Wools of New Zealand
Sheep Don’t Get Asthma.
THE SWEDISH EXPERIMENT.
Childhood Asthma increased by 300% when carpets were removed from Swedish homes and schools. Previously, there was considerable debate in Sweden, with claims that carpet was the source of harmful contaminants that were resulting in allergic reactions. As a result, Swedish consumers and public building officials severely reduced their use of carpet. However, in 1996, Professors Shishoo and Börjesson, of the Swedish Institute for Fibre Polymer Research, pointed out that while carpet had dropped from a market share of 40% in the mid-1970s to only 2% in 1992, the occurrence of allergic reactions and other environmental sensitivity in the general Swedish population had actually been steadily increasing. Of particular note, since carpet was not recommended for schools, was the fact that the prevalence of childhood asthma had trebled over the same period.
