Environmental Medicine Treatment Center-specializing in mold testing and other sensitivities

The Center's Unique Approach

Learning About the Center and the Facility

Founded in 1974, the Environmental Health Center-Dallas has treated thousands of patients in its unique outpatient facility. Located in north-central Dallas, the Center's offices have been designed to eliminate all of the obvious sources of offending substances. Unique features include furniture made from natural materials, porcelain steel walls, tile floors, full-spectrum lighting, specially filtered water, and ventilation systems. In this less toxic setting our physicians offer a complete diagnostic medical program which specializes in identifying the direct relationship between environment and disease. Through the years, we have developed less-toxic building technology and have evaluated and aided in the construction of or remodeled more than 20,000 private and public buildings through our Home and Commercial Building Evaluation. At the Center we have developed innovative less toxic areas. For example, our Sauna Depuration Program offers one of the few environmentally controlled exercise facilities in the world, and our glass-and-steel chemical challenge booth is the first of its kind ever created. A large central air system is employed for much of the Clinic, while air de-pollution devices specially designed for the center's air filtration are used throughout. These various air cleaning units are made from stainless steel and have four types of filters: a pre-filter of aluminum mesh, coconut charcoal, paper (with no glues) and glass beads. These serve to remove not only pollens, dust and molds but also the chemicals that many standard air filters do not remove. Even the computers and printers, which outgas low-levels of plastics into the air, have backs and sides encased in stainless steel boxes. These cases vent the machines into special air filtration devices, which minimize air contamination. Ionizers in select areas of the clinic are also used when needed to reduce particulates in the air. Naturally, the center is entirely pesticide free, just as we recommend that all patients restrict their use of pesticides. Also, all cleaning products and methods are consistent with our most strict environmental standards.
The water throughout the Clinic and in the Sauna Depuration Area bath and shower is filtered to remove biologic and chemical contaminants. The specially designed filters contain no plastic parts, leaving the water in a highly purified state.
	The office is also fitted with fixtures that contribute to the environmentally safe standards of the center. These include porcelain steel cabinets, metal exam room tables as well as marble countertops in the main waiting room. Lighting is "full-spectrum," which has been proven to be more healthful than standard incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. This light provides the full spectrum of sunlight that glass filters out, and it makes for a more natural type of lighting.

When patients enter the west office (Suite 205) of the center, they see blue and beige hard, reflective walls and ceiling. These walls are created of baked porcelain over steel, which provides a virtually non-outgassing surface. In other areas of the Clinic, ceramic tiles with low-toxic grouts cover the walls and floors. Other walls in the center are created from plaster and coated with a low-toxic paint.
	The main waiting room (Suite 220) features glass-covered walls that restrict importation of toxic odors, while leaving an attractive finish. Foil-covered ceiling panels and aluminum wallpapers with low-toxic glues are also used to make the surroundings as safe as possible.

Flooring in the Center consists of hard surfaces only, since carpets are a major source of toxic pollutants and harbors for dust and molds. Ceramic tile, marble, terrazzo tile, brick, hardwood and vinyl composite tiles with low-toxic grouts are the selected floor coverings in the clinic.

	Furniture has been chosen specially with the chemically sensitive patient in mind. Hardwood and metal are the primary furniture components found in the Center. Testing room chairs are generally white oak or metal with hard plastic seats. Some lobby chairs are antique hardwood, others are white oak.
The central waiting room's southwest style furniture was specially constructed for the center using high-grade white oak. It was created and hand-carved in a special less-contaminated shop using modified equipment.
The cushions, pillows, and stuffing on the furniture are covered with hand-loomed 100% organically grown cotton which was developed using color-grown, not dyed, fibers. Also of note are the pillows on the exam room tables, which are made from organically grown cotton, and the screens on all the computers, which filter out electric fields.
Many building materials and products utilized at the center are available through the non-profit organization located in the same building as the clinic. American Environmental Health Foundation 8345 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 225 Dallas, Texas, 75231 214.361.9515 or 800.428.2343.