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November
2002
Mold Found at Schools in Chatham
District Taking Steps to Contain Problem
Until Summertime
By Debra Landis
(Nov.
19, 2002) Chatham � Mold has been found in walls and ceilings in
the north and west wings of Ball Elementary School and in the ceiling of
the science wing at Glenwood Middle School. Officials said Monday the
district has taken steps to contain the mold until summer, when insulation
and other materials containing the problematic allergen will be removed
and new materials installed.
A certified industrial
hygienist and a mechanical engineer were called to investigate after some
students and staff complained of headaches and upper respiratory problems,
according to School Superintendent Bruce Hays.
"It is the opinion of the
professionals involved that there is no danger to anyone in these
buildings at this time," said Hays in a letter sent to parents of Ball and
middle school students. Hays noted that maintenance personnel sealed the
affected areas with a combination of expandable foam and other substances
to make sure "no spores would be able to escape those contained areas
until an abatement process could begin."
The district had considered
trying to remove the mold over the Christmas break, but determined it
would take longer, Hays told the school board Monday. Between now and
summer, periodic checks of the moldy areas will be conducted, he added.
Jim Barnes, a certified industrial hygienist with Occupational
Environmental Health Solutions Inc., told the board that a child's
exposure to mold is greater out of doors than inside either school. Mold
and pollens from trees, grasses and weeds are among the primary causes of
seasonal allergies that can manifest themselves in sneezing, coughing,
watery eyes, lethargy and headaches.
One mother told the school
board Monday that her 12-year-son, a middle-school student, had
experienced allergic reactions while in the vicinity of the science wing.
She said the reactions subsided or were not as pervasive when he was away
from that area. Barnes said parents may want to discuss their children's
individual allergies with their doctors and to alert the physicians about
what has been done to contain mold at the two Ball-Chatham schools.
All molds have the potential
to cause adverse health effects. The types and severity of symptoms
depend, in part, on the types of mold present, the extent of an
individual's exposure, the ages of the individuals and their existing
sensitivities, according to health professionals. In addition to
containing the mold, the schools are opening dampers wider to make sure
more fresh area is circulated in the schools, officials said.
Schools in Petersburg are
dealing with a similar mold/moisture problem.
Source: The State
Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois)
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