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THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
INVESTIGATIONS BRANCH
MOLD IN MY SCHOOL: WHAT DO I DO?
JULY 2001
A COMMON SITUATION
When any building material
or furnishing is damp for more than 48 hours, mold may grow. Many schools
have experienced water damage in buildings due to roof or plumbing leaks,
floods, and poor drainage of rainwater runoff or landscape irrigation.
Damp buildings support mold growth and other biological contaminants that
may cause health problems for some adults and children. This fact sheet
provides information on the most important indoor mold-related health
concerns and how school districts can keep school facilities mold-free and
avoid these problems.
WHEN TO BE CONCERNED
Mold fragments and spores
(the microscopic reproductive units of molds) are present everywhere on
earth in air and dust, both indoors and outdoors. Mold grows in buildings
if the indoor air is very damp or there have been water leaks. You
may suspect that mold is present if you see visible growth or smell moldy
odors. Exposure to mold may affect the health of both children and adults.
The severity of the health effect depends on factors such as the amount
and type of mold, how close the person is to areas of mold growth, how
much time he or she spends in the building and the person’s
susceptibility. Indoor air quality experts agree that buildings with
visible mold or moldy odors increase the risk of health problems. Molds
should be removed from buildings promptly, using methods that protect the
safety and health of both the occupants and the staff performing the clean
up.
HOW MOLDS CAUSE HEALTH
PROBLEMS
Molds usually cause adverse
health effects when they are inhaled in large numbers. The number of mold
fragments or spores needed to cause health problems is unknown and
varies from person to person. Some people report no problems even in very
moldy environments while persons who are allergic to molds may respond to
very few spores. Besides inhalation, people are also exposed to mold
through skin contact and food. Some molds also produce compounds called
“toxins” or “mycotoxins.” In high concentrations, these compounds may
cause symptoms even in individuals who do not have allergies.
WHAT SYMPTOMS ARE CAUSED BY
MOLD EXPOSURE?
Any or all of the following
are symptoms that may be caused by mold allergies:
• nasal or sinus congestion
• sensitivity to light
• sneezing
• sore throat
• cough
• skin irritation (rash or
itching)
• shortness of breath
• headache
• watery, reddened, or
burning eyes
• fatigue
WHAT ABOUT INDOOR MOLDS THAT
FORM TOXINS?
Many species of mold
(including some that grow indoors) can produce chemicals that are toxic to
other microorganisms. These compounds help molds compete in nature for
food and other resources. Some of these toxins also affect people.
Symptoms that have been attributed to mold toxin exposure include fatigue,
nausea, diarrhea, head-ache, and eye, skin and respiratory irritation.
Many of these symptoms have been described in studies of moldy
buildings, but a cause-and-effect relationship has not been proven. All of
the reported symptoms are non-specific and can be caused by many other
health conditions. Therefore, it is very difficult for physicians and
researchers to determine whether specific symptoms are due to exposure to
mold toxins.
WHO IS AT MOST RISK FOR MOLD-RELATED
HEALTH PROBLEMS?
Infants, toddlers,
children, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems and people
with existing respiratory conditions such as allergies or asthma may have
a higher risk for health problems from elevated levels of mold spores.
Damp buildings and mold growth are recognized triggers of asthma attacks.
CAN MEDICAL TESTS IDENTIFY
MOLD ALLERGIES?
Current
tests can identify allergies to fewer than ten of the hundreds of
molds that can grow indoors. Therefore, students or staff may have mold
allergies that a doctor cannot accurately diagnose with an allergy test.
IS THERE A TEST THAT WILL
INDICATE WHETHER STUDENTS OR STAFF HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO MOLD TOXINS?
No, there are no blood,
urine or other medical tests that can determine whether someone has been
exposed to a mold toxin. Researchers and laboratories are working to
develop such tests, but none has yet been shown to be accurate.
IS THERE A TEST THAT WILL
INDICATE WHETHER STUDENTS OR STAFF HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO MOLDS INSIDE
SCHOOL BUILDINGS?
No. The allergy tests
mentioned above may identify people who are hypersensitive to molds.
However, there is no medical test that can accurately determine where or
when people were most recently exposed to the molds that activate their
allergies. People encounter high levels of air-borne mold spores in
many places, for example, when gardening, mowing lawns, playing outdoor
sports, hiking or camping.
IS IT IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE
IF THE MOLD IN MY SCHOOL IS TOXIC?
No. It is not necessary to
know if toxins are present to take appropriate action and remove molds.
There are no readily available tests that can determine if mold growing in
a school building is producing toxins. Laboratory studies show that many
molds have the ability to produce toxins but that they do not always do
so. Whether mold produces a toxin in building may depend on the material
on which it is growing, building conditions (such as temperature or
humidity) and which other micro-organisms are present.
WHAT ABOUT CLASSROOMS
WITH SICK CHILDREN OR TEACHERS BUT NO VISIBLE MOLD?
Symptoms of mold exposure
are similar to symptoms of many other illnesses, including colds, flu, and
hay fever from pollen. Animal dander's, from classroom pets or from
classmates bringing in pet allergens on their clothing may also cause
“school-related” symptoms. Non environmental factors, such as headaches
from low blood sugar or caffeine withdrawal may contribute to classroom
symptoms. Teachers and children who feel ill at school should be
encouraged to see their doctor for proper evaluation. Classroom occupants
who react to poor indoor air quality are often ill when they are in school
buildings but feel better when they are off campus. If so, facilities
personnel should inspect these rooms for all sources of poor indoor
air quality (of which hidden mold may be one). Other environmental sources
of poor indoor air quality include:
• closed or blocked
fresh-air intake vents
• clogged or missing
ventilation system filters
• artwork covering room
thermostats
• delivery trucks idling
beside fresh air intakes
BASIC VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES
FOR CLEANUP AND PREVENTION OF
ALL MOLDS
WHEN SCHOOL BUILDINGS GET WET (DUE TO RAIN OR CLEAN WATER SPILL)
DO
• Dry
building materials and furnishings as rapidly as possible (within 48 hours
to pre-vent the initiation of mold growth) by: – bringing in portable fans
to increase air circulation and speed the drying process, – pulling up
edges of wall-to- wall carpet to allow in-creased air circulation (if
carpet is very dirty, old, damaged or cannot be dried within 48 hours,
consider discarding it), – running fans continuously (24 hours/day) until
materials are dry, and – if room has flooded to a depth of greater than 1
inch, removing base-boards and drilling holes through the bottom of the
drywall to improve wall cavity drying.
DO NOT
• Close
up the room and turn on the heater (this will only increase the likelihood
of mold growth).
IF BUILDINGS ARE FLOODED BY DIRTY WATER OR SEWAGE
DO
•
Contact professional consultants for appropriate cleaning and disinfection
methods.
GETTING RID OF MOLD GROWTH INSIDE A SCHOOL BUILDING
DO
• Find
the source of water intrusion, leakage or water vapor accumulation and
correct it. If the moisture source is not eliminated, the mold
will
grow
back.
• Remove
mold appropriately. Disinfection alone (with bleach or other chemicals) is
not recommended because it does not remove the potential source of health
problems, the mold spores and fragments. California Department of Health
Ser-vices staff recommends school facility personnel adopt the guidelines
for mold cleanup and removal produced by the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (U.S. E.P.A.) or the New York City Department of
Health (available at their website, see Resources). These guidelines
provide assistance in determining whether school maintenance personnel can
safely remove or clean moldy materials or if specially trained individuals
should be consulted. The recommendations in these two guidelines protect
the health of building occupants regardless of the type of mold. When
visible mold is present, an extensive, costly testing protocol is not
required. Rather, schools can use their limited financial resources more
effectively in identifying and correcting the water problem and
remediating visible mold growth.
DO NOT
Just
paint over mold on walls, ceilings or floors — clean off or remove it
based on U.E.P.A. or New York City Department of Health guidelines.
Attempt to clean or disinfect moldy wall-to-wall carpet. it has a moldy
odor or mold visible on its top or bottom surface, it should be replaced.
PREVENTING MOLD GROWTH IN SCHOOLS
DO
Rapidly
respond to water leaks by fixing them or preventing water entry into
buildings. Dry any wet building materials and furnishings within 48
hours, if possible. Ensure that mechanically ventilated rooms are run on
continuous ventilation (rather than temperature demand
control) when they are occupied. Establish a regular schedule for
inspecting roofs, ceilings, walls, floors and carpeting for water leakage
and mold growth or moldy odor. Replace water-damaged materials.
DO NOT
Allow
landscape sprinklers strike buildings.
• Site
portable classrooms over areas where water can collect.
• Use
carpet in entryways to classrooms with direct outdoor access. If carpets
are in place in such classrooms, sup-ply waterproof mats over
carpeted entryways for drying of clothing and umbrellas.
COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS AND STAFF:
DO
•
Develop an Indoor Air Quality Protection Policy for your school before
there are problems. The U.S. E.P.A.’s “Tools for Schools” program can be
implemented for little or no cost and can help districts involve everyone
in maintaining good classroom indoor air quality.
•
Respond promptly to staff or parental concerns about water leakage, mold
growth or un-usual illnesses in classrooms.
• If a
water leak or mold growth is discovered, admit its presence. Be honest,
frank, and open when discussing school facilities and potential
environmental health issues.
• Inform
the school community of the steps being taken to correct the problem and
when remediation is expected to be complete.
•
Release and discuss information found during classroom inspections
(especially reports from external consultants) as rapidly as possible.
Consider using the school website for this purpose.
•
Involve parents and staff in discussions about prioritizing facility
repairs if large expenditures are necessary and remediation cannot be done
immediately.
•
Encourage small group discussions or one-to-one question and answer
sessions rather than large public meetings. Smaller groups are more likely
to produce viable options for managing the cur-rent situation.
DO NOT
•
Withhold information such as consultant reports or remediation plans from
the school community while second opinions or technical reviews are being
conducted. We encourage concerned parents and others to work with school
administrators and school board members regarding indoor mold issues or
other environmental conditions that they believe may be affecting student
or teacher performance or health.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ASSIST
SCHOOLS IN MAINTAINING GOOD INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Many
water intrusion problems can be corrected and potential cases of mold
growth prevent-ed with timely maintenance and repairs by school district
staff. The U.S. E.P.A. has developed the Indoor Air Quality Tools for
Schools Action Kit, a free “do-it- yourself” guide to implementing a total
indoor air quality program for individual schools. This program has been
useful in many school districts in California by helping participants
recognize situations that can lead to mold growth or other indoor air
problems and either avoid or quickly address them.
RESOURCES
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Mold Remediation in Schools and
Commercial Buildings
Source
-
U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency — Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
Source
-
New York
City Department of Health — Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of
Fungi in Indoor Environments (April, 2000)
Source
-
For
general information about molds and health, as well as cleanup
recommendations, please see these websites:
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