Environmental Group Attacks Toxic Katrina Mold

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News Released: January 02, 2006

Environmental Group Attacks Toxic Katrina Mold

http://www.prleap.com/pr/22704/

(PRLEAP.COM) New Orleans, LA - Among the aftermath of devastation

wrought by storm surges and floodwaters after Hurricanes Katrina and

Rita is the persistent and dangerously toxic mold now proliferating

throughout the Gulf Coast. Barbara Wiseman, President of The Earth

Oganization (TEO), a non-profit international environmental group,

arrived in New Orleans last week to coordinate distribution to flood

victims of 10,000 gallons of a liquid solution using the latest

microorganism technology for mold remediation. " Our first task is to

educate the pubic on this vital, effective technology. It's so

different than what they are currently using that, until they see

the results, people are often pretty skeptical. It can sound too

good to be true. "

Property owners and construction workers currently wage war against

noxious mold by donning full-body decontamination suits and heavy

respirators, scraping the walls with wire brushes, and then spraying

it with chlorine bleach or other caustic chemicals. Often, within

two to three weeks, even more toxic mold begins to form. The process

is dangerous, exhausting, and often has to be repeated. " It broke my

heart when I saw several young relief workers with obvious chlorine

poisoning, burned skin, red eyes, and looking utterly exhausted, "

she said.

Microorganisms are living bacteria that digest and break down

harmful substances into their nontoxic components. They can

eliminate disease-causing pathogens and odor and were successfully

used to decontaminate toxic waters and sewage from the 2004 tsunami

in southern Asia. As a result, the 100,000 deaths from the spread of

pathogen diseases that the World Health Organization predicted

following the Tsunami never occurred.

According to Wiseman, using the microorganism technology to handle

mold has several benefits. " It's hugely labor-saving, and while you

still have to wear a high-quality respirator to protect you from the

mold, you don't need to wear a decontamination suit because it's so

safe you can inhale it or consume it. Additionally, once you've

properly misted a building with this, it creates a microbial

environment that doesn't attract further mold. "

TEO is raising donations to be able to make as much of the mold-

consuming liquid available to the stricken areas as possible. " We

are opening up every channel we can find to get the funding and

personnel to get this done now, " said Lawrence , world

renowned conservationist and Founder of TEO. " We can not allow red-

tape and bureaucracy to stop this initiative. " Last week TEO's team

sprayed a hospital, churches, handicapped housing, and several homes

in the New Orleans area, and, while distributing the liquid to

anyone interested, gave training workshops to relief workers and

church parishioners on how to apply it. " We were truly gratified to

see the results in homes, churches and businesses across the city, "

said Wiseman, " and we are dedicated to getting this out to as many

people as possible. "

After the hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast, TEO contacted three of the

companies in the US that make this organically certified product to

enlist their help and coordinate efforts to educate the public and

make it available: Go Beyond Organic, EM America, and SCD

(Sustainable Community Development). " Each company has contributed

invaluable time and expertise to us in this project, " said

Wiseman " . " SCD even donated enough of their product to our relief

effort to handle 4,000 homes. "

In a briefing to FEMA officials, Wiseman made it clear that The

Earth Organization is dedicated to doing everything possible to

prevent further health and environmental disasters from the

unnecessary use of chlorine bleach and other toxic chemicals.

For additional information about The Earth Organization, go to

www.earthorganization.org. All internet-based donations over the

next few months will go towards TEO's relief efforts in the Gulf

Coast area.

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