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delousing, decontamination, CARC
painting |
The favorite choices for cause of gulf war
illness are generally sarin gas, DU or 'shots'
plus some were harmed from smoke (from sabotage
of Kuwaiti oil wells); ionized radiation and a
few others. They know something is wrong; but
they are really at a loss to know WHAT is
causing a very odd assorment of ailments..
I shared for more than 4 months with the gulf
war vets forum about 2-butoxyethanol (which they
got tired of hearing about). However,
it is undeniably an exposure
(& from what I know about it, it can cause all
of the symptoms all by itself).
A milder version of this chemical family,
methyl ethanol,
may have been used to spray down the big trucks
(& sadly their drivers, which
Conny shared with me).
Is it here?
What was used to delouse?
Pesticides
2-butoxyethanol is a Solvent, a Pesticide, and a
poison
CARC Paint
(this chemical would surely be in this mix)
AND it would affect more than just those who
actually painted
The wind could blow the chemicals into someone's
eyes.
Even if they did have the right 'protective
equipment' most likely they wouldn't have had
any eye protection. If I were a solder today, I
wouldn't even go jogging without
airtight protective eye goggles
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Quote: |
For Operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm, the US shipped
thousands of vehicles and other
pieces of equipment to the Persian
Gulf. Much of the equipment had the
three-color "woodland" camouflage
scheme designed for the European
Theater. These dark colors would be
easy to spot against the backdrop of
the barren desert environment.
Consequently, there was an urgent
operational requirement to repaint
incoming equipment with tan-colored
paint to provide desert camouflage
protection. Another operational
requirement was protection against
chemical warfare agents which were
believed to be in the Iraqi weapons
inventory.
The military established painting
operations in Saudi Arabia to paint
vehicles tan with so-called chemical
agent resistant coating (CARC)
paint. CARC is a polyurethane paint
that provides superior durability,
extends service life for military
vehicles and equipment, provides
surfaces with superior resistance to
chemical warfare agent penetration,
and greatly simplifies
decontamination.
DoD occupational safety and health
guidance called for proper personal
protective equipment, including
respiratory equipment, to protect
painters who employ spray painting
equipment. Several compounds in CARC
formulations, if taken into the body
in sufficiently high concentrations,
may cause short- and long-term
health effects. The most notable of
these compounds is hexamethylene
diisocyanate (HDI), which hardens
the paint. Solvents used in CARC and
paint thinners, as well as solvents
used to clean equipment, can be
hazardous via skin contact and
breathing. Exposures to solvents can
lead to dizziness, rashes, and
nausea. However, the proper wear of
personal protective equipment
greatly decreases the risks
associated with exposure to
solvents.
Exposure to high concentrations of
aerosolized HDI during spray
painting leads to immediate
respiratory irritation and
watery eyes.
Long-term exposure can cause or
aggravate respiratory problems, in
particular, asthma. The use of
personal protective equipment, such
as respirators, coveralls, eye
protection, gloves, and head
coverings, can prevent or minimize
exposures to HDI during spray
painting. The HDI in polyurethane
paint does not present a hazard
after the paint dries and cures,
unless it is exposed to heat
sufficient for thermal decomposition
of the coating, such as welding.
Some of the spray painting sites
established in Saudi Arabia lacked
the appropriate personal protective
equipment to assure safe
spray-painting operations. Several
spray painters at these sites
reported short-term symptoms,
including coughing, eye and throat
irritation, skin rashes, headaches,
and nausea. Some veterans believe
exposure to CARC contributed to
their long-term health problems. The
Office of the Special Assistant for
Gulf War Illnesses investigated CARC
use during the Gulf War to examine
the extent of exposures to this
material. |
Well, if you were to look at the gulf war vets
forum today, you most likely won't find the
2-butoxyethanol or diethylene glycol monobutyl
ether listed as an exposure (but at least in
their case, they know full well about it). Just
goes to show that people will believe what they
want to believe, and no sense giving input on
something else.
This chemical harmed a lot of gulf war vets; but
it is harming the average person of every age,
also. We have been too narrow in our focus. It
should be obvious that it is not just that
location that caused the harm to the gulf war
vet BECAUSE
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
will tell you that they are no more harmed
(percentage of each ailment to the numbers of
vets there) than the average citizen.
GULF WAR (INCLUDING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM)
REGISTRY (GWR) PROGRAM
Wants gulf war vets checked for:
Item 11. Diarrhea and/or Abdominal Pain
Item 12. Headache and/or Memory Loss
Item 13. Muscle Aches or Numbness
Item 14. Chronic Fatigue
Item 15. Joint Pain
Item 16. Chronic Cough and/or Shortness of
Breath
Item 17. Skin Rash
Item 18. Vertigo and/or Tinnitus
Item 19. Chest Pain and/or Palpitations
Item 20. Reproductive Concerns
Yep, we're talking about the same thing -
It's just not realized
VP Dick Cheney has shortness of breath unrelated
to heart concerns.
I'm concerned that he has had exposure somewhere
to EGBE
and that his
shortness of breath which is one of the signs of
THE FATIGUE
May be what he's dealing with
Are the red blood cells small-sized? (immature)
Is there blood in urine? - The
Proper View of CFIDS, CFS, FM, ME
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CARC
Painting first gulf war ... an exposure to BUTYL?
Version 2
A Gulf War Vet asks about health
issues and CARC Painting |