WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Two years ago, after a few highly public lawsuits, indoor toxic mold known as stachybotrys chartarum or stachybotrys atra was launched into the spotlight for attacking individuals' homes, spiking homeowners' insurance costs and causing some insurance agencies to insert mold-exclusive clauses into their policies.
Today, mold has become a major concern in the United States, causing serious health problems, taking over schools, offices, condominiums, and other buildings -- and costing people millions of dollars to clean it up.
William E. Fischer, Jr., president and founder of South Eastern Mold Institute, a mold training and remediation company in Panama City, Fla., said the mold situation in public buildings has become "catastrophic."
"I get calls daily from people who are sick or their families are sick. People who have to vacate their homes because they can't breathe," Fischer told United Press International. "Some of the older homes around, I don't get calls from, but it's the newer buildings where the problem is."
Fischer said that in 1984, there was only one case involving mold in a home or building. By 1998, the number reached 48. "Then it really took off," Fisher said. He said there were 2,567 cases in 1999, 5,821 in 2000, and 7,143 cases by 2001.
"Construction standards need to be revised," Fischer said. "If you look at the things we build out of, it's food for mold. Drywall has paper backing. Once it hits 65 percent humidity, mold starts to grow right there."
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the early- to mid-1900s, building ventilation standards called for approximately 15 cubic feet per minute of outside air for each building occupant. In response to the 1973 oil embargo, those standards were reduced to 5 cfm in an effort to conserve energy.
In the 1980s the standards were raised again, but the buildings still remain, leading scientists to search high and low for the cause of a new mysterious illness referred to as "sick building syndrome." Scientists found that the energy-efficient building techniques designed to cut costs, conserve energy, and decrease outdoor air ventilation also created perfect growing conditions for mold.
In many regions of the country, the concern about mold has focused on public schools because of increasing numbers of children with asthma and allergies. Last week, the Boston City Council held a hearing, lead by City Councilor Maura A. Hennigan, on the "serious public health threat of mold and poor indoor air quality" in an attempt to be the "model city" on mold.
"My hope is to develop standards, guidelines, and recommendations for the problem of mold in Boston's public schools and public buildings," Hennigan told United Press International. "We are the birthplace of public education here, and we can really lead the way nationally."
The Boston hearing developed a blue-ribbon task force to help the city create standards that the whole country can follow for dealing with mold problems.
"It's going to come down to the federal government," Fischer said. "They're going to have to look at mold as a contaminant. Right now they don't look at it as a danger."
Congressman John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich. is sponsoring the U.S. Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act, HR 1268, and introduced the first Toxic Mold and Indoor Air Pollution Congressional Caucus this past June.
The bill generates guidelines for preventing indoor mold growth, establishes standards and grants for mold removal, authorizes tax credits for mold inspection or remediation of mold hazards, and creates a national insurance program to protect homeowners from catastrophic losses.
Joel Segal, assistant to Conyers, was one of over 100 people who attended the four-hour hearing in Boston.
"Boston is viewing it as a serious health emergency," Segal told United Press International. "They're saying, 'We're not taking it anymore. This is too dangerous for our children.'"
The city of Boston estimates that there are about 20 schools with some kind of leakage problem, and that roof leaks can be fixed at a rate of three or four each year. Water damage is one of the most common factors in mold growth and poor indoor air quality.
Dr. Simone Sommer, a physician who testified at the hearing, told United Press International that 50 percent of the schools in the nation have a visible, known mold problem.
"Mold is one of these new problems people are turning a deaf ear to because they know it's going to cost money," Segal said. "There is plenty of money to clean this mold up. It's just a matter of getting it."
Boston proposed a cost-sharing plan to come up with the estimated $200 million needed to remedy the poor indoor air-quality in the public schools associated with mold and other air contaminants.
"If the city is willing to come up with $30 million to address this issue, then we can ask the federal government to cover the rest of the $170 million needed," Hennigan said. "If you can address the problems as they occur, not after your capital assets have been used up, you can save millions and millions of dollars."
Conyers' bill calls not only for money to be available for situations like the one in Boston's schools, but also for preventative measures to be standardized.
"There's already school inspections for asbestos, radon. It's not like we're re-inventing the wheel," Segal said. "We want standards enforceable by law. We want standards for uniform licensure for mold remediation cleanup."
There are currently no standards for the cost of cleanup, or for who is authorized to remove mold. Fischer's company charges based on the square footage affected and the degree of mold growth. Other companies charge by the hour. Fischer has charged between $15,000-$23,000, but he said his rate is higher than average because he includes a minimum of 10 air samples and at least two rolls of film.
"Some, who have the resources, try to pay out of their own pockets," Fischer said. "Others, who don't have the resources end up having to walk away from the home."
He added, "It's gonna come down to the federal government. They're gonna have to look at mold as a contaminant. Right now they don't look at it as a danger."
Segal agrees the federal government needs to take action, and said Boston's task force is the first step in the right direction. He said Conyers is asking the American Public Health Association to do studies on mold, so the government will recognize it as a serious problem.
"We can have a respected scientist and doctor say there is 40 million (Americans exposed to mold), but until there's a government study, no one will believe it," Segal said.
"Boston is not the only city affected, but recognizing it is really important is the first step," Hennigan said. "There is a school of thought, like there was with tobacco and asbestos, for example, to pretend this is not a major thing. But as a city, we'd like to address this as a very serious issue."
