Termite and Wood Boring Insects - HELP! How can I find out if my home was treated w/Chloradane???

My wife and I just purchased a home built in 1986. We had a pest control company come out to do an estimate on having the home put under a bond and the inspector mentioned to us that the home appears to have never been treated and yet shows no signs of any current or prior infestation.

Being that we live in Georgia, known for its propensity to deal homes termite damage at will, he found it odd that a home this old would have nothing to show. He told me about chloradane use many years ago and mentioned that it was possible that it could have been used on our foundation which would explain the absence of termites. He also stated there was no real presence of spiders or cobwebs as well as a number of dead birds (not sure how they got in, but it's entirely possible that they simply couldn't get back out).

This all said, after reading about chloradane, I'm really concerned about its potential to harm my family, especially our 7 month old son. Should I be concerned? What should I look for? Should I have the property tested and, if so, who can do this?

Thanks to anyone who can help me! :)

The nominal time for chlordane to degrade from the environment is shown as 20 years. Chlordane binds to the soil particles. Contact with a substantial amount of chlordane from a termite treatment seems to be quite low, especially after 20 years.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts31.html

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/chlordane/recognition.html

Moreover, the conclusion that chlordane was used is not the same as knowing that it was used. Chlordane was banned in the US in 1988. It is possible that there was no chlordane used on your house. If it were used, it would likely have been low pressure injection into the soil around the foundation of your house.

The EPA limits that amount of Chlordane that a child should ingest in drinking water per day. This does not mean that all drinking was has Chlordane in it.

I have seen test kits for Chlordane advertised on the web, but no mention of what action to take if Chlordane is detected or how much Chlordane constitutes a hazard.

Hope this helps.

The nominal time for chlordane to degrade from the environment is shown as 20 years. Chlordane binds to the soil particles. Contact with a substantial amount of chlordane from a termite treatment seems to be quite low, especially after 20 years.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts31.html

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/chlordane/recognition.html

Moreover, the conclusion that chlordane was used is not the same as knowing that it was used. Chlordane was banned in the US in 1988. It is possible that there was no chlordane used on your house. If it were used, it would likely have been low pressure injection into the soil around the foundation of your house.

The EPA limits that amount of Chlordane that a child should ingest in drinking water per day. This does not mean that all drinking was has Chlordane in it.

I have seen test kits for Chlordane advertised on the web, but no mention of what action to take if Chlordane is detected or how much Chlordane constitutes a hazard.

Hope this helps.

This is helpful information. I guess the big concern is that I've read where some contractors were misusing the chemical, i.e. using substantially stronger treatments than directed. I had also read that the half-life for this chemical was well over 20 years, but that makes me feel a little better.

Our water is from a community well which is maintained and tested by the water company. Can the chloradane leech into water pipes? Obviously, it wouldn't be leeching into the well since the well is monitored and not on the property. Also, does it give off any fumes? I haven't smelled anything strong in the crawlspace, but is it possible for it to permeate HVAC ducts? All of the ductwork and water lines run in the crawl.

Thanks again for the information! It's a big help to me! :thumbup:

1.5 How can chlordane affect my health?

Most health effects in humans that may be linked to chlordane exposure are on the nervous system, the digestive system, and the liver. These effects were seen mostly in people who swallowed chlordane mixtures. Large amounts of chlordane taken by mouth can cause convulsions and death. Convulsions occurred in a man who had long-term skin contact with soil containing large amounts of chlordane. Swallowing small amounts or breathing air containing high concentrations of chlordane vapors can cause a variety of nervous system effects, including headaches, irritation, confusion, weakness, and vision problems, as well as upset stomach, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and jaundice.

No harmful effects on health have been confirmed in studies of workers who made chlordane. One study found minor changes in liver function in workers in Japan who used chlordane as a pesticide. There are indications that chlordane may cause anemia and other changes in the blood cells, but the evidence is not very strong.

Animals given high levels of chlordane by mouth for short periods of time died or had convulsions. Long-term exposure of animals to chlordane in their food caused harmful effects in the liver. It is not known whether chlordane will cause cancer in humans after long-term exposure. Studies of workers who made or used chlordane do not link exposure with cancer, but the information is not sufficient to know for sure. Mice fed low levels of chlordane in their food for most of their lifetimes developed liver cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that chlordane is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans. It is not known whether chlordane will cause reproductive or birth defects in humans. Studies of workers who made or used chlordane do not link exposure to the chemical with birth defects, but there are not enough studies in humans to know for sure. There is some evidence that animals exposed before birth or while nursing develop behavioral effects while growing up.
*************************************

The effects caused by low doses of Chlordane, are some of the SAME effects you too can get from pharmaceutical drugs, or most likely anything found under your kitchen sink! What has happened to common sense? There must have been a strong lobby against it....from the exterminator business! Do you actually think the pharmaceutical companies are going to stop manufacturing their drugs??? I think not!! People's ignorance never cease to amaze me!!

So basically Chlordane was banned for no reason!

http://forum.doityourself.com/termite-wood-boring-insects/346525-help-how-can-i-find-out-if-my-home-treated-w-chloradane.html

1mooredee, please edit your post and supply the link to the site where you copied this information.

Thanks,
Newt

1mooredee, please edit your post and supply the link to the site where you copied this information.

Thanks,
Newt

ATSDR - Public Health Statement: Chlordane (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs31.html)

1mooredee, please edit your post and supply the link to the site where you copied this information.

Thanks,
Newt

Thanks mooredee.

The information you have listed is among a great deal of information that I found after much searching, pretty much word-for-word.

We did confirm the use of chlordane on our home back in 1986. I spoke with the builder and also had a test performed over the summer. The concentration level came back at 729ng or .000729mg/cubic meter of air. From all indications and other information that I have seen about this subject, that is a pretty low concentration. The company that did the testing, however, made it out to be considered a high concentration (but, they also have a bit of a conflict of interest going on as they have links to two different companies offering heat-exchange systems as a means of mitigation).

The suggested limit for indoor air in military housing is .005mg/3m and the same number is offered as the suggested general indoor air limit by NAS (National Academy of the Sciences). This stated, I believe that we should be okay. We have not experienced any effects during our time in the home that I would say are attributable to the chlordane.

More information can be found at Environmental Medicine: Integrating a Missing Element into Medical Education (http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4795&page=281) and also at Environmental Medicine: Integrating a Missing Element into Medical Education (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4795&page=267). Perhaps the most important mention in these pages is this (see page 271 of link #2):

"Today, most people at increased risk of chlordane exposure (primarily via inhalation) are occupants of houses previously treated for termite control. Chlordane was used throughout much of the United States, but most treated structures are located in the South and far West, where termite infestations are a significant problem. In 1987, EPA estimated that as many as 52 million persons may be exposed to chlordane in their homes. Most homes have been treated properly, and the occupants are unlikely to experience adverse effects. "

Also of note:

"Children may have increased exposure risk. A chlordane metabolite, heptachlor epoxide, has been detected in maternal and fetal blood and in amniotic fluid, indicating potential exposure in utero. Chlordane accumulates in breast milk, which may increase the risk for nursing infants of significantly exposed mothers. In several surveys of nursing mothers who had no known exposures, chlordane or its metabolites were found in more than 50% of breast milk samples, but the levels found appeared to have no short-term effects on the infants."

Again, thanks for the help and maybe this info can help someone else. If you have any other information, let me know! :beers:

Thanks mooredee.

The information you have listed is among a great deal of information that I found after much searching, pretty much word-for-word.

We did confirm the use of chlordane on our home back in 1986. I spoke with the builder and also had a test performed over the summer. The concentration level came back at 729ng or .000729mg/cubic meter of air. From all indications and other information that I have seen about this subject, that is a pretty low concentration. The company that did the testing, however, made it out to be considered a high concentration (but, they also have a bit of a conflict of interest going on as they have links to two different companies offering heat-exchange systems as a means of mitigation).

The suggested limit for indoor air in military housing is .005mg/3m and the same number is offered as the suggested general indoor air limit by NAS (National Academy of the Sciences). This stated, I believe that we should be okay. We have not experienced any effects during our time in the home that I would say are attributable to the chlordane.

More information can be found at Environmental Medicine: Integrating a Missing Element into Medical Education (http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4795&page=281) and also at Environmental Medicine: Integrating a Missing Element into Medical Education (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4795&page=267). Perhaps the most important mention in these pages is this (see page 271 of link #2):

"Today, most people at increased risk of chlordane exposure (primarily via inhalation) are occupants of houses previously treated for termite control. Chlordane was used throughout much of the United States, but most treated structures are located in the South and far West, where termite infestations are a significant problem. In 1987, EPA estimated that as many as 52 million persons may be exposed to chlordane in their homes. Most homes have been treated properly, and the occupants are unlikely to experience adverse effects. "

Also of note:

"Children may have increased exposure risk. A chlordane metabolite, heptachlor epoxide, has been detected in maternal and fetal blood and in amniotic fluid, indicating potential exposure in utero. Chlordane accumulates in breast milk, which may increase the risk for nursing infants of significantly exposed mothers. In several surveys of nursing mothers who had no known exposures, chlordane or its metabolites were found in more than 50% of breast milk samples, but the levels found appeared to have no short-term effects on the infants."

Again, thanks for the help and maybe this info can help someone else. If you have any other information, let me know! :beers:

:) Glad to help you out!

I only posted, and wanted this info out there, because I believe people have become hypersensitive about it. A friend of mine, who's in her mid 50's, lived in a home (her childhood home, where her mother still resides) that was sprayed with this chemical back in the early 60's, and no one in their family has suffered from it.

Like I said, I just wanted to share the info.

Hope you enjoy your new home! :)

:) Glad to help you out!

I only posted, and wanted this info out there, because I believe people have become hypersensitive about it. A friend of mine, who's in her mid 50's, lived in a home (her childhood home, where her mother still resides) that was sprayed with this chemical back in the early 60's, and no one in their family has suffered from it.

Like I said, I just wanted to share the info.

Hope you enjoy your new home! :)

I do appreciate it!

Have you run into a lot of people with an unfounded fear of this chemical? I was very concerned at first, but that has since subsided after learning more about it. I think one of the biggest indicators of its danger, or lack thereof, is the fact that finding someone to test for it is an absolute chore in and of itself! And, as I said, the one company that I found to do it seemed to have an ulterior motive to boot. I couldn't be sure that they were not exaggerating just for the sake of a kickback from one of their linked A/C companies.