Mold not necessarily dangerous

February 19, 2006

By BOB STUART

The News Virginian

Sunday, February 19, 2006

http://www.newsvirginian.com/servlet/Satellite?

pagename=WNV/MGArticle/WNV_BasicArticle & c=MGArticle & cid=1137834199130

& path=!news!localnews

WAYNESBORO, Va. - While tests taken at the alternative Phoenix

Program's Avenue Baptist Church showed high spore counts of

mold last month, an expert says that people's reactions to types and

levels of mold vary depending on the condition of their immune

system and body physiology.

Test results from the church Jan. 25 and obtained Friday by The News

Virginian showed peak spore counts of apergillus and penicillium

molds at nearly 21,000, which many experts consider high.

Environmental Investigations, the Waynesboro Schools' consultant on

the problem, has since directed a remediation at the site, which has

greatly lowered mold counts.

And EI will continue to monitor those air quality counts over the

next couple of weeks, while the Phoenix Program holds classes at a

temporary site, Wayne Hills Baptist Church in Ladd.

The Waynesboro School Board is expected to make a decision after the

follow-up testing as to whether students will be allowed back in the

building.

An expert on mold says the high spore counts of mold previously

found in the building do not offer enough information about the

risks for students and staff who might return there.

Dr. ph Guth of Norfolk is a certified industrial hygienist and

holds a doctorate in biophysics and biochemistry. He has served as a

consultant and peer reviewer for the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency.

Guth said it is difficult to make blanket statements about the risks

of mold to people.

" Everybody's physiology and immune system are different,'' he

said. " Some are at great risk and others are not. "

Guth said the best strategy is two-fold, first calling for lowering

the mold counts and providing " good hygiene, sanitation, moisture

control and a good health plan. "

But he said spore counts do not offer enough information about the

people involved.

" I would never say we shouldn't look at spore counts, those are part

of the early warning systems,'' he said. " But that is not the main

way of addressing the problem. "

The second part of the strategy is to look at those people who are

at a higher risk due to immune system weaknesses. Guth said those

must be found through proper medical testing, including blood tests.

He said the response of a person's body is an indicator " of how well

a remediation response is. "

And even when a mold spore count is greatly lowered, Guth said that

might not be enough.

" Numbers don't give you any indication of how someone specifically

reacts,'' he said. " People can become hypersensitized. But you won't

know unless you test them. "

Waynesboro School Board Chairwoman Lorie said she is

cautiously optimistic the Phoenix Program can return to the

Avenue Baptist Church.

But she says, " I'm not totally sold, knowing what we know now. "

And said she does not want to be faced with constant shuffling

of students. " We don't want to constantly move kids back and

forth,'' she said.

As of the end of the week, the Waynesboro Schools had brainstormed

and come up with about 20 possible sites to move the program.

Superintendent Lowell Lemons said the school district had not even

begun to evaluate the list or make calls to the potential sites.

Assistant Superintendent Robin Crowder said the school district

would start looking at alternative sites as soon as this week.

" We would be remiss if we didn't start to explore the

possibilities,'' Crowder said.

Among those willing to offer space is Waynesboro City Councilman Reo

Hatfield, who is president of REO Distribution Services Inc.

He said he has 60,000 square feet of space available on the second

floor of his business just off Hopeman Parkway.

" This could be for anybody who has the need. I've got the space,''

Hatfield said.

He said that space includes separate offices and individual

conference rooms.

Hatfield said he would only want the utility bills to be paid.

The total costs of the mold work at the church have not been added

up, but a partial cost obtained Friday shows that EI recently sent

the school district an invoice for $4,660 in costs, including work

by personnel and sampling at the church.

Contact Bob Stuart at bstuart@....

February 20, 2006

KC,

The statetments about mold and testing by Dr. ph Guth in the

article you posted are some of the better I've seen. Simple, common

sense, accurate representations of what is known and what should be

done anyway.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> Mold not necessarily dangerous

>

> By BOB STUART

> The News Virginian

> Sunday, February 19, 2006

>

> http://www.newsvirginian.com/servlet/Satellite?

> pagename=WNV/MGArticle/WNV_BasicArticle & c=MGArticle & cid=1137834199130

> & path=!news!localnews

>

> WAYNESBORO, Va. - While tests taken at the alternative Phoenix

> Program's Avenue Baptist Church showed high spore counts of

> mold last month, an expert says that people's reactions to types and

> levels of mold vary depending on the condition of their immune system

> and body physiology.

>

> Test results from the church Jan. 25 and obtained Friday by The News

> Virginian showed peak spore counts of apergillus and penicillium molds

> at nearly 21,000, which many experts consider high.

>

> Environmental Investigations, the Waynesboro Schools' consultant on

> the problem, has since directed a remediation at the site, which has

> greatly lowered mold counts.

>

> And EI will continue to monitor those air quality counts over the next

> couple of weeks, while the Phoenix Program holds classes at a

> temporary site, Wayne Hills Baptist Church in Ladd.

>

> The Waynesboro School Board is expected to make a decision after the

> follow-up testing as to whether students will be allowed back in the

> building.

>

> An expert on mold says the high spore counts of mold previously

> found in the building do not offer enough information about the

> risks for students and staff who might return there.

>

> Dr. ph Guth of Norfolk is a certified industrial hygienist and

> holds a doctorate in biophysics and biochemistry. He has served as a

> consultant and peer reviewer for the U.S. Environmental Protection

> Agency.

>

> Guth said it is difficult to make blanket statements about the risks

> of mold to people.

>

> " Everybody's physiology and immune system are different,'' he

> said. " Some are at great risk and others are not. "

>

> Guth said the best strategy is two-fold, first calling for lowering

> the mold counts and providing " good hygiene, sanitation, moisture

> control and a good health plan. "

>

> But he said spore counts do not offer enough information about the

> people involved.

>

> " I would never say we shouldn't look at spore counts, those are part

> of the early warning systems,'' he said. " But that is not the main way

> of addressing the problem. "

>

> The second part of the strategy is to look at those people who are at

> a higher risk due to immune system weaknesses. Guth said those must be

> found through proper medical testing, including blood tests.

>

> He said the response of a person's body is an indicator " of how well a

> remediation response is. "

>

> And even when a mold spore count is greatly lowered, Guth said that

> might not be enough.

>

> " Numbers don't give you any indication of how someone specifically

> reacts,'' he said. " People can become hypersensitized. But you won't

> know unless you test them. "

>

> Waynesboro School Board Chairwoman Lorie said she is

> cautiously optimistic the Phoenix Program can return to the

> Avenue Baptist Church.

>

> But she says, " I'm not totally sold, knowing what we know now. "

>

> And said she does not want to be faced with constant shuffling

> of students. " We don't want to constantly move kids back and forth,''

> she said.

>

> As of the end of the week, the Waynesboro Schools had brainstormed and

> come up with about 20 possible sites to move the program.

>

> Superintendent Lowell Lemons said the school district had not even

> begun to evaluate the list or make calls to the potential sites.

>

> Assistant Superintendent Robin Crowder said the school district

> would start looking at alternative sites as soon as this week.

>

> " We would be remiss if we didn't start to explore the

> possibilities,'' Crowder said.

>

> Among those willing to offer space is Waynesboro City Councilman Reo

> Hatfield, who is president of REO Distribution Services Inc.

>

> He said he has 60,000 square feet of space available on the second

> floor of his business just off Hopeman Parkway.

>

> " This could be for anybody who has the need. I've got the space,''

> Hatfield said.

>

> He said that space includes separate offices and individual

> conference rooms.

>

> Hatfield said he would only want the utility bills to be paid.

>

> The total costs of the mold work at the church have not been added up,

> but a partial cost obtained Friday shows that EI recently sent the

> school district an invoice for $4,660 in costs, including work by

> personnel and sampling at the church.

>

> Contact Bob Stuart at bstuart@....

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

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