A Press Release that everybody ignored..................

[Chris Ryser]

including the optical magazines form A------Z, all forums..............., and all health departments in the USA and Canada with the exception of OSHA that wants more information...................




Google Alert for: opto chemicals


Hundreds of Thousands of Optical Stores and Optical Labs Endanger ...
Emediawire (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... OMS Opto Chemicals has recently developed a non toxic water based tint remover that will not emit any toxic fumes and does work as fast or faster than the ...
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I am sorry I posted this first on the progressive forum where it has no right to be. Realised it too late, effect of cocktail hour. at least it made here.

[Mikef]

Chris,

I read the article. Did you write it?

[Chris Ryser]

Chris,
I read the article. Did you write it?

Yes I did. This goes for all press releases. When you see the news in papers and magazines they are handed to a press release agency that sends it to all sources open to them. After that it is the editors choice to print it or not.

[finklstiltskin]

Thanks for the information, Mr. Ryser. I swear to GAWD that I didn't ignore it - just never saw it.;)

[slaboff]

Will this product bleach poly?

[edKENdance]

Chris wrote an article? How much did you have to pay the spell checker?

:)

[Chris Ryser]

Will this product bleach poly?

It will bleach Poly and all high index lenses as well as CR39 without damaging anything.

It is not a solvent like the standard neutralizers, it is a s surfactant wayer based mix. Works as fast or faster than regular neutralizers. You will have to top off evaporated water.

You will need only one neutralizer for all lenses....................makes it simple.........and have no toxic fumes to inhale.

[Chris Ryser]

Chris wrote an article? How much did you have to pay the spell checker?
:)

My spell checker does make a disapearance act sometimes. But the products works and will not poison you.

[Rainstorm]

how about just the general odor, ours is so pungent, you can actually taste it from 10 feet away.

[Chris Ryser]

how about just the general odor, ours is so pungent, you can actually taste it from 10 feet away.

What type product are you talking about?

Actually on this one there is no odour and no toxic fumes........just does the job nice and fast on every type of lenses.

[Rainstorm]

whatever our brand of polyclear is, I'm drawing a total blank, but it is some nasty stuff.

[Chris Ryser]

whatever our brand of polyclear is, I'm drawing a total blank, but it is some nasty stuff.

Ok............so now you have two nasty stuff's to breathe all day. You have the drawn the winning ticket.

The new waterbased product will do all lenses........no more 2 or 3 products needed..........all in one............no smell.......non toxic fumes...........empty down toilet

[Mikef]

Is there any information about how many Optician or patients that have been effected by this?

Are there links to the study on this?

[Chris Ryser]

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/ethy-gly.html

Conversion Factors:
To convert concentrations in air (at 25 °C) from ppm to mg/m3: mg/m3 = (ppm) × (molecular weight of the compound)/(24.45). For ethylene glycol: 1 ppm = 2.54 mg/m3.
Health Data from Inhalation Exposure




From some MSDS Sheets

NOTES TO PHYSICIAN

For acute or short term repeated exposures to ethylene glycol:· Early treatment of ingestion is important. Ensure emesis is satisfactory.· Test and correct for metabolic acidosis and hypocalcaemia.· Apply sustained diuresis when possible with hypertonic mannitol.· Evaluate renal status and begin haemodialysis if indicated. [I.L.O]· Rapid absorption is an indication that emesis or lavage is effective only inthe first few hours. Cathartics and charcoal are generally not effective.· Correct acidosis, fluid/electrolyte balance and respiratory depression in theusual manner. Systemic acidosis (below 7.2) can be treated with intravenoussodium bicarbonate solution.· Ethanol therapy prolongs the half-life of ethylene glycol and reduces theformation of toxic metabolites.· Pyridoxine and thiamine are cofactors for ethylene glycol metabolism andshould be given (50 to 100 mg respectively) intramuscularly, four times per dayfor 2 days.· Magnesium is also a cofactor and should be replenished. The status of4-methylpyrazole, in the treatment regime, is still uncertain. For clearance ofthe material and its metabolites, haemodialysis is much superior to peritonealdialysis.[Ellenhorn and Barceloux: Medical Toxicology]It has been suggested that there is a need for establishing a new biologicalexposure limit before a workshift that is clearly below 100 mmol ethoxy-aceticacids per mole creatinine in morning urine of people occupationally exposed toethylene glycol ethers. This arises from the finding that an increase in urinarystones may be associated with such exposures.Laitinen J., et al: Occupational & Environmental Medicine 1996; 53, 595-600

[Mikef]

Chris,

Thanks for the article.
The only effects were noted in a study of individuals exposed to low levels of ethylene glycol by inhalation for about a month were throat and upper respiratory tract irritation
It sounds like Opticians are safe unless they drink a whole lot of this stuff!

Have any Opticians been effected?

[chip anderson]

You almost make me afraid to change my own anti-freeze.

[Chris Ryser]

Have any Opticians been effected?

Mikef, Actually there is a case that came up on the Optibard about 2 weeks ago. Do some search and you will find it.

As far as I know I have not seen a research on the subject, while for sure a few of them exist, maybe not for the optical trade. However there are some rules (OSHA) out there that say you should not use regular neutralizer (glycol family) without a ventilation hood over the tinting unit while venting the fumes outside.

Of course if you are an optician and have a hot tinting unit in your shop or lab without ventilation, please be my guest and continue breathing and ingesting that little bit of fumes into your system, as you say might give you a sore throat.

[Jubilee]

If you take the necessary precautions and have appropriate venting, you might be ok.

If you don't you might find that an acute exposure, like may happen in a spill, can cause you a lot more harm than you realize.

For the past year I have been having trouble with upper respiratory irritation, dry cough, and shortness of breath. I had gone to the doctor repeatedly for it, but no known cause for the "restrictive disease" was found. They certainly could document that it existed, but were at a loss for why. The symptoms would vary in severity with "flares".

Then we had an incident at work where the poly unit had begun to leak. Not sure how long it had been leaking for, all I know was that there was a puddle under the coating and curing unit. About 3/4 of a pint total. It took about 30 mins to get it all covered with cobdri, and another 2 hours to thoroughly clean.

That day I was having some throat irritation and headache, and over the next week every symptom I was having prior to this exposure, increased 10 fold. I couldn't even carry on a conversation with out having a large glass of water to calm the coughing spasms. When I finally got to a real doctor, it was explained that my whole upper respiratory system was irritated, and inflamed. My reflux which had been in control for years was suddely out of control again,with abdominal cramping, and uhm.. bathroom issues.

Now they are investigating if it is possible that chemicals from the lab were causing my previous symptoms all along. That one concern is the reason why my company won't let me back in the lab at all now.. Which means I am not getting hours since we are short on lab help, but way over on retail. It looks better for the store if I am on workman's comp than to be over more hours. Even though they pay for those hours anyway.. But 50% of pay is better than paying all my salary, plus it is considered leave and not operational hours...

Maybe I was "sensitive" to this chemical. But when I see people break out in rashes simply by filling the coating unit, or getting headaches from the neutralizer, you have to start to wonder.. I know when I first asked if there could be a possible link to the chemicals we use and various health issues, other people chimed in about having symptoms similar to mine.


Cassandra