{"id":2016481,"date":"2023-08-30T08:50:02","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T12:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maui-residents-urged-to-wear-ppe-amid-toxic-contaminants-in-air-debris-after-wildfires\/"},"modified":"2023-08-30T09:02:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T13:02:45","slug":"maui-residents-urged-to-wear-ppe-amid-toxic-contaminants-in-air-debris-after-wildfires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maui-residents-urged-to-wear-ppe-amid-toxic-contaminants-in-air-debris-after-wildfires\/","title":{"rendered":"Maui residents advised to use PPE due to hazardous air and debris post-wildfires."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaui-residents-urged-to-wear-ppe-amid-toxic-contaminants-in-air-debris-after-wildfires%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2016481&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>Residents on the Hawaiian island of Maui\u200b have been urged not to drink tap\u200b water and to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/disney-world-suspends-vaccine-mandate-white-house-attacks-desantis\/\" title=\"Disney World Suspends Vaccine Mandate. White House Attacks DeSantis.\">wear personal protective equipment<\/a> (PPE) amid an increased risk of toxic\u200d chemicals in the air in\u2063 the\u2064 wake of devastating and fatal wildfires that left 115 dead.<\/p>\n<p>The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Aug. 23 that it had\u2064 begun removing and disposing of hazardous waste materials, including paints, cleaners, solvents, oils, batteries, and pesticides, from homes in Kula and Olinda impacted by the\u2063 wildfires and\u2063 would later begin identifying\u200b and removing items thought to contain asbestos as part of \u2063its second phase of the removal process.<\/p>\n<p>Days\u2063 later on Aug.\u2064 29, the EPA said officials would begin the same process in \u200dLahaina,\u200b in correlation \u200dwith the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),\u200b and with\u200b support\u2063 from the U.S. \u2062Army Corps of Engineers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/white-house-says-biden-didnt-hear-hawaii-wildfire-question-when-he-said-no-comment-5480898\">White House Says Biden\u200c Didn&#8217;t Hear Hawaii Wildfire Question When He Said &#8216;No Comment&#8217;<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/25\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/white-house-says-biden-didnt-hear-hawaii-wildfire-question-when-he-said-no-comment-5480898\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/biden-visits-hawaii-as-wildfire-rescue-efforts-continue-850-people-still-missing-5477817\">Biden Visits Hawaii as \u200cWildfire Rescue Efforts Continue; 850 People Still Missing<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/21\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n          <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/biden-visits-hawaii-as-wildfire-rescue-efforts-continue-850-people-still-missing-5477817\"><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>After they are removed, the hazardous materials will be shipped to the U.S. mainland where they will be \u200cproperly disposed\u2062 of, officials said, \u200dnoting that during the removal process, the EPA will continuously monitor the air for fine particles of dust.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the EPA said officials will spray a non-toxic and biodegradable adhesive known as \u2063&#8221;Soiltac&#8221; on ash on \u200cburned properties and structures in order to prevent the ash from blowing off the property and limiting runoff.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2063the meantime,\u200b the Hawaii Department \u200bof Health and\u2062 Maui County have tested the water\u2062 for some\u200b contaminants, and warned residents not to drink \u2062tap water\u2014even \u200dif it\u2019s boiled\u2014and instead use\u2064 bottled water for all\u200d drinking,\u2063 brushing teeth, ice-making, and food preparation until further notice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Residents are \u2063unable \u2063to treat the water in any way to make it safe,&#8221; health officials said.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Department \u200dof Health (DOH) has also\u200b recommended individuals wear \u2064PPE during \u200bclean-up efforts to \u2064avoid skin contact, noting that burn areas are extremely hazardous.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Burned \u2064buildings are pictured in the\u200c aftermath of the Maui wildfires in\u200d Lahaina, Hawaii, on\u200b Aug. 16, 2023. (Yuki Iwamura\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>Residents Urged to Wear\u200c PPE<\/h2>\n<p><strong>&#8220;DOH advises avoiding the \u2063burn area until search \u200band\u2063 recovery efforts are completed and it is cleared \u200dof hazard materials and structural ash,&#8221; health \u2063officials said. \u2062&#8221;Those near the burn site should wear\u2062 protective face masks, goggles, gloves, long-sleeves, pants, \u200bsocks, and shoes to avoid skin contact \u200cwith ash.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DOH \u2062recommends wearing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maui-residents-urged-to-wear-ppe-amid-toxic-contaminants-in-air-debris-after-wildfires\/\" title=\"Maui residents advised to use PPE due to hazardous air and debris post-wildfires.\">tight-fitting respirator mask approved<\/a> by\u200c the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or with \u200cN95 printed \u2064on it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Please take necessary precautions \u200band <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/video-from-capitol-breach-contradicts-public-narrative-must-be-released-lawyer-argues\/\" title=\"\u00a0Video From Capitol Breach \u2018Contradicts Public Narrative,\u2019 Must Be Released, Lawyer Argues\u00a0\">seek medical assistance<\/a> if feeling unwell. \u2063Children and pregnant people are at\u2062 higher risk from the debris\u200b hazards and \u2064should \u2064not \u2062help with clean-up efforts,&#8221; DOH said. &#8220;Top hazard concerns in the burn area include unstable structures,\u200c debris, and toxic contaminants \u2064present in\u200b debris and ash. Other \u2063heavy metals and chemicals may also be\u200c present in\u200d ash after a wildfire and could present a hazard,&#8221; officials added.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Additionally, health officials have advised residents\u2014in particular children, the elderly, and those with preexisting respiratory conditions such as asthma \u2062and chronic\u200d obstructive pulmonary disease\u2014to limit outdoor\u2062 activities to reduce exposure and minimize health risks, while those staying indoors are advised to \u2064close all windows and doors.<\/p>\n<p>However, the warnings may\u2064 be too late \u200cfor some, according to Maui County \u2064Councilmember Tamara Paltin, who chairs\u2063 the Disaster, Resilience, International Affairs, and Planning Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Ms. Paltin \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/maui-wildfire-toxic-air-locals-fear-health-effects-years-to-come\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told CBS News<\/a> that some individuals \u2062who volunteered as part of the clean-up \u2064operation have already <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-new-alzheimers-drug-cuts-symptoms-by-30-percent\/\" title=\"A New Alzheimer\u2019s Drug Cuts Symptoms By 30 Percent\">reported adverse effects<\/a> from what she\u200c believes \u2063are &#8220;toxic&#8221;\u200b materials left behind in the wake \u200cof the\u200b wildfires.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The arsenic,\u200d the \u200dasbestos, the lead. Close to the burnt \u200bzone, we&#8217;ve heard from volunteers having\u2063 adverse effects,&#8221; she said. &#8220;One lady \u200cI had heard was coughing \u2064up blood after being there a number of days.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Another resident, Kekoa Lansford, claimed he had experienced\u200b issues with breathing and was \u2062&#8221;coughing up \u200cblack stuff and nasty stuff&#8221; following the wildfires.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Burned \u200dcars and homes are seen across the street from untouched \u200chomes in a neighborhood that was destroyed \u2064by a wildfire in \u200cLahaina, Hawaii, on \u200dAug. 18, \u200c2023.\u200c (Justin Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>&#8216;Burning Feeling in Chest&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Elsewhere, resident Kiley Adolpho told the publication that she\u2062 was left with\u2063 a &#8220;burning feeling in the chest&#8221; and throat while in an area known as \u2062the Red \u2064Zone, where many evacuations took place.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I definitely need to use a respirator,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It protects you from dust, fine particles, but not the toxic air. And I&#8217;ve been here for two weeks now.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Ms.\u200c Adolpho \u200bsaid she believes the problems \u200dwill likely lead \u2062to\u2063 long-term effects, telling CBS, &#8220;Come\u200d back \u206220 years later, 10 years later and \u2064you&#8217;ll see&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Residents on Maui urged to avoid tap water and wear PPE due to toxic chemicals in the air after deadly wildfires. EPA has started removing and assessing hazardous materials. Death toll stands at 115.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":2016482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2016481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2016481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2016481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2016481\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2016482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2016481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2016481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2016481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}