he/she is 'no longer
being carbon monoxide poisoned'.
However,
that statement read in isolation may technically prove correct but it
is certainly not reflective of the real state of play in any case of
chronic sub-lethal (acute) poisoning, as evidence is now pointing to
damage that goes beyond the episode of partial oxygen deprivation.
Damage
is potentially resultant from the period(s) of hypoxic anoxic
ischemic conditions in which the entire cell chemistry of the body is
turned on its head.
As
more and more is understood about the mechanics of oxygen deprivation,
it is becoming clear that many more mechanisms are being triggered as
a result of this.
Thus,
the implications here are very different, when resultant damage cause
by episode(s) of chronic
sub-lethal
(acute) exposures are taken into consideration, the stakes are raised
as they include damage that are potentially serious, long term and ultimately
irreparable.
Exposure
potentially leads to many resultant problems, such as chronic fatigue,
multiple chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, neurological
deterioration, auto-immune deficiency, arteriosclerosis
and much more.
Some
of these, where conventional medical practice have yet to openly embrace,
where once many of these conditions were attributed to stress or psychological
factors, new research are beginning to point to an environmental link
and a physical cause for such conditions.
Therefore,
we hope that you are now convinced that this is a problem worthy of
your precious time and consideration. So Please:
Join
in with us. Lend
us your support.
Help
us with our campaign: to make this a better and safer world for all.
Contact:
Info@environmentaltoxinsfoundation.org.uk
