Lack of ventilation may lead to allergies, respiratory problems
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 25 - Nationwide, school districts are finding
allergy-inducing mold in walls, on carpets and near ventilation systems. While
one study blames aging buildings and mold-promoting construction techniques,
other findings suggest the problem is due to a lack of proper ventilation in
newer schools.
WHATEVER THE cause of mold in schools, "it's a growing problem, and it's one
of the more high-priority issues that schools are dealing with," said Ericka
Plater, indoor air quality manager for the American Association of School
Administrators.
To protest the problem, nearly 1,000 students at East High School in Memphis
skipped homeroom one day. Across the state, another 1,000 students spent a
month at Bristol Motor Speedway - not watching NASCAR races, but studying in
the skyboxes while mold was removed at Sullivan East High School.
Mold occurs naturally and can grow almost anywhere that's warm and damp.
Experts have identified more than 100,000 species of mold; at least 1,000
are common in the United States. While the most common molds generally
aren't hazardous, some types are blamed for headaches, fatigue and
respiratory problems.
Across the country, mold has forced some administrators to shut down schools
and make millions of dollars in repairs. Others face lawsuits from students
and staff who claim moldy buildings caused long-term health problems.
- Facts about mold
- Health concerns
- How do I get rid of mold?
Facts about mold
Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter
such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be
avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible
to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin
growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are
many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.
Health concerns
Molds have the potential to cause a variety of health problems. Molds produce
allergens, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances.
Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions, such
as hay fever symptoms, in some sensitive people. Molds can also cause
asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition,
mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both
mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Certain molds - best known is
stachybotrys - have the potential to produce extremely potent toxins that
can cause problems ranging from sinus infections to lung hemorrhage to
brain damage.
How do I get rid of mold?
Once you have discovered the source of mold, size it up. If you have more
than a square foot of mold growth you should seek professional advice on how
to perform the cleanup. Otherwise, the experts offer these tips:
Correct the source of the water and fix all roof or plumbing leaks.
Clean all moldy surfaces with a mixture of household bleach (like Clorox)
and water, using 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water.
Add a little dish soap to the bleach water to cut dirt and oil on the wall
that can hold mold.
With good ventilation, apply the bleach water mix to the surface with a
sponge, let it sit for 15 minutes, then thoroughly dry the surface.
Be sure to wear a dust mask, rubber gloves and open lots of windows.
If you have a bad mold problem, you may need to replace tiles, wet carpets,
sheet rock and floorboards - and clean out crawl spaces.
No one with any respiratory ailments or chronic allergies should conduct the cleanup.
Call your city or county health department if you have questions or need assistance.
Sources: EPA; American Academy of Pediatrics; General Clinical Research Center, Case Western Reserve
University, Cleveland, Ohio
Sullivan County Schools director John O'Dell said the Sullivan East High
School was shut down for about six weeks and $600,000 worth of repairs after
children became ill and several classrooms tested positive for black mold or
Stachybotrys chartarum, which can cause breathing problems.
In Austin, Texas, voters approved a $49.3 million bond issue in February to
pay for mold removal and preventive maintenance in 91 schools. In Fort Myers,
Fla., several teachers sued county school officials last week, accusing them
of failing to fix mold problems.
In Tennessee, just as the Sullivan East High students returned to their school,
teenagers at Heritage High School about two hours away in Maryville got an
unexpected four-week vacation when mold was found there. The repair estimate:
$1 million.
LINK TO ASTHMA?
About 600 students at Memphis' East High received medical screenings after
Donald Criss Mister Jr., 17, died Nov. 16 following an asthma attack. So far,
no link has been found between the death and mold in the school, but the
school board hired an environmental consultant, and federal inspectors with
the Environmental Protection Agency will tour it Monday.
Sonji Wright, the mother of a student, told Superintendent Johnnie B. Watson
that bringing in experts wasn't enough.
"My baby is on a respirator, Mr. Watson," she screamed through a white mask
that covered her nose and mouth in a sign of protest. "She cannot breathe,
and what are you going to do about it?"
Mold problems usually go unnoticed until people become ill. No federal agency
regulates or monitors air quality in schools, and few states inspect for it.
In Tennessee, no state agency monitors mold in schools.
"It's really everybody's problem because it's such a new issue," said Judith
Morgan, the state Education Department spokeswoman. "That's why it seems to
be falling kind of between the cracks."
Tennessee's education department sent e-mail to school officials statewide
Friday and directed them to an EPA Web site that offers guidance on air
quality issues.
DAMPNESS, POOR VENTILATION BLAMED
Plater said a federal report suggests old, dilapidated schools might be more
susceptible to mold. Others say the Gypsum wallboard and carpeted floors that
replaced plaster and wood make newer schools a greater target because they
soak up more moisture.
David Weekley, president of Knoxville-based Environmental Consulting and
Testing, said the 1970s energy crisis prompted construction of more airtight
schools. Less natural ventilation is part of the problem, he said. Another
factor is the tendency of cash-strapped districts to delay maintenance and
patch leaks, he said. The mold at Sullivan East High School was primarily
around poorly insulated pipes that carry cold water throughout the building
to cool classrooms. The pipes created condensation that dripped onto porous
ceiling tiles, providing a breeding ground for mold.
"I think we're all more sensitive to it now," O'Dell said. "We've told the
principals and custodians to keep an eye out for any discolored tile and then
replace it immediately."
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