Our Environment

A new report released by the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice (CHEJ), warns that PVC shower curtains could be releasing hazardous chemicals that contaminate the air and endanger public health. PVC or polyvinyl chloride is the material of choice for many of the shower curtains on the market today.

A PVC shower curtain can be recognized by the strong chemical odor or "new shower curtain smell" that it gives off. Personally I have always liked that smell, but apparently that is the smell of 108 volatile organic compounds (VOC's) being released into the air. The CHEJ is pushing for an out right ban of these type of curtains and our providing individual retailers and distributors with copies of their report in the hope that they may decide to voluntarily pull the products from shelves.

In addition to shower curtains other household products made with PVC include table cloths, back packs, and plastic covers. Most products are not adequately labeled so it is up to the consumer to be aware of the dangers of possible exposure to PVC.

The CHEJ report titled: "Volatile Vinyl: The New Shower Curtain's Chemical Smell" can be read in its entirety at the CHEJ website.

With each passing year, the number of environmental liability lawsuits continues to increase. Regulations in most industrialized countries continue to place more and more responsibility for environmental hazards on the actual property owners, even if they were the direct result of actions taken by the renter. It is now more important than ever that landlords require extensive

Possible environmental problems that can be attributed to negligent tenants include mold, improperly stored fuel or containers, and the burning of toxic materials. None of these hazards are covered by standard landlord insurance policies.

The importance of tenant referencing is especially relevant when considering the risk of renting to those who engage in illegal activities, such as the production of methamphetamine's. These activities can lead to enormous hazardous waste and immense clean up cost. Most all jurisdictions will hold the property owners liable.

If you are considering becoming a landlord, be sure to invest in the proper background checks. It may save you thousands of dollars and it could prevent damage to your local environment.