Toxic Mold TRUTH

Laboratory searching for toxic mold resistant building materials

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:29:13 +0000

Toxic mold resistant building materials are the goal of a team of microbiologists at the Savannah River National Laboratory. Working with Tuskegee University and Mississippi State, biologists flooded a makeshift house and let the water stay inside for three weeks. The water damage caused mold to start growing inside the house. SRNL biologist Robert Miller says the first step is to identify the different types of mold and use that data as a foundation for creating building materials that resist mold.

Iris Brooks has first hand experience with the effects of toxic mold. “We actually had a leak in our roof and it produced a micro toxin called Trichothecene and that’s invisible you can’t see it. We never saw physical mold all we saw was water damage.” She says, “We found out through PCR testing that we Stachydotrys had two types of Aspergillus had grown in our lungs and also diffused into our white blood cells.”

Chapel Hill, NC school tests for toxic mold

shamel — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:35:26 +0000

Toxic mold has been discovered at Ephesus Elementary in North Carolina. An indoor air quality test found higher than normal spore counts in an HVAC unit. The unit was cleaned, lowering the spore count; however, parents would like to have a professional do a thorough examination.

Toxic mold shuts down S Carolina EMS

shamel — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:09:34 +0000

Andrews EMS has a toxic mold emergency. Fire Chief Mack Reed said employees have been exposed to large amounts of mold, having headaches and respiratory problems. The county has temporarily shut down the station to do renovations. In the mean time, EMS workers are staying at a further location, which delays response time.

Toxic mold found in Augusta LEC building

shamel — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 15:03:54 +0000

LEC employees have been plagued with toxic mold. A study conducted nearly six years ago found seventeen different types of mold present in the building, including aspergillus and stachybotrys. Dr. Jack Austin, infectious disease specialist, says the mold is mostly linked to “sick building syndrome.” Plans are being made to build a new center within a year.

Mold in NY police station may be toxic

shamel — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:58:24 +0000

Buffalo police fear toxic mold may be the culprit behind cancer illnesses. Six or eight officers stationed at D district have some form of cancer. Preliminary test show the presence of mold in the building, but it has not been proven yet that it’s cancer causing. Officers have been moved to a temporary location pending further investigation.

Tests initiated by the city found the “D” station mold to be non-toxic. The Buffalo police union is skeptical of the results however, and would like to conduct testing of their own. The city will not allow further testing until it can be properly supervised. The union believes the city has already begun cleaning, which would impact future testing results.

Toxic mold saga of Oak Ridge school

shamel — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:45:53 +0000

Updated 2-28-10…

Toxic mold was never definitely linked to Oak Ridge Elementary. Eight months after closing their doors, classes have now resumed at Oak Ridge. Many hours of work have been spent resolving issues that parents believe were making their children sick, including a number of changes to the HVAC system. Parents were able to tour the new-and-improved Oak Ridge last week, and crews were still making last-minute preparations for the returning students on Monday. The school will continue to monitor conditions inside the building.

Updated 1-27-10…

Has the toxic mold issue been resolved at Oak Ridge? Good question. Seven months and $1.6 million later, school officials still can’t say if the problem has been fixed, or if there ever was one. None of the inspections performed at the school have definitively linked mold to the illnesses reported. Turner Building Science and Design said testing has been done to ensure that moisture and mold levels are within acceptable ranges. Superintendent Mo Green said he takes the clearance testing results as an indication the school is safe to return to.

Updated 10-27-09…

The toxic mold issue at Oak Ridge has left all parents frustrated, to say the least. The school system is awaiting environmental results from NIOSH before allowing students back in the school, however, a petition is being signed by some parents requesting permission to return by January 4, 2010. Oak Ridge PTA President Ashley Royal said the petition signals a shift in public perception on the Oak Ridge problem. She said the petitioners think they have waited patiently while the school system has spent months trying to fix a problem that doesn’t affect many students, but are frustrated with the inconvenience of sending their children to three different schools.

Updated 8-4-09…

Toxic mold may also be an issue at Oak Ridge alternative locations. Fourth and fifth grade students were to begin school in the Cone building at Oak Ridge Military Academy, however a “musty dank odor”, water-damaged ceiling tiles, soiled carpet and a water leak in the HVAC room have changed those plans. Inspectors also found “surface mold contamination” in the HVAC diffusers at Colfax Elementary where Kindergarten and first graders were relocated. Repair status is unknown.

Updated 8-1-09…

A preliminary report has confirmed mold at Oak Ridge Elementary. The NIOSH was brought in to bring a higher level of expertise to the “sick” school. The report showed mold in various locations of the building. The team spent three days examining the school and left monitoring equipment behind to collect data. Their final report may take up to two months to complete.

Updated 6-30-09…

Toxic mold at Oak Ridge school has been ruled out. Ward Robinson of the Guilford County Department of Public Health believes the building itself is sick…a term is used to describe the poor circulation of fresh air in a closed building. He feels the problem involves the imbalance of the air conditioning system and dehumidifier. This could lead to bad and dry air in parts of the building, which may result in feelings of tiredness, headaches and nose bleeds…all similar symptoms of toxic mold.

Updated 6-26-09…

According to this news report, self-proclaimed mold expert Linda May says she believes the mold at Oak Ridge Elementary is the worst case she’s ever seen. She performed her services at no charge, and offered free advice to the school board. She recommended that students and staff not be allowed back in the building. School officials disagree, and are awaiting the federal investigation by NIOSH.

However, this quote from an in-depth article sums up concerns about her expertise…”There is every reason to be skeptical of May and of her claims. To begin with, despite her repeated claims of connections with OSHA, the EPA and the Department of Defense, there is no indication that she has any connection with those agencies, and despite being asked repeatedly, she provided no documentation to prove any such connection. Pressed for her qualifications on Friday, June 12, she would say only that she has a bachelor’s degree in public safety from the University of Illinois, a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Lakeview College of Nursing in Illinois and took a three-week training course, which she couldn’t describe with any specificity, from OSHA at some time during the 1990s. She said she would email documents to support those three claims, but never did.”

Updated 6-22-09…

Oak Ridge Elementary continues to struggle with toxic mold. Classes won’t be held this summer, as school officials investigate why teachers and kids are getting sick. The school will be working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to determine if toxic mold and other health hazards are present.

Updated 5-30-09…

Oak Ridge teachers are fed up with toxic mold. With just a few weeks remaining in the school year, teachers take their students to the only place they feel is safe…outside. The district says it’s okay as long as the students are learning. Teachers plan to keep the kids outside as long as possible in order to limit their exposure to mold.

Updated 5-23-09…

Angry parents demand answers to toxic mold problems. End of Grade testing has been interfered with because kids have been going home sick. There have been unusually high numbers of headaches, nose bleeds, sore throats and lethargy. Health inspectors have found no mold, but further testing is needed. The school principal suspects ventilation problems.

Updated 5-21-09…

Oak Ridge Elementary is still receiving complaints over toxic mold. A teacher claims his symptoms have gotten worse, and he is no longer able to teach. Doctors have tested him positive for aspergellis and penicillin. A parent has pulled her daughter out of school due to mold sickness, unsure of when she will return.

Oak Ridge Elementary parents are concerned about toxic mold. Letters were sent out regarding the hygiene of various classrooms. Renovation plans are underway, however, parents are questioning the environmental safety of their children. Mold has been a problem at Oak Ridge since it’s construction in 2005.

Alabama family settles toxic mold case with HUD

shamel — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Updated 2-23-10…

The Trussville toxic mold case with HUD has come to an end. Nearly a year after fighting with the federal government, the Johannsens have finally moved back into their home. HUD completely renovated their home, while removing mold from the unoccupied adjoining town home as well. Unfortunately the unit next door remains empty, which is a great concern for the Johannsens. “You never know what’s going on on the other side of your walls, you can only control your own so that’s what we’re doing and hoping everything will stay safe,” Leslianne said.

Original post 6-13-09…

Toxic mold has forced a Trussville family from their home. The Johannsens have resolved their case with the Federal Government. The family lived in a townhouse that was connected to a HUD home. A roof leak in the government unit caused mold to spread into the Johannsens walls, floors and vents. HUD is paying for the remediation and reimbursing the family for six months of mortgage payments. The project should be completed in a few months.

Mold Tweet attracts national attention

shamel — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:35:25 +0000

Updated 2-7-10…

The Twitter mold lawsuit filed last year has been dropped. Tenant Amanda Bonnen was sued by a Chicago property firm for tweeting, “Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks it’s okay,” Judge Diane J. Larson ordered the case dismissed with prejudice, meaning that Horizon can’t refile the same case. According to Bonnen’s attorney, the judge felt the tweet was too vague to meet the legal standards of libel.

Original post 7-29-09…

A Twitter post about mold has lead to a highly publicized lawsuit. On May 12th Amanda Bonner’s tweet read in part: “Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon reality thinks it’s okay.” In an effort to preserve their reputation, Horizon Group Management LLC has filed a lawsuit claiming the post “maliciously and wrongfully” slammed the apartment and the company managing it.

Toxic mold and its affect on pets

shamel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:48:27 +0000

It seems no one can escape the wrath of toxic mold, including pets. Pets are particularly sensitive to the effects of mold because their noses like to go where mold grows. Both indoor and outdoor mold can prove to be harmful, particularly black mold. The first case of toxic mold in pets was in Florida in 2007 where two cats died after living in an unrepaired water-damaged home.

One great way to keep mold levels down in your home would be to diffuse Thieves essential oil. This would likely result in an environment very hostile to mold, not to mention the health benefits, long-term protection, and simply making your home smell great. Pets and family members alike could benefit from this healthy alternative.

Toxic mold dispute at Louisiana apartment

shamel — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:27:59 +0000

A tenant at The Palms has found toxic mold. Nordeya Lawson says mold has taken over her walls, ceiling and even some furniture. Two of her children have recently become sick, suffering from blurry vision, dizziness, memory loss and headaches. The owner believes Lawson is partially to blame, and that she should take more responsibility in preventing mold in the first place.