Australian homes are full of dust particles containing lead, arsenic, mercury and POO

Australian homes are filled with toxic dust particles containing lead, mercury and even faeces, according to a leading researcher.

Professor Mark Taylor from the School of Earth and Environmental Science at Macquarie University said Australians suffer a variety of health problems due to the dust in their homes. 

He told the ABC most dust is made up of organic materials such as skin particles or animal fur – but faeces is also a main component.

Professor Taylor said 96 per cent of shoes have faeces on them and that is how the waste gets into your home. 

Australian homes are filled with dust particles with led, mercury and faeces inside of it, according to a researcher, and was worsened by the bushfires (stock)

‘So walking shoes into your house not only tramps in all the other contaminants from outside, it also is likely to tramp in faeces from various animals — possums and kangaroos and goodness knows what else,’ Professor Taylor said.

Other potentially toxic trace elements in dust include manganese, arsenic, copper, nickel, chromium, zinc concentrations and lead.

‘It really depends on where you live. In Sydney in particular, or in places with industrial history, you will find lead or arsenic or mercury can get in your dust,’ Professor Taylor said.

Homes next to main roads will also have issues due to heavy flows of city traffic. 

Dry weather such as summer in Sydney or winter in the Northern Territory also has a significant impact on dust levels.

Another contributing factor is how homes in Australia are built.

‘Australian houses aren’t like European houses because they aren’t as well sealed,’ Professor Taylor told Daily Mail Australia.

‘And they don’t need to be because of the weather conditions here.’ 

TIPS TO STOP DUST INSIDE YOUR HOME

Last year Professor Taylor detailed in a media release for the university detailed ways to avoid dust in your home.

He had analysed 224 homes in Sydney and revealed his advice to keep dust out of the homes of people with young children as smaller body size means less contamination can do damage. 

Professor Taylor said it is important to keep doors and windows closed on rainy days and have indoor and outdoor doormats.

He said having a no shoes policy, combined with the doormats, is important as the first five steps into a home bring in 85 per cent of the outside dust.

‘Use a wet rag to dust, wash your hands and face regularly, (and your children’s too), get washable rugs and wet mop instead of dry sweeping,’ he explained in the release.

He also advised to get a vacuum with a HEPA filter.  

 

These toxic elements can cause respiratory issues such as asthma or wheezing – with lead having the potential to give people neurological damage and cardiovascular disease.

Higher levels can cause seizures, comas and even death. 

Professor Taylor told Daily Mail Australia the impact on children can be life-changing.

‘Children are the most vulnerable because they are still growing and the impact of dust particle elements such as lead don’t remit with age,’ he said.

These toxic elements can cause respiratory issues such as asthma or wheezing - with lead having the potential to give people neurological damage and cardio-vascular disease (stock image)

These toxic elements can cause respiratory issues such as asthma or wheezing – with lead having the potential to give people neurological damage and cardio-vascular disease (stock image)

He added there is no safe lower limit of exposure, and elevated levels in early childhood lead to social and economic issues later in life. 

‘What we were able to show with dust that certain cases in certain parts of inner Sydney the dust presented significant issues in young children under five,’ Professor Taylor said.

‘He said some would have blood leads that would exceed current acceptable levels.’

Acceptable blood levels in children is one microgram per decilitre of blood.

The particle size of the dust is a major factor in determining how serious health impacts can be.

Particles less than 2.5 micrometres in aerodynamic diameter pose the greatest issue as they can get into the bloodstream, according to the South Australian Government. 

Another concern posed by dust, according to Professor Taylor, is anti-microbial resistance.

Every house tested by Professor Taylor had a positive readings of this which meant ‘homes are reservoirs of DNA that will increase our resistance to antibiotics’.

These toxic elements can cause respiratory issues such as asthma or wheezing - with lead having the potential to create neurological damage and cardio-vascular disease (stock)

These toxic elements can cause respiratory issues such as asthma or wheezing – with lead having the potential to create neurological damage and cardio-vascular disease (stock)

Last year Professor Taylor detailed in a media release for the university ways to avoid dust in your home.

He had analysed 224 homes in Sydney and revealed his advice to keep dust out of the homes of people with young children as smaller body size means less contamination can do damage. 

Professor Taylor said it is important to keep doors and windows closed on rainy days and have indoor and outdoor doormats.

He said having a no shoes policy, combined with the doormats, is important as the first five steps into a home bring in 85 per cent of the outside dust.

‘Use a wet rag to dust, wash your hands and face regularly, (and your children’s too), get washable rugs and wet mop instead of dry sweeping,’ he explained in the release.

He also advised to get a vacuum with a HEPA filter. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk