An Electronic Newsletter
of EEA's Environmental Consulting Activities
Summer 2005
EEA, Inc.
55 Hilton Avenue,
Garden City, New York
(516) 746-4400, (212) 227-3200
(800) 459-5533
additional New York offices:
Stony Brook
(631) 751-4600
Altamont
(518) 861-8586 |
e-mail addresses:
General:
mailto:eea@eeaconsultants.com
Individual:
First initial and last name
@eeaconsultants.com
EEA services include
Phase I ESAs, Haz-Mat
Testing and Remediation, Wetlands
Delineation
and Creation, Natural
Resources Inventories,
Marine Ecology Studies,
Air Quality and Noise
studies, and Environmental Management
System (ISO 14000) implementation.
Visit our web site
at
http://www.eeaconsultants.com/
For information or quotes,
contact:
Phase II/III Haz-Mat
Testing and Remediation
Nicholas Recchia, VP, CPG
Dredge Management Testing
Jeffrey Shelkey
EAS/EIS Studies
Janet Collura, CWS
Marine Ecology
Teresa Rotunno
Terrestrial Ecology
Denise Harrington, AICP
Air Quality and Noise
Victor Fahrer, P.E.
Environmental Management
Systms (ISO 14000)
Robert Clifford
Director of Strategic Planning
James McAleer
EEA, Inc. –
Founded in 1979
Principals
Leland M. Hairr, Ph.D.
President
Allen Serper, M.S., P.E.
Vice President
Roy R. Stoecker, Ph.D.
Vice President |
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The presence of toxic mold in the indoor environment has become an
increasingly important issue since the early 1990s. Molds and
mildew are generic terms used to describe fungi based on where they
are found. Mold is used to describe fungi that grow on surfaces and
mildew is fungi that grow on fabric. Molds reproduce through the
production of spores, which range in size from 2 to 100 microns.
Molds only need an available food source and moisture to grow.
Temperatures for mold growth range from 40o to 100oF.
The relative humidity required for growth is usually above 40 to 60
percent. Mold food sources consist of dead, moist organic matter,
such as wood, paper, paint, fabric, soil, etc.
Molds are found in virtually every environment,
both outdoors and indoors. Outdoor molds are commonly found in
shady, damp areas and places where vegetation is decomposing.
Indoor molds are found in showers, basements, HVAC systems and other
areas where humidity levels are high.
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Examples of Mold Found in Buildings |
Toxic mold is a term that we have created to
describe molds that are capable of producing mycotoxins. Mycotoxins
are natural organic compounds that initiate toxic responses in
humans. Human exposure to mycotoxins is through mold spores.
There are thousands of different types of molds
that grow outdoors. However, there are three predominant genuses,
which seem to flourish inside the building: aspergillus,
penicillium, and stachybotrys. Stachybotrys, particularly S.
Chartarium is the most feared and famous black mold that is wet and
slimy to the touch. Constant moisture is required for its growth,
such as water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, flooding,
etc.
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Unlike asbestos, there are no
conclusive links that the scientific community has been able to
draw between low levels or temporal mold exposure and human
health. There are no biomarkers found in the body that can be
measured to determine exposure to specific organisms, such as
cancer.
Mold Control Regulations
As of the present, there are no
mold-specific federal regulations. The two primary regulators in
this field would be the EPA and OSHA. As of 2005, nine states
have introduced legislation regarding mold, including New York
State. The legislation proposed by the various states is similar
to the California Toxic Mold Protection Act. This act requires
the adoption of permissible exposure limits for indoor mold and
remediation standards. It also requires landlords and sellers of
property to provide written disclosure of the presence of mold at
properties.
The Potential Mold Liability
Currently, there are no air
quality standards relating to mold. There are no work place
exposure limits (TLV). However, there is plenty of potential
liability and many cases of litigation relating to mold to go
around.
The parties most likely to be
identified in legal actions are:
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Owners/Landlords
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Architects
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Engineers
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Contractor
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Vendors
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Insurance Companies
There have been numerous
lawsuits relating to mold.
EEA and Mold Identification Problems
Currently, EEA provides mold
detection through an Environmental Assessment. The following
indoor air quality assessment relative to mold is performed when
any of the following conditions exist.
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Presence of visible fungi
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Musty odors are present
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Evidence or knowledge of water
damage
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Symptoms consistent with an
allergic or toxic response to molds
An attempt is also made to
correlate suspect conditions with high symptom areas. This will
help to designate potential hot spots within the building for
possible testing.
Testing for Mold
There are several sampling
methods available for determining the fungal contamination status
that fall under two major categories:
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Bulk sampling
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Air sampling
Bulk Sampling
Bulk sampling is needed to
identify specific fungal contaminants. Various methods of bulk
sampling include:
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