“The lungs are a very sensitive organ,” says Gordon. As a toxicologist, he’s always worrying about what he and his wife have inhaled over the course of their own DIY adventures. If in doubt, his advice is to do your research and wear a mask.
Meanwhile Yates advocates caution when using new products, which may have as-yet-undocumented health effects. “I think I’d suggest using more traditional materials, rather than fancy agents or materials which haven’t had their safety properly evaluated yet,” she says. She also recommends avoiding cheaper home improvement products which have been produced in countries with lower safety standards.
Another option is better labelling, but this can be challenging.
“The problem is that you can’t label something as dangerous if it’s already in there,” says Yates. Even with asbestos, where there are regulations requiring that home sellers acknowledge the presence of the material, people are often unaware of its presence when they embark upon DIY activities.
Meanwhile, Gordon is sceptical that labelling new products in home improvement shops would…
