Audrey.K wrote:

I found a website with your address regarding Simple Green and Butoxyethanol. My husband had a chemical exposure in 2000. He was using Simple Green off and on for about 45 minutes. He started feeling real sick.

This was also not a ventilated area. The owner of the company did not provide the "correct" bottle per the manufacturers of Simple Green. He was using a misting bottle. He developed Reactive Airway Dysfunction Syndrome.

That would have been easy enough to deal with except that he later developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivities then paralysis. We do not know where the paralysis come from. They are not a symptom of these other two disorders. After doing more research on this chemical, I found your information and the study showing paralysis in primates and rats. Do you have more information that might be helpful? My husband's doctors are not sure what is wrong with him. He goes into paralyzing attacks that can last 4-5 hours and effect his entire body or just last minutes with it being a single body part. It can happy and day, any time, no matter what he is doing. He can be sleeping, driving, bathing, etc. This has consumed our lives. I am just looking for anyone who might have information.

Thanks.
Audrey K

June 20, 2003
Dear Audrey & family,
Yesterday I got the ingredient of harm that's in Simple Green.  The man said it was butyl cellusolve.  I looked it up and that is a synonym for 2-butoxyethanol or ethylene glycol mono-butyl ether.  Simple Green makes a big point about it being non toxic - biodegradable.  I believe they are treading on dangerous ground.  At <6% concentration, that is not safe ... Glass Plus is not safe at 5% concentration of this component - for home use; indicating industrial guidelines for use:  goggles, etc should be used.
Seems they use a lot of double talk about its being diluted, so they don't have to give the warnings any longer.  (Because it is diluted, it isn't in a strength that will harm anyone - so they don't mention it?)
I note that the paint companies, Fuller O'Brien, in particular, are now putting good warnings on their paint, whereas previously you couldn't find the harmful ingredient, or adequate warnings for such.  They are concerned, I believe, about a suit for Negligent Failure to Warn after the past 10 years of lawsuits re:  lead in paints.

I have heard that workers were harmed in about 1991 in Prudhoe Bay from Simple Green ... but that it has not become public... gag order while negotiating or something

I don't have the information on it.  Just know it is out there somewhere.

Since you didn't reply to my last e-mails, did your husband become paralyzed?

'Mother Margaret'   e-mail

April 18, 2004

 

2-Butoxyethanol is Butyl Cellosolve 

(trademark of Union Carbide/Dow Chemical)


diethylene glycol monobutyl ether is Butyl Carbitol (Trademark of ")