Eco-Experts: Answers to Your Questions About Nontoxic Floor Coverings, Natural Detergents and Earthships Built From Recycled Tires

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Concrete flooring

I am trying to find sources for nontoxic floor coverings and know that you recommend bamboo, cork, or natural linoleum, but do you have any information on how healthy or nontoxic cement flooring is?

—Marsha Miller, via e-mail

David Eisenberg replies:

In general, cement (concrete) floors are inert and do not pose a toxicity risk as far as offgassing is concerned. For people extremely sensitive to chemicals, some admixtures in the concrete may be problematic. These are added for such things as controlling the workability or setting time of the concrete. And curing compounds, used to prevent rapid drying and cracking after concrete is poured, have been suggested as potentially problematic for highly sensitive people. It is usually possible to pour high-quality concrete floors without admixtures or curing compounds.

Greater concern about toxicity is related to the possible effects of finishes, such as stains, sealers, or waxes. If finishes are used, it is good to know what is in them and what health concerns are known about them.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) should be available from the suppliers of most commercially available sealers and finishes. These provide important information about known health concerns, exposure levels, and proper safeguards for use. Adding pigments directly to the wet concrete before or just after it is poured and then troweling the surface to a hard, smooth finish usually makes it unnecessary to use any other finish.

Some people complain that standing or being on concrete for very long is hard on the feet, legs, and backs and therefore not generally healthy. Finally, though not a direct health effect, the production of Portland cement, the part of concrete that “cements” the aggregate (sand, gravel, and rock) together is quite energy intensive and contributes significant amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

DAVID EISENBERG is co-founder and director of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology in Tucson, Arizona, and co-author of the best-selling book, The Straw Bale House (Chelsea Green, 1994).

Suds for duds

We own a high-efficiency (Bosch) washer and dryer. These increasingly popular front-end loading machines (now available in numerous brands) offer exceptionally low energy and water consumption. They require the use of low sudsing, high-efficiency detergents such as Tide HE. Regular detergents, even in reduced amounts, suds way too much! Because I see more and more articles suggesting that standard household cleaners and detergents may be responsible for adding to increased cancer rates, I would like to find a more healthful alternative. Can you recommend an environmentally friendly brand or product?

—Karlen McBirney, Sandpoint, ID

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