Customer Reviews

Haunted Housing: How Toxic Scare Stories are Spooking the Public Out of House and Home

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This is an exceptional book with obviously good scholarship and scientific reviewers and information drawn from primary sources. Although it began with well-intentioned concern, the "asbestos hazard" became one of the most costly mistakes of the 20th Century, and it continues to cause damage through exploitation of fear. There are few better examples of the costs incurred through making sweeping regulation based on political activism rather than on science. "Radon" promises to become an issue cast in the same manner. This book furnishes a case study on the larger issue of why a government agency charged with regulation incurs a conflict of interest that prevents its doing objective research about seriousness of a hazard-the more fear raised over a potential hazard, the more important and influential a regulatory agency becomes. Where influence and funding depend on fear, research that discloses fear as largely unfounded is invariably unwelcome. As result, government has little interest in providing the public with facts or solid information that reveals severe misjudgments and expensive mistakes. One has to dig through the primary science literature to deduce this--a chore few can or are inclined to do. Moore's book documents mistakes of enormous magnitude that negatively impact homeowners. It gathers enough primary information in readable form to show how it occurred and the vehemence with which it is perpetuated. Critical thinkers will love this book; those who thrive on promoting baseless fear will hate it.

For the last 20 years, I've rehabbed old houses and loved the work. I've always wondered about the EPA's wild statements regarding HOW UNSAFE old houses are. Why didn't our grandparents and parents fall over dead from all these hazards?

While writing an article about radon in the home, I discovered Casandra Moore and her book and even had a chance to interview her. I was so impressed with her, I came right to Amazon.com and bought her book. **It is one of the finest books in print.** Period.

She speaks the truth about these hazards in our home and each statement is substantiated and supported.

It is a very interesting read and a very reassuring read. No, our grandparents and parents did *NOT* fall over dead from the hazards in these old houses and there's a reason they did not!

Too often, the so-called hazards are completely overstated and blown out of all proportion by a massive governmental bureaucracy's creative imagination or a misplaced hope to save us from ourselves.

Moore's book reveals that lead levels [measured by blood lead levels] have fallen from 60 micrograms in 1970 to about 10 micrograms in 1990. That is a significant decrease.

She also reveals that the US Public Health Service keeps lowering the bar. Three times in 15 years, they've decreased the *safe* number for blood lead levels, which makes the numbers or percentages of children at risk APPEAR to jump way up. Makes for hot headlines, but bad information.

Her book is stuffed full of this kind of information. Very very interesting.

This is a good read, an interesting topic, an important book and a wonderful resource. I'd recommend it as a *must read* for anyone who lives in a pre-1970 built house.

TO conclude, Moore has good news to share. The EPA is not the final word on on our health and well being. We are indeed, "safe at home."

Rose

"Why didn't our grandparents and parents fall over dead from all these hazards?"

Our grandparents didnt have to cope with all the chemicals we have today! They didnt get allergic, 1/3 of all americans are allergic today. In my book that is due to poison coming from products we have in our homes, combined with not enough ventilation.

If you wrap the house in plastic and use buildingmaterial of formaldehyde inside it, whats going to happen? Myself I got allergic just a few years after moving into such a house, built 1974. Nowadays there are many more toxic stuff to breath in.