The HAA Mold Forum

The New Asbestos

"These chemicals have taken over my life!"

Ron Fazio from Toxic Avenger III

By Andy Teas, CAE, HAA director of Government Affairs

Mold. It's the new asbestos. It's the new lead paint. It's the stuff that made a jury in Austin award $32 million dollars in a lawsuit against an insurance company over one house in Dripping Springs, Texas. It has shut down several apartment properties, office buildings and several floors of a Houston hotel - all before the June flood!

Then again, it's really not a new problem. Indoor mold and its removal from housing is discussed in the 14th Chapter of Leviticus of the Old Testament:

"And he [the priest] shall examine the disease; and if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days." The passage goes on to command that the "diseased" stones and plaster be removed and thrown "into an unclean place outside the city," the B.C.-style city dump.

Flash-forward 2,000 years: A resident calls. She thinks she has mold in her apartment. She wants you to take care of it. When do you send a maintenance guy with a bottle of bleach? When do you drop three grand on a microbiological analysis? When do you vacate a unit or close a property and take the Sheetrock to an unclean place outside the city?

The short answer: nobody really knows yet. According to a March 2001 study by the California Research Bureau, there are no state or federal statutes regarding mold and indoor air quality. The extent of a property owner’s ability and duty to deal with mold is something that will be evolving over then coming months and years.

About Mold

Molds are the most common type of fungus found on earth, comprising approximately one fourth of the world’s biomass. Molds are amazingly resilient and adaptable. All they need to grow is a food source (which can be practically anything: wood, paper, paint, fabric, plant soil, dust…), moisture and time. Molds reproduce through the production of spores, which can survive for many years in dry, hot environments — needing only moisture and a food source to allow them to germinate.

Molds can cause a variety of health problems. Some produce volatile organic compounds, which can irritate the mucous membranes and affect the central nervous system. All molds have the potential to produce allergens, which can affect the respiratory system. Some molds are capable of producing mycotoxins under certain conditions.

Testing for mycotoxins is still experimental, not routinely offered and not particularly recommended, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Knowing the type and toxicity of mold present is generally not necessary to determine the appropriate method for cleanup.

The proper method for mold remediation is another subject covered by no state or federal statutes. The New York City Department of Health was the first to issue specific recommendations for remediation, but experts disagree over the best tools and methods. Several recommendations, however, are agreed upon by almost everyone:

Look for articles about mold in the February (p. 32, 34), March (p. 30), May (p. 60), and June (p. 32, 36) issues of ABODE magazine.

Visit the www.haaonline.org for a listing of updated links to a number of mold-related resources available on the Web, including the following:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -

"Mold Prevention and Control" - an article by James Holland, is on the National Apartment Association Web site in their members' section.

The New York City Department of Health - the first governmental body to offer specific recommendations on mold remediation in this November 2000 report.

The Texas Department of Health — links to mold sites from government agencies, universities and private organizations.

The California Health Department - mold links from around the United States.

Pamela J. Davis - Davis prepared an interesting report on mold and indoor air quality for the California State Assembly.

The University of Minnesota - well-organized information on indoor air quality and health concerns.

"The Mold Source" - a graphics-intensive site with some interesting information.

(281) 933-2224.