Sick House Syndrome
About 1 percent of households living in new houses in Japan suffer from so-called sick house syndrome, and high humidity is likely to increase the risk, the Japanese government's health ministry said Monday.
The estimate by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is based on a survey it conducted, marking the first comprehensive nationwide research on what Kyodo News calls "mysterious" sick house syndrome and correlation with living environments. (Note: what is "mysterious" about getting sick from toxic chemicals!? Someone should give Kyodo journalists a health science lecture...)
Many new houses and apartments in Japan contain more than 0.08 parts per million of formaldehyde, which is the legal limit set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. However, certain construction companies are also setting forth criteria for solvents such as toluene and xylene valpors, and have switched to water-based flooring paints without solvents.
The trend is emerging in Japan to build eco-houses that are virtually free from dangerous man-made chemicals. The Ecological House Research Institute says:
"Without addressing the problem that dwelling houses, which should be basically healthy in their environments, are constructed of building materials that generate such gas and contain such chemicals causing sickness, we cannot discuss the environmental problem of the 21st century."
Sweden is the third largest supplier to the Japanese residential building product market and have a 25% market share. Sweden increased its market share over the last several years because of Sweden House (click here to see their commercials!). This is actually the largest imported homebuilder in Japan, and they brag about having "a good quality image". I can't find a word about sick house syndrome on their fancy website, though.
The estimate by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is based on a survey it conducted, marking the first comprehensive nationwide research on what Kyodo News calls "mysterious" sick house syndrome and correlation with living environments. (Note: what is "mysterious" about getting sick from toxic chemicals!? Someone should give Kyodo journalists a health science lecture...)
Many new houses and apartments in Japan contain more than 0.08 parts per million of formaldehyde, which is the legal limit set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. However, certain construction companies are also setting forth criteria for solvents such as toluene and xylene valpors, and have switched to water-based flooring paints without solvents.
The trend is emerging in Japan to build eco-houses that are virtually free from dangerous man-made chemicals. The Ecological House Research Institute says:
"Without addressing the problem that dwelling houses, which should be basically healthy in their environments, are constructed of building materials that generate such gas and contain such chemicals causing sickness, we cannot discuss the environmental problem of the 21st century."
Sweden is the third largest supplier to the Japanese residential building product market and have a 25% market share. Sweden increased its market share over the last several years because of Sweden House (click here to see their commercials!). This is actually the largest imported homebuilder in Japan, and they brag about having "a good quality image". I can't find a word about sick house syndrome on their fancy website, though.
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