Mold make mess

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Mold make mess

By: GERRY TUOTI Staff Writer

The Taunton Gazette

Massachusetts

BRIDGEWATER - Worried about the potential threat of toxic mold,

Bridgewater-Raynham officials have hired an environmental team to

search for evidence of the nuisance fungus in the new regional high

school.

" We just want to do it right and do it now, " Superintendent

O. McIntyre said.

To date, no mold has been found, but school officials say it is

important to take preventative steps.

The concern stems from a Jan. 18 water pipe burst in the building,

which is still under construction.

" A pipe burst on the roof, " McIntyre explained. " There are several

ceiling tiles we'll have to replace. "

After seeing mold problems at other schools in the region, officials

worried dampness from the burst pipe could encourage the fungus to

grow in classrooms.

A team of workers from Cambridge-based Hygenetics Environmental is

examining the new Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School this week.

" We had to go through a bid process, " McIntyre said, explaining why

a month and a half has passed between the January incident and the

arrival of the environmental team.

In recent years, school districts have had to spend hundreds of

thousands of dollars to remove mold from schools in nearby

communities including Kingston, Pembroke, Plymouth, Hingham and

Plympton.

Some types of mold, which can grow on nearly any surface, produce

allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or asthma attacks,

according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Other

types produce toxins that can irritate the eyes, nose and lungs. In

rare, severe cases, exposure to toxic mold spores can result in a

respiratory infection.

McIntyre characterized the pipe burst as a minor setback, and said

it will not delay the September opening of the $69 million new high

school.