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Molding a debate
Many people and communities are blaming health ailments on mold in buildings,
but some experts attribute the growing issue to fear and hype.
By Diane E. Hughes
News Niagara Bureau
January 8, 2003
One after another, firefighters at the Niagara Falls station on Military Road
found themselves battling more than fires over the past year - health conditions
including sinus problems, burning eyes, headaches and other ailments.
And fire officials believe the health problems come from mold infesting the
station's basement.
"They were getting sick working in the building," said Fire Chief William
Correa.
In Western New York and across the country, reports of mold problems that could
pose significant health risks in public buildings and homes climbed steadily for
the past decade.
Mold occurs naturally and can grow almost anywhere that is warm and damp.
Experts have identified more than 100,000 species of mold; at least 1,000 are
common in the United States. Mold growths can often be seen in the form of
discoloration.
While there is widespread debate about whether the problem is mold or just
unsubstantiated fear, there is no question that the issue, like the mold, is a
growing problem.
Across the country, government is paying attention. About 10 state houses have
introduced toxic-mold legislation, according to James McFaul, director of
continuing education at Vincennes University's Jasper campus in Indiana, which
sponsored a mold institute last month. Federal mold legislation has also been
introduced in Congress.
"It's becoming a national problem and concern," McFaul said.
There have been several local examples of mold problem recently:
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Niagara University delayed
opening an $11 million student apartment complex over the summer because mold
was found in the crawl spaces of the six buildings. The complex, which can
accommodate nearly 200 students, opened in October after the mold was cleaned
up and recent tests showed no mold problem, a university official said.
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In the City of Tonawanda, mold
discovered over the summer in the walls on the second floor of Tonawanda High
School delayed a renovation project there. About 20 classrooms were affected.
It was one of two problems that delayed the start of school briefly. The
district spent $200,000 to fix the mold problem.
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At Jamestown Community
College's Olean campus, mold was discovered on drywall in the basement of a
bank building the college purchased for an expansion. Work on removing 400
square feet of mold started about 10 days ago and should be finished in the
next few weeks.
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In Cheektowaga, molds that
affect air quality were found in the police-court building next to the Town
Hall on Union Road last year. Officials there said the town has since replaced
the building's leaking roof, removed ceiling tiles, had the ductwork cleaned
and installed air quality monitors.
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In North Collins, the code
enforcement officer and assessor were moved to temporary quarters at a senior
center in September because of mold problems in a basement office the town had
rented since the 1950s. Now officials are considering building a Town Hall.
"It's a case of something good
may be coming of something bad," said Town Clerk Margaret J. Orrange.
The City of Niagara Falls closed its mold-infested station at Military Road and
Bollier Avenue indefinitely and transferred the firefighters to the 72nd Street
station while authorities figured out how to get rid of the mold for good.
An inspection of all city fire stations by the Niagara County Health Department
in April noted significant mold problems at Bollier's Station No. 9. Heavy
growth of four kinds of molds was noted in the basement of No. 9, as well as
problems in the attic.
A subsequent inspection by an environmental consultant noted that standing water
was present in most parts of the basement. The City Council has approved a
$400,000 bond issue for repairs and renovations at No. 9. The station "needs to
be professionally decontaminated," Chief Correa said.
"We're going to fix this once and for all," he said.
4 factors tied to problem
This area might have gotten off easily fighting mold problems. In Austin, Texas,
voters approved a $49.3 million bond issue last year to pay for mold removal and
preventive maintenance in 91 schools.
And some people who have found mold in their homes have fled, believing that if
they stayed, the mold would create long-term, even fatal illnesses. In a few
cases, people have abandoned their belongings or razed their homes.
Structural mycologist Jonathan Solomon of Holland, a specialist in mold problems
in buildings, said the rising incidences of reports stem from four factors:
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Changes in building design.
Buildings constructed in the 1920s and '30s were designed with more natural
ventilation.
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"The buildings we design now
after the '70s and the energy crisis, what happened is we design buildings to
be very tight . . . the building doesn't breathe."
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The way buildings are put
together. "We build them cheaper and quicker."
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People spend more time
indoors.
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Increased education. "The
awareness of mold has really gotten to a peak level."
But some experts and critics
contend that while molds can cause allergic-type reactions, there's no evidence
they produce toxins and that the trend is driven by lawsuits.
"The discussion isn't that simple," said Gordon C. Steinagle, a specialist in
occupational medicine based in North Tonawanda.
The litigation of mold is estimated at more than 12,000 cases pending in court
right now, Solomon said.
High-profile cases
Several high-profile cases have sent a shock wave through the insurance
industry, Solomon said.
"There is so much money being made right now on this scare and the hype
associated with mold growth. Mold growth in a closed environment with not a lot
of air distribution is a significant hazard. It's something we need to take
seriously. I've worked with lead, I've worked with almost every industrial
hygiene parameter that you can imagine being hazardous, and mold is significant,
there's no question about it. But it's only under set circumstances that it's a
problem," Solomon said.
Water is the key to addressing mold problems, experts say. Mold thrives in wet
conditions, and it can grow on all sorts of materials from wood, paper and
carpeting to food. Rain damage is a common cause of mold problems, Steinagle
said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says health effects associated with
mold include allergic reactions, asthma and other respiratory problems. The EPA
has no regulations or standards for indoor mold.
"I'll tell you this thing is for real and it's very deadly," said Douglas R.
Haney, CEO of the Environmental Health Research Group of Northern California.
Haney links mold to all kinds of health problems, from headaches to bronchitis,
asthma and cancer.
Some people develop flulike symptoms, he said.
"You might have that two or three times a year, not knowing it has anything to
do with mold." But it gets worse, and it keeps coming back, despite the
antibiotics the doctor dispenses, he said.
"They take their time - they don't work like viruses or bacteria," he said.
One problem Haney and other experts note is that the environmentally efficient
buildings constructed in the 1970s and 1980s are more compact and keep hot air
out and cold air in. "They've caused more problems than good," he said.
But while mold-related health problems have become an important issue in the
past 10 years, "half of what I see are not occupational and environmental
problems; they're general medical problems," Steinagle said.
"Not all shortness of breath is a mold problem," he said.
"Creating mass hysteria and driving employers out of town is not the answer . .
. There has to be a balance," Steinagle said.
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